The Press leader's debate at the Christchurch Town Hall. Photo: RNZ / Jane Patterson
The various possibilities for governing arrangements and whether National's potential bedfellows could make it work were a major focus of last night's The Press debate post-match interviews.
It was the final clash between the Greens, ACT, New Zealand First and Te Pāti Māori for the 2023 campaign.
The debate, held in the Christchurch Town Hall, had to be rescheduled with a different time and different participants after Labour's Chris Hipkins tested positive for Covid-19.
With the election now just days away, party leaders are also being asked about some of the logistics.
In 2017, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said it was "wise" to wait until special votes had been counted before starting substantive talks. He had also named Thursday 12 October - the latest day for the return of the writ - as a date by which time any talks would be concluded.
Last night, Peters was asked if he would set a specific date for when he would like to conclude any negotiations.
"Let's not have this humbug ... no, I have not set a date previously, full stop, I never have," Peters told reporters.
The Press leader's debate. Photo: KAI SCHWOERER / Stuff
National has raised the prospect of not being able to put a government together if that would rely on New Zealand First being in the mix, talking about that party as a "last resort". A question for Peters was whether he could work in a government with ACT and its leader, David Seymour.
"That's the plan, we've got to get on with the job, we've got to put all our differences behind us and form a much better, stable government."
Seymour has likened the relationship between ACT and National to a political marriage - so where would that leave New Zealand First?
"I would have thought that was an unfortunate metaphor to use because it begs the sort of comparison with Diana's marriage - remember?" Peters replied.
So would he be Camilla? "No, what I was saying was it's not possible, because it's got three parties involved here, not two."
Seymour reiterated his strong preference to work solely with National, but said ACT would "respect the outcome of an election and will work with the Parliament that the people elect".
He also said he was confident he could convince National to change its position on holding a referendum on Treaty of Waitangi principles, if the parties were in a position to form a government after the election.
National Leader Christopher Luxon has effectively ruled out the policy, saying it would be "divisive" for the country, but Seymour says that position could change.
"There's going to be a discussion between two parties that have overlapping priorities and some differences," he said.
"What's clear here is that neither party is really interested in doing the negotiations through the media, but we will negotiate with each other and get a better outcome for the people that need real change."
Seymour was asked whether he would walk away from negotiations if National flat-out rejected his party's Treaty policy.
"I don't think that they will say that," he said.
"There is actually a deep need in New Zealand to have a much wider discussion about our constitutional arrangements and I think that one way or another, that is going to come to the fore and that's why I'm confident that we can actually persuade them it's a good idea."