18 Oct 2017

Negotiation announcement tomorrow arvo - NZ First

7:21 pm on 18 October 2017

New Zealand First says it will be in a position tomorrow afternoon to make an announcement on the result of negotiations.

New Zealand First MPs have wrapped up an all-day caucus meeting at Parliament, as they decide whether to form a government with National or Labour.

The meeting started at 9.30am and continued all day.

As he left the meeting tonight, New Zealand First MP Ron Mark told reporters it would be a little bit longer.

The party then issued a statement that its leader, Winston Peters, had spoken to the leaders of the National and Labour Parties and, amongst other matters, had advised them that an announcement would come tomorrow afternoon.

The National Party said in a statement this evening it had no indication what way New Zealand First would go.

It said it would hold a caucus meeting at 11am and would hold a separate conference call with its board.

One of the party's MPs Mark Patterson earlier today said they were "98 percent of the way there" on policy discussions.

New Zealand First has been holding coalition talks with National and Labour since the final election result was announced on 7 October.

After the election, Mr Peters said he would make a decision by Thursday 12 October, but since then explained he had not made clear whether that outcome would be made public on the same day.

Since then, Mr Peters had said he would announce which party his party would form a government with by the end of this week but would not commit to a timeframe.

He met with National leader Bill English and Labour leader Jacinda Ardern in separate one-on-one meetings after the New Zealand First party meeting all day yesterday.

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