News 15K views since yesterday

Wong puts National first in talks, but contact hasn't begun

In the NZ Herald interview, Opportunity's leader says governing partners would need to support her party's conditions, including lobbying regulation.

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nzherald.co.nz Story of November 10, 2026Trari Newsroom

Why this story? One of nzherald.co.nz's most watched videos since yesterday, with 15,281 views.

'We’d like to talk to the largest party first, being National’: Qiulae Wong | Ryan Bridge TODAY

Things we can learn from the video

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0:41Wong intends to approach the largest party first, while waiting for special votes to be counted.
1:11Hipkins and Swarbrick have offered congratulations, but Wong says discussions with National have not begun.
2:20Wong says governing partners would need to support Opportunity's conditions for those policies to happen.
3:22Wong argues that stability involves more than holding a majority and a mandate.
4:05Opportunity's first official caucus meeting will discuss its negotiating team and strategy.
4:52Asked about her previous party salary, Wong declines to disclose private contractual details.

Qiulae Wong wants to speak to National before other parties about forming a government, but says those conversations have not begun.

Speaking from Wellington on the NZ Herald's Ryan Bridge TODAY, the Opportunity leader distinguishes congratulatory calls from negotiations. Labour's Chris Hipkins and the Greens' Chlöe Swarbrick have contacted her, she says; National has not.

Opportunity provisionally holds seven seats, with special votes still to be counted. Wong says her party's approach is to engage with the largest party first, which she expects to be National. That establishes an order for talks, not an agreement to support a government.

Bridge presses her on what Opportunity's conditions would mean in practice: would every partner in a coalition or confidence-and-supply arrangement need to accept priorities such as lobbying regulation?

"Well yes, we would need their support to enable those things to happen," Wong replies.

He also questions whether a narrow left-leaning majority could provide stability. Wong argues that a majority and a mandate are part of stability, rather than its whole definition.

The interview drew about 15,000 views since yesterday. The next organisational step, Wong says, is Opportunity's first official caucus meeting the following day, where members will discuss their negotiating team and approach.