Roger Douglas will not be silent

RADIO NEW ZEALAND: Sir Roger Douglas, who will be one of ACT's five MPs, is warning the incoming National Government not to expect him to be silent.

Prime Minister elect John Key begins the process of forming a Government on Monday, holding preliminary meetings with the leaders of ACT and United Future.

Mr Key has publicly stated that Sir Roger, who was a Labour finance minister in the 1980's, will not hold a Cabinet position.

However Sir Roger told Nine to Noon it is not certain whether he will remain ruled out, and if he is, there is still room for him as a "sideline commentator."

Sir Roger said his views will be known, and there is "no way" he is going to sit in Parliament over the next three years and be silent.

He said the reforms he made in the 1980s are still in place, unchanged by either a National or Labour-led Government.

National has enough seats to govern with potential coalition partners ACT and United Future, after a sweeping victory in the 2008 general election on Saturday.

Bill English, who is due to become Finance Minister in the new Government, says his party is set to start receiving briefings on the state of the economy.

Mr English told Nine to Noon there will be no cabinet position for Sir Roger Douglas, but said the Government would be open to receiving economic advice from a wide range of people.

United Future leader Peter Dunne said ACT should keep in mind that the party holds only five compared to National's 59.

"If it sees its performance on Saturday as a justification for an unleashing of another right-wing binge, then I think that's not what the country wants or needs."

Listen to Bill English and Sir Roger Douglas on Nine to Noon