NZ First says NZ First would make all National MPs sign election deal

NEW ZEALAND HERALD: New Zealand First would make every single National MP sign up to any agreement it reached with National after the election, NZ First leader Winston Peters said today.

"We could work with either Helen Clark or John Key," Mr Peters said.

"But we do have a proviso about National because of our past experience.

"Like all New Zealanders we want to know exactly where National stands on all the main issues, long before the election campaign.

"And before we could go with National, we would make every single MP in the National caucus sign up to whatever agreement was reached.

"That includes all the right-wingers and ACT look-a-likes that lurk in the shadows," Mr Peters said.

The former National-NZ First coalition fell apart in 1998 when NZ First left Cabinet and prime minister Jenny Shipley sacked Mr Peters. National remained in government when former NZ First MPs, who had split from the party, formed Mauri Pacific and helped prop up the National Government.

Mr Peters today said in speech to the Rotary Club at Taupo that there were some in Labour who had been hesitant at working with NZ First who had come to see the value of an alternative viewpoint.

Some probably still harboured reservations, he said.

"But they have learnt how MMP works and the real question which remains is, has National?"

Most politicians did get MMP and understood its potential, he said.

That was why in the same week both Prime Minister Helen Clark and National leader John Key supported him as foreign minister, despite having different views.

"They understand, like we do in New Zealand First, that MMP means you won't agree on everything but that is not the end of the political world."

But the critical point was that these differences did not prevent parties from working constructively together on issues they agreed on.

Mr Peters said NZ First's agreement on confidence and supply with Labour "gives us room to disagree".

"There is no threat of instability."

While NZ First did not always agree with the Government, the Government "stands firm".

Mr Peters also said the media still seemed to see the world through first-past-the-post glasses and could not see how people with differing views could work together for the good of the country.

"Apparently there was a constitutional crisis in New Zealand last week but fortunately it was confined to a word processor in the parliamentary press gallery."

Mr Peters was referring to reports about his party's stance in opposing the free trade deal with China and his comments that he would say New Zealand could have done better if asked about the trade deal while on overseas business as foreign minister.

He later gave an assurance to the prime minister that he would not criticise the deal while overseas on ministerial duties.