Labor starts Government by forming talks with the Greens in the Beehive office of Jacinda Ardern

The Greens and Labor are talking about how well their post-election talks are going, but neither will reveal any details about what is being discussed.

In a Facebook Live video tonight, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said that she had met with members of the Green Party to discuss “potential areas of cooperation, or ways we could possibly cooperate” with the party.

“I will have those conversations obviously … I will not say anything else other than the fact that they were constructive and that we will do a little bit of that next week as well,” he said.

Key members from both sides met in Ardern’s office to discuss the formation of the Government.

Greens co-leader Marama Davidson said the talks were “fruitful.”

But that’s where the details end.

Speaking to reporters after the hour-long meeting, Davidson and his co-leader James Shaw went out of their way to point out that they would not discuss the details until the meetings were over.

This is something they made clear from the start: the process is similar to the post-election talks in 2017.

The only thing on the table, Davidson said, was coconut Krispies, tea and coffee.

But he said the Greens’ starting point revolved around “what we can do to bring about change in the areas of protecting the climate, our environment and tackling inequality.”

This covers practically the entire electoral platform of the Green Party.

Although none of the co-leaders revealed much, the leader of the Law, David Seymour, was happy to speculate on what was happening behind closed doors.

He said the Greens would be “too nervous to say goodbye to their staff and ministerial salaries.”

In the last government, the Greens provided confidence and supply to the Labor / NZ First coalition government.

That meant the Greens were assigned a couple of ministers who sat outside the cabinet.

Seymour said the Labor Party will require people like Shaw at the cabinet table, given the party’s “skill shortage”.

“If I were the Green Party, I would resist the urge to be hugged to death by Labor, but it looks like they are going to fall into the trap.”

Speaking to the media, Shaw acknowledged the fact that several green MPs had experience.

She was Minister of Climate Change, Julie Anne Genter was Minister of Women and Eugenie Sage was Minister of Conservation

Shaw said using this type of experience was “part of the conversation.”

Although he was careful not to say too much, Davidson blurted out one thing: He said the Greens were looking to provide “support” for Labor.

“The main point for us is how we can support, where we can look for more action for the climate, the environment and our communities.”

This could mean that any work towards a coalition agreement, where the two parties would rule together, is off the table.

Davidson neither confirmed nor denied that this was the case.

49 percent of Labor meant the party could bring in 64 MPs, an absolute majority in the House of 120.

And the party could get a couple of additional MPs when the special votes have been counted.

All this means that they do not need the help of any other party to form a government.

Speaking to the media on Sunday, Ardern emphasized it a lot.

“We have a very clear mandate, but … I’m interested in areas of cooperation where we can use the strengths that exist in your team.”

Shaw and Davidson, along with the Greens chief of staff and a few other senior members of staff, met with the Labor team at the Beehive office in Ardern.

The Labor team consisted of Ardern, Kelvin Davis, Grant Robertson, Party Chair Claire Szabo, Chief of Staff Raj Nahna, and Senior Policy Adviser Holly Donald.

The teams will speak again on Tuesday.