10 Nov 2023

'A lot more to do' after week of deliberations - Christopher Luxon

8:48 pm on 10 November 2023
National Party leader Christopher Luxon.

Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver

Incoming prime minister Christopher Luxon is heading back to Auckland after a busy week of talks in the capital.

Negotiations to form a government have wrapped up for the week, with little word on how close the country is to getting an answer.

There have now been individual meetings between the leaders of National and potential partners ACT and New Zealand First, but deals have not yet been nailed down.

Luxon told reporters at the airport he thinks they're making "great progress".

"In the space of seven days since the vote was counted, we're working progressively, productively - we've got a lot more to do but we'll keep working as hard as we can."

When asked if he was concerned about how much ACTs David Seymour and and New Zealand First's Winston Peters were meeting, perhaps teaming up against him, Luxon said "no not all".

"It's very positive, we want to make sure - all three leaders - that we have a very strong, stable government that we're going to work hard to do."

Once National has agreed deals with ACT and New Zealand First separately, the three parties will meet together.

The next step would be consulting their respective boards and caucuses.

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