Could Winston Peters job-share the job of Prime Minister?
A third of voters in an online poll The AM Show is running on Monday morning think it could work.
While the results are unlikely to be a true representation of the electorate's views, the man who currently has the job had to be prodded into ruling it out on Monday morning.
Appearing on The AM Show, Bill English at first said he could "almost certainly" rule it out.
"We're not negotiating with someone who hasn't got the votes, and we haven't had an election yet," he told host Duncan Garner - who pointed out "almost" meant the door for the NZ First leader was slightly ajar.
"Let's not leave the door ajar - I'd rule that out," Mr English responded.
But he's not ruling out working with NZ First, if that's what's required to stay in power.
"If the voters vote in a way that means Winston Peters is necessary for stable Government, then we will work with him."
After three terms leading the country, Mr English hopes National won't need Mr Peters to form the next Government. But he won't commit to pulling out of Ōhāriu to give coalition partner Peter Dunne of UnitedFuture a better chance of beating Labour's candidate, former Police Association boss Greg O'Connor.
"Peter's been part of what's been a stable Government, where the National Party and three other parties - two of them one-man parties - through almost three terms of Government have provided stable Government," said Mr English.
"Wait and see. We're not starting the election campaign now."
Labour and the Greens are working together to beat National, with the Greens opting not to stand a candidate in Ōhāriu to improve Mr O'Connor's chances of wresting the seat off Mr Dunne.
In a blog post on Saturday night, Mr O'Connor sought to assuage Green voters uncomfortable with his views on arming the police.
Newshub.
