End of beginning is nigh for Government

By VERNON SMALL deputy political editor

The shape of the new Government could be unveiled today after Helen Clark holds a final round of meetings with the leaders of the Greens and United Future.

Talks began last week after the election gave Labour 52 seats and Jim Anderton's Progressive Coalition two seats in the 120-seat House.

They would need support from either United Future, with nine seats, or the Greens, with eight seats, to command a majority.

Green co-leader Rod Donald said nothing had been finalised. He was optimistic that decisions would be reached by the end of the week.

But the mood around Parliament yesterday was relaxed, suggesting most of the work had been completed.

Helen Clark took a four-day skiing break in the South Island over the weekend while officials from the respective parties continued talks.

She returns to Wellington early today, but none of the parties could yesterday say when talks would resume.

The Prime Minister favours a minority coalition with the Progressive Coalition and has sought support from both United Future and the Greens.

It is expected United Future will give a Labour-led Government an assurance of support on crucial confidence-and-supply votes for its three-year term. In return it will likely get the nod for its pet policy, a Commission for the Family.

The Greens support much of Labour's programme but will vote against the Government if it lifts the moratorium on the commercial release of genetically modified organisms next year.

The Labour caucus is expected to elect the Cabinet on Tuesday. Parliament is likely to resume on August 27.

The Greens and United have been manoeuvring to cast each other in the worst possible light ahead of an announcement.

United Future leader Peter Dunne on Monday said the Greens had "Stone Age" views and were holding a gun to the Government's head over the GM moratorium.

The Greens, backed by the Council of Trade Unions, have criticised Mr Dunne's voting record. He has opposed most union and environment-friendly measures. He also voted against the Government on all confidence issues and against its Budgets.

Mr Donald said unless Mr Dunne was going to "do a somersault" on policy, Labour would still have to rely on the Greens to pass many measures, whatever other arrangement were put in place.

Parliamentary records show Mr Dunne opposed the early stages of 17 proposed law changes carried over from the last Parliament.

Those included measures to:

* Allow the Kyoto climate change protocol to be ratified.

* Amend minimum wage laws.

* Allow minor convictions to be kept secret if a person stays out of trouble for 10 years.

* Rewrite the occupation health and safety laws and impose tougher fines on employers who do not comply.

* Give local government greater powers.

* Restructure TVNZ to allow it to meet the requirements of its new charter.

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