United Future leader Peter Dunne says his party has been the most reliable support partner of the National-led Government and he would like to continue in that role.
Mr Dunne resigned as a minister this year after he refused to provide information to an inquiry investigating the leaking of a highly sensitive report into the GCSB spy agency.
Peter Dunne. Photo: RNZ
In a speech to the Mangere Rotary Club in Auckland on Tuesday he said National needed to start thinking about future coalition partners.
Mr Dunne told Radio New Zealand's Morning Report programme his party has fulfilled the role of support partner of both National and Labour for two terms each, and most of United Future's policies are now mainstream.
In his speech Mr Dunne argued the National Party's best chance of putting together a government in 2014 is with its present support partners, United Future, Act New Zealand and the Maori Party.
He described potential deals with either the Conservatives, who have never been in Parliament, or with New Zealand First, as preposterous.
Mr Dunne told the Mangere Rotary Club that National needs to be actively working with its present partners.
Prime Minister John Key says National works constructively with all its partners but is not ruling out a deal with the Conservatives or New Zealand First.
"What I have said is that in 2014, and probably in the earlier part of that year, we'll try and give an indication of who we can work with, who we can't, and some sort of indication of how that might play out, although it'll depend I guess in the fullness of time how it goes."
