Greens to National: No deal

ONE NEWS: The Green Party has ruled out supporting a National-led government but says support for Labour is conditional on key concessions in post-election talks.

The much-expected announcement was made by co-leaders Jeanette Fitzsimons and Russel Norman at a press conference in Wellington on Monday.

Fitzsimons says "on the whole" National's policies will take New Zealand in the wrong direction.

"This means that we cannot form a government with National, or support them on confidence and supply, although we could work with them in areas where we have common ground."

However, she says regardless of who is the government after the November 8 election, the Greens will look for areas to work with them, where there is common ground.

She gave Labour a mixed report card, but says support for a Labour-led government is possible if it progresses the right policies.

"Whether we could form a government with them would depend on reaching a policy agreement that advanced green policies on a number of fronts."

The Greens signed a co-operation agreement after the 2005 election that meant it wouldn't oppose the government on confidence and supply votes.

Prior to the announcement on Monday, Labour leader Helen Clark had been expressing confidence the Greens will side with her party again.

On Breakfast on Monday morning, she said she would be very happy to sit with the Greens around the cabinet table.

Co-leader Russel Norman says his party does not want to "prop up anyone else's government".

He says the Greens have evaluated policies, programmes and public statements from National and Labour and while there are policy areas where both parties differ from the Greens, Norman says his party "would prefer to work with Labour to form a government, as their policies are more closely aligned with our own".

A Colmar Brunton poll released on Sunday shows that the Greens are down slightly from last week, and will gain seven seats instead of the10 they would have had a week ago.

Labour rose slightly, from 33% to 36%.

Of those interviewed, 1% indicated they thought Jeanette Fitzsimons would be the best option for the next prime minister.

National not surprised

Meanwhile, National's environment spokesman Nick Smith says he is disappointed, but not surprised the Greens are opting to go with Labour in any post-election arrangement.

"New Zealand has been going backwards environmentally for the past nine years. Greenhouse gas emissions have been growing at ever-increasing rates, we have record deforestation, and a deterioration in water quality," he says.

"It is extraordinary that the Greens are signing up to more of the same with Labour, when co-leader Russell Norman has strongly criticised the Labour Government's poor record.

"A Greens/Labour government is a recipe for a no-growth government. If the Greens were really serious about the environment they would be prepared to work with either major party to advance important environmental issues.

"National has a strong and practical environment policy, which carefully balances economic development with environmental protection," Smith says.