KEY POINTS:
The Maori Party and National Party appear to have settled on a draft agreement for the Maori Party to take to its people to consider.
The two parties had a 90 minute meeting today to continue their negotiations over a potential arrangement in Government.
After the meeting, Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia said she was expecting to see the written version of an agreement at 5pm today and would then begin hui around MPs electorates to gauge the views of Maori people.
Ms Turia would not reveal what concessions the agreement contained or whether ministerial posts were involved.
However, both Ms Turia and co-leader Pita Sharples said they were pleased with progress.
Asked if it included some form of support for a National-led government, Ms Turia said the two parties would be unlikely to have reached this stage without support being involved.
The issue of the Maori seats was the most likely sticking point in any agreement between the two. National's policy was to remove the seats from 2014, but the Maori Party wants them entrenched.
Ms Turia said she would see when the agreement was received whether the issue was settled, but National leader John Key has previously said it was not a bottom line for National.
Ms Turia said the details of the agreement would not be made public as the party wanted to meet its people face to face first. The hui were expected to be complete by Sunday, and if both sides agreed to work together full details would be revealed on Tuesday.
National also has a draft agreement with United Future leader Peter Dunne and is in negotiations with the Act Party, which has already undertaken to support it on confidence and supply.
