Post-election negotiations begin in earnest today, with NZ First meeting again with Labour and National.
NZ First leader Winston Peters said talks on Sunday went well and said negotiation will continue "all day [on Monday] and into the night."
Meetings will begin with National at 9.30am, followed by talks from 12pm with Labour.
The special votes saw two seats switch from National to one each for Labour and the Greens. No others seats changed hands, meaning either side still needs NZ First in order to form a parliamentary majority.
3.53pm - NZ First's afternoon negotiating team
Shane Jones and Fletcher Tabuteau have been added to NZ First's negotiating team for the second meeting with National.
This morning, Mr Jones said he would leave negotiations to his rangatira - Mr Peters. But this afternoon Mr Peters said Mr Jones is taking part because he's "part of the caucus".
Tracey Martin is not taking part in the second meeting with National.
3:44pm - Winston Peters compares negotiations
Mr Peters said negotiations have been more like 1996 than 2005, but said there are a few days to go before the outcome will be known.
Negotiations in 1996 ended with a coalition with National, while 2005 ended with a confidence and supply agreement with Labour.
3:39pm - Tragic family death for former NZ First MP
Former NZ First MP Ria Bond has been affected by a personal tragedy after her nephew was killed in a car crash on Sunday.
"Ms Bond's nephew was killed in a car crash on the Dipton Winton Highway travelling from his father's funeral at about 9:40pm on Sunday evening.
"Her nephew's partner also died in the crash while their baby and two-year-old toddler survived the crash.
"The driver of the other vehicle also tragically died," says Mr Peters.
3pm - Labour meeting wraps up
Mr Peters says at 2.5 hours, the meeting with Labour went overtime, so there won't be a second meeting today.
National will meet with NZ First for second negotiations at 4pm.
12.33pm - Winston Peters' favourite politicians added to Labour's team
Two politicians that Mr Peters rates highly have been added to Labour's negotiating team - David Parker and Annette King.
Last month, Mr Peters told The Project Mr Parker is his favourite politician.
"David Parker... I saw him attacked on something in business that was crook, and he was exonerated, but nobody ever said sorry," Mr Peters explained.
"I said that guy's telling the truth, and I said so publicly... I'm darn glad I did".
Annette King also took part in the talks, subbing in for Sir Michael Cullen.
In August, Mr Peters told RNZ Ms King is "a decent, honest person, a seriously underrated person."
He even said Ms King was such a formidable opponent that she made him want to quit his portfolio.
"Having been opposing her as a spokesperson when she was a minister and things like that, I really came to think, 'I don't want to be doing this portfolio any longer, because I don't like what I'm doing,'" he said.
11.48 - Foreign ownership discussed
Winston Peters has confirmed foreign ownership is being discussed during negotiations.
"This is actually about policy and it's about the economic and social progress of this country," he said.
When asked whether foreign ownership is his top priority, Mr Peters paused before saying, "There are a lot of priorities, not just one."
Mr Peters said he will meet again with National today, and he also expects to meet with Labour twice.
10.52am - NZ First's 15 fundamentals
With NZ First deciding on which party will lead the next Government, it's worth taking a look at the ideology that underpins NZ First.
These are abridged versions of the 15 principals on the party's website:
1. New Zealand First - Putting New Zealand & New Zealanders First.
2. Open Accountable Governance - Less government, and a reduction of government advisors by 50 percent. On any issue not covered by party policy, NZ First MPs are not required to vote with the party.
3. Export-Led Economics - Export-led economic development to add value to resources.
4. Employing New Zealanders - Employment of New Zealanders is our first planning priority.
5. Education as an Investment - Money spent on education will be treated as an investment, not as expenditure.
6. Rebuilding Public Health - Health will be a critical investment in New Zealand’s human resource.
7. Less Tax - Our long-term objective is New Zealanders paying less tax.
8. Upskilling New Zealanders - Immigration will cease to be used as an excuse for failure to train, skill and employ our own people.
9. More from Welfare - The Welfare State must be an umbrella to meet genuine and deserving need. Government has a duty to properly determine those needs and respond to them. Social welfare must no longer neglect assisting recipients to become independent of the State.
10. Focused Foreign Policy - New Zealand foreign aid will focus on the region in which we live. New Zealanders desire for a non-nuclear future will be respected.
11. Proactive Environmental Policy - All environmental policies will be proactive with a view to creating employment and sustainable wealth whilst improving one of our few competitive advantages.
12. Ceasing State Asset Sales - If considered appropriate and only where absolutely necessary, management by private contracts under public ownership will replace the policy of state asset sales.
13. Anti-Corruption Commission - An independent anti-corruption commission will be established.
14. Electoral Reform by Electors - The Government’s duty will be to ensure the fair representation of all views and the holding of appropriate referenda.
15. The People's Policies - All policies not contained in the party manifesto, where no national emergency clearly exists, will first be referred to the electorate for a mandate.
10am - Shane Jones not negotiating for NZ First
Shane Jones has arrived back at Parliament after spending the last few weeks off.
When asked by Newshub's Jenna Lynch why he is not on the negotiating team, Mr Jones said, "I have come back to Wellington to go to work, and I'll leave the negotiations updates to my rangatira, Winston."
"I have been away on a private trip that was organised before I didn't do as well as I thought I would do in Whangarei."
Mr Jones then made a hasty departure.
"You're not going to get anything out of me, folks. I know there's a bit of information drought and I have arrived. See ya later. Kia kaha."
9:30am - National's negotiation team
National's Monday negotiating team is made up of:
- Leader Bill English, who is leading National's team
- Deputy leader Paula Bennett, who wasn't included in talks on Friday but took part on Sunday
- Trade spokesperson Todd McClay, who wasn't part of talks on Sunday
- Gerry Brownlee, spokesperson for foreign affairs
- Finance spokesperson Steve Joyce
- National's chief of staff Wayne Eagleson, who will resign after the conclusion of negotiations
9:15am - Bill English says Greens missing a trick
This morning National Party leader Bill English told The AM Show the Greens "don't seem to be pushing for much" in negotiations with Labour.
"Mr Peters, as you would expect, is using the weight of the position he has to make gains."
"The Green Party don't appear to understand the position they're in or could have been in," said Mr English.
"[Mr Peters is] playing his hand with a great deal more assertion than the Greens... He's a tough negotiator and he understands the position he's in."
Mr English said there is "quite a lot of common ground" between National and NZ First.
Read more from Newshub's Dan Satherley and watch the interview here.
Newshub.
