27 Nov 2011

Post-election talks over next two days

8:53 pm on 27 November 2011

National Party leader John Key will meet with the ACT, United Future and Maori parties for initial negotiations at Parliament on Monday.

Senior National Party MPs met at Mr Key's Auckland home on Sunday afternoon for a post-election debrief.

On the provisional results, National needs two more votes to govern, along with the 60 seats it won on Saturday night.

Mr Key says ministerial warrants for the leaders of the ACT and United Future parties, in return for a deal on confidence and supply, are on the table.

But Mr Key has ruled out giving the incoming ACT MP John Banks the Local Government portfolio if he does become a minister.

Former ACT leader Rodney Hide held that portfolio in the last Government.

And Mr Key also says he'll negotiate with the Maori Party, even though he doesn't need their support to govern.

"Well obviously it's a matter for them but we'd like to carry on working with them. We think that they got real gains being in Government, we think that they did advance the causes for their people. And I believe it gave the Government balance and in a country like New Zealand I think that's an important step", he said.

Mr Key says there will be a Cabinet reshuffle in the new term, which will include some new faces.

He says starting the partial asset sales programme, welfare reform and the rebuild of Christchurch will be his Government's first priority.