Greens 'natural home' with Labour - Key
To some, the PM's words may recall the "Kiwi/Iwi" billboards, which belied his party's subsequent decision to ally with the Maori Party.
National leader John Key says the Greens "natural home" is with Labour - although to some, the Prime Minister's words may recall the "Kiwi/Iwi" billboards, which belied his party's subsequent decision to ally with the Maori Party.
At the Green's annual meeting over the weekend, co-leader Metiria Turei confirmed the party's post-election position would be to favour a Labour-led government, but did not rule out working with National.
"We're more likely to support Labour on confidence and supply, and think it is highly unlikely that we could support a National government on confidence and supply, but it is on the table," Mrs Turei said.
"It's more likely we could work project-by-project with National like we do now on home insulation, tourism infrastructure and toxic site management."
Confidence and supply agreements are formal undertakings in which a party agrees to back the Government on confidence votes in Parliament, giving it a majority the way ACT and the Maori Party do now with National.
Speaking to media this morning, Mr Key said he thought it was "highly unlikely" the Greens would go with National.
"We all need to accept that if the balance of power was held by the Greens they'd go with Labour, there's no great secret there," he said.
"In the last three years we've gone through issues like the home insulation fund, which they've been supportive of and other areas, but realistically the natural home for the Greens is Labour."
Bradford speaks out
Meanwhile, former Green MP Sue Bradford has spoken out against the party's outlook towards National.
"What's the point of having really good policies if you're prepared to prop up a right wing, anti worker, anti beneficiary govt?" Ms Bradford wrote on her Facebook page.
NZPA and NZPA staff
Tue, 07 Jun 2011
Tue, 07 Jun 2011
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Greens 'natural home' with Labour - Key
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