Minister's job may be on the table for Peters

Winston Peters

Labour is thought to have offered New Zealand First leader Winston Peters a ministerial post in an attempt to secure more support from his party.

It is not known what the position was - or if one was even specified - but the most attractive to him is likely to be Attorney-General or Minister of Economic Development.

Talks on forming a Government have reached a delicate stage after final results posted a week ago gave Labour two more seats than National.

A confidence and supply agreement with the Greens is thought to be well advanced, but not far enough for the party to have something to put to a special general meeting planned for today in Wellington.

But any ministerial post or coalition deal between New Zealand First and Labour could well upset the Greens if they believe they have been vetoed and force a review of their support.

Mr Peters, a former lawyer, could be tempted by the prospect of becoming minister in charge of the Serious Fraud Office, the appointment of judges and Queen's Counsel.

New Zealand First might also be able to make the case that the post of Attorney-General need not be a Cabinet position and not part of a coalition. In fact, ordinary decisions of the Attorney-General are supposed to be made independently without reference to the Cabinet.

David Lange was Attorney-General outside of Cabinet after he resigned as Prime Minister.

Labour's bid to secure a closer role for Mr Peters in Government relates to his importance in the numbers game, and seeming uncertainty over the position of United Future and the Maori Party.

United Future has made its support conditional on the sort of deal Labour does with the Greens, and the Maori Party has continued talks with National.

New Zealand First commands seven votes. Mr Peters has said its preference is to provide no impediment to Labour forming a Government and to abstain on confidence and supply.

But if Labour cannot rely on the support of United Future or the Maori Party, it needs New Zealand First's affirmative support, not just an abstention.

Prime Minister Helen Clark is thought to be pressing New Zealand First for a positive vote instead of abstention to get stable government.

If Labour and the Progressives, with the Greens, win the support of New Zealand First, they could govern with an outright majority of 64 votes, a cushion of three more than required.

Mr Peters said in a Rotorua speech on his party's position that he would stay out of coalition. But he said he would change from abstention to a positive vote of support on confidence and supply if stability were threatened by smaller parties.

Such support could be given without the price of a Cabinet post. But a position in the executive might be more likely to lock in New Zealand First support.

But he could also loudly resist the overtures in order to emphasise his distance from Government.