# Opportunity leader Qiulae Wong might hold the balance of power in post-election negotiations > Opportunity Party leader Qiulae Wong outlines coalition bottom lines to influence post-election power dynamics. - Title: Opportunity leader Qiulae Wong might hold the balance of… - Summary: Opportunity Party leader Qiulae Wong outlines coalition bottom lines to influence post-election power dynamics. Opportunity Party leader Qiulae Wong lists… - Keywords: qiulae wong, opportunity party, coalition bottom lines, te tiriti, bottom trawling, national, act, green party, new zealand first, election 2026, politics, news - Source: NZ Herald — https://nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/opportunity-leader-qiulae-wong-might-hold-the-balance-of-power-in-post-election-negotiations-what-would-make-her-walk-away/premium/K7IG6JJ7KNBJJCXJD2Q7UWKAG4 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: qiulae wong, opportunity party, coalition bottom lines, te tiriti, bottom trawling, national, act, green party, new zealand first, election 2026, politics, news ## Opportunity Party's coalition bottom lines Opportunity Party leader Qiulae Wong outlines conditions for entering a coalition with other parties. > The party outlined conditions for entering a coalition ## Egregious list for coalition Wong identifies legislation like gender definitions bill and Treaty Principles Bill as top of her 'egregious' list that the Greens might have prevented. > Legislation like the gender definitions [Definitions of Woman and Man] bill, the Treaty Principles Bill that caused division, climate stuff that now has the Climate Change Commissioner saying we’re at risk of missing our emissions budget targets ## Climate and environmental concerns Wong says climate action and environmental protection are critical to prevent missing emissions budget targets. > climate stuff that now has the Climate Change Commissioner saying we’re at risk of missing our emissions budget targets ## Te Tiriti policy stance Wong states that the Waitangi Tribunal and Climate Change Commission are non-negotiables for Te Tiriti implementation. > We wouldn’t abolish the Waitangi Tribunal [which Act wants to do once all historical claims are settled] or the Climate Change Commission ## Bottom trawling policy Opportunity Party wants to phase out bottom trawling, responsible for two-thirds of New Zealand’s commercial catch and 9000 jobs. > phasing out bottom trawling, which is responsible for about two-thirds of New Zealand’s commercial catch and 9000 jobs ## Phasing out bottom trawling Wong says phasing out bottom trawling requires immediate ban on sensitive in-shore areas and a clear phase-out plan. > If we achieve the immediate ban on sensitive in-shore areas and have some kind of clear plan on how it will phase out over time ## Political donations cap Opportunity Party supports a $30,000 political donations cap, the Electoral Commission's recommendation. > Wong said her party’s policy says $30,000, 'which is the recommendation from the Electoral Commission' ## National's stance on Opportunity National leader Christopher Luxon has ruled out working with Opportunity Party but Wong would call him first post-election. > National leader Christopher Luxon has ruled out Opportunity, but Wong said she would still call him first if Opportunity made it into Parliament and National had won the most seats ## Act's policy platform Act wants to abolish the Waitangi Tribunal and cut non-welfare spending to 2017 levels. > Act also wants to abolish 'demographic' ministries and cut non-welfare and non-frontline spending back to 2017 levels ## Public service size Wong says public service size should fluctuate with New Zealanders' needs, not fixed targets. > We don’t have a specific view on the size of the public service, 'Each department needs to be the right size to deliver the outcomes that New Zealanders expect from it' ## Divisive rhetoric Wong calls Winston Peters' 'diversity is weakness' comments 'dangerous rhetoric' during multi-party debate. > Wong interjected, saying it was 'really dangerous rhetoric' when Peters defended diversity as weakness ## Potential coalition partners Act leader David Seymour says he would work with Opportunity if it keeps Labour out of government. > Act leader David Seymour said that he would rather work with Opportunity than see a Labour-led government ## Walking away from negotiations Wong states that if key issues like climate action and Te Tiriti are at risk, she would walk away from negotiations. > If we are having to negotiate and those things are at risk, then yeah, we will walk away ## Dead rat compromise Wong says she would swallow dead rats if they don't undermine Te Tiriti or environmental goals. > It depends what they are. We have to get around the table first. We’re not taking anything for granted ## Post-election power dynamics Wong might hold the balance of power in post-election negotiations if Opportunity enters Parliament. > Wong might hold the balance of power in post-election negotiations ## Key takeaway Opportunity Party leader Qiulae Wong lists non-negotiables like phasing out bottom trawling and protecting Te Tiriti to potentially balance post-election negotiations.