Winston Peters shouldn't expect Green Party support for the controversial Electoral (Integrity) Amendment Bill at its second reading, according to Green MPs Julie Anne Genter and Marama Davidson.
The two co-leadership-hopefuls appeared on Newshub Nation on Saturday, with Ms Genter saying the Greens had "serious problems" with the so-called waka-jumping legislation, which would see MPs ejected from Parliament if they leave their party.
"We need to sit down and have a very frank conversation with our partners in Government and say, 'We have a problem,'" Ms Genter told host Lisa Owen.
"We have to listen to our members, we have to respect our constitution and our policy, and we need to find a way forward with this, and we can't guarantee a vote for it at second rating."
She said the Greens had a positive working relationship with New Zealand First and could communicate respectfully on the issues they disagreed on.
"I think we need to be open, honest and very strong in the Green Party position on these things."
Ms Davidson said she had raised her concerns about the waka-jumping legislation from the beginning of the caucus discussion.
The Bill wasn't mentioned in the final agreement, though, so the Greens could be obliged to vote for it. There is a clause in their confidence and supply agreement requiring the Greens to act in good faith to allow Labour to keep its agreements with other coalition partners.
However, Ms Davidson stopped short of blaming James Shaw for failing to negotiate an out-clause on the waka jumping bill.
"Nothing comes back on one person with the decisions that the Green Party make.
"What I've been working with the members on is making sure that we have regular, transparent, honest conversations with the membership so they're aware of the sticky issues that are going to come down the line and we have a consensus and appropriate decision-making processes to work out where we go next."
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters told Newshub Nation that he had the numbers to get the Bill through, and expected widespread support.
"I think if the people in the National Party have any sense of democracy and what MMP is about and the need to keep faith in what the election night result is, then they themselves will vote for it."
Newshub.
