The platform Winston Peters is campaigning on doesn't align with Labour, leader Chris Hipkins says. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins says he does not regret ruling out working with New Zealand First to form a government.
When asked by Morning Report's Ingrid Hipkiss, he replied: "absolutely not".
National and ACT would need Winston Peters' support to form a government under the latest Newshub-Reid Research poll.
"Winston Peters is a force for chaos in government, I made the principled decision that we wouldn't work with him, I don't believe that the platform he's campaigning on and the values that New Zealand First represents are compatible with mine or those of the Labour Party," Hipkins said.
Both National and Labour dropped in the latest Newshub Reid Research poll.
Labour is at 26.5 percent (down 0.3 percent) and National is still well ahead on 39.1 percent (down 1.8 percent).
ACT is down to single digits on 8.8 percent while the Greens are continuing to pick up support, up close to 2 percent and now on 14.2 percent.
National Party leader Christopher Luxon confirmed on Monday National would form a government with NZ First if required, but his first preference would be for a two-party coalition with ACT.
Hipkins said New Zealand had been through a difficult period and it was natural when someone when through a difficult period to contemplate change.
"The question I think every New Zealander needs to ask is change to what? Change to a government that would be chaos, that would be unstable and that would take New Zealand backwards, or sticking with a government that actually is getting the economy back on track, that is investing in our public services and that is actually taking New Zealand in the right direction."
"I'm gonna be out there fighting for this."
Asked about the preferred prime minister poll, in which Hipkins sits at 19.1 percent, down 3.4 points, he said he did not claim perfection but that he would be honest with New Zealanders.
Green Part co-leader James Shaw believes it would be a very close election. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Green Party co-leader James Shaw said with Labour's decline marginal and smaller than the increase the Greens saw under the poll, support was picking up from a number of places.
"I think what it shows is people are responding to the positive vision that the Greens are putting out this election campaign.
Asked if the centre-left could win, Shaw said he did not dis the polls when they were not in his favour.
In the last two elections, something different happened than he thought would, he said.
Pressed again on whether the centre-left could win, Shaw said: "I don't know what's going to happen."
It was a "very very close election," he said.
People who vote for Greens were voting for the party to sit around the Cabinet table with Labour, he said.
Shaw said he could not rule out supporting National to form a government.
Decisions about coalitions were put to the party's members, but a deal with National was extremely unlikely, he said.
Working with NZ First would be a last resort option, Nationals' Chris Bishop says. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Asked if National could work with the Greens, National Party campaign chair Chris Bishop told Morning Report it was a moot point "because the Green Party loathes the National Party unfortunately".
Bishop said his party leader confirming National could work with NZ First was "simply laying our cards on the table".
"Our strong preference is to govern with a strong stable two-party coalition with ACT after the election but elections are close under MMP and there's a chance that Mr Peters may be returned to Parliament and there's also a chance that on election night we have a re-run of 2017 which Mr Peters is in a Kingmaker position".
No one wanted a 2017 scenario again, he said.
Pushed on whether NZ First could have a seat at the Cabinet table, Bishop avoided the question, reiterating that working with Peters' was a last resort.
NZ First was taking votes from both Labour and National, he said.
