Greens may have trouble working with NZ First

NBR.CO.NZ: Labour allies the Greens are pulling the noose around Winston Peters’ neck tighter, with co-leader Russel Norman telling Alt TV in an interview that his party would find it “incredibly difficult” to work with Winston Peters in government.

Previously, Green MPs have only expressed personal views on Peters, and said it is a matter for the party to decide.

Mr Norman was asked whether the Greens could work with Mr Peters after the election, in light of the National Party ruling Peters out of government.

“If the questions hanging over Winston aren’t resolved it would be extremely difficult to sit around a cabinet table with him,” Mr Norman says. “I think we do have to say people are innocent until proven guilty, and there has to be a due process. He has to be given the opportunity to clear things up, I think that’s only fair, but if he doesn’t then I think it would be incredibly difficult.”

On Sunday , Mr Norman’s co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons told the Agenda program that she would find it difficult to be in government with Winston Peters if he had not cleared up issues around his failure to disclose information to the public, “over and above questions of legality.”

“In the end that’s a decision for the party, not for me,” she said but “my personal view is if you’re sitting round a cabinet table you have to be able to trust them.”

“I would be uncomfortable.”

Nonetheless, repeated references to “sitting around the cabinet table” don’t rule out a supply and confidence arrangement post-election.

Mr Norman’s interview with Alt TV screens tonight at 8.30 pm.