Bill English's election date is timed perfectly, just a week after the All Blacks play the Springboks, according to Newshub's Patrick Gower.
Heading up to the election Gower plans to chase down Mr English and ask him daily whether he plans to work with Winston Peters.
"It's probably the reason why John Key got the hell out of here - the thought of having to deal with [Mr Peters] just horrified him," Gower said in Facebook Live on Wednesday, immediately after Mr English's press conference announcing the election date.
Mr English said National would prefer to work with its current partners - Act, United Future and the Maori Party.
As for New Zealand First, Mr English says the Winston Peters-led party would be an "unlikely partner".
However, he left the door open to "have discussions with them post-election depending on the makeup of Parliament".
Gower says upcoming polls are likely to show the necessity of an English/Peters team-up and Mr Peters will probably demand the Deputy Prime Minister position, to ensure a National win.
"[Mr English] can't just pretend to make Winston Peters go away, the polls will start to show that too, that Bill English needs to rely on him," Gower says.
"But Bill English is keen on power, he'll do a deal with Winston if he has to."
Newshub.
