ACT Party leader Jamie Whyte would hate to join a coalition that included New Zealand First leader Winston Peters, but would do so if it involved being part of the next government.
Jamie Whyte. Photo: RNZ
Jamie Whyte told Radio New Zealand's Sunday Morning programme that National needs coalition partners.
He said while he has serious disagreements with one of its most likely partners, the Conservative Party, he would much rather them than New Zealand First.
However, he said if the results of the election were such that he had to work with Mr Peters to prevent Labour and the Greens forming a government, then he would bite the bullet and do so.
"Suppose that after election day we found ourselves with a possibility of a Greens Labour [government] and the only way to form another government was to involve Winston Peters in a coalition between National and us. I would find that dreadful but I think it would be my duty to keep the Greens and Labour out".
Mr Whyte said his party - which is currently polling around one percent - won't need a deal with National to re-enter parliament, saying ACT's candidate in Epsom, David Seymour, has what it takes to win the seat on his own.
