Christopher Luxon has confirmed the role of deputy prime minister is one of the final issues of contention in coalition talks.
It comes as National's deputy leader Nicola Willis earlier said she was "not in the race" for the role.
Luxon said it had "never been a consideration" for Willis to take the role, and had agreed with her before coalition talks began that it was best given to a coalition partner.
Speaking outside his Auckland home today, he reiterated talks were in their "final stages" but there had been "tremendous progress" made.
1News understands ACT leader David Seymour is heading back to Wellington tonight and will do any remaining talks over the phone.
Those involved are trying to get a deal done by the end of the day.
He said most ministerial positions and responsibilities had been agreed on, but when asked if deputy prime minister was one of the big issues, he said it was "fair to say it is one of the ones".
He would not, however, expand on the nature of those conversations or how hard ACT leader David Seymour and NZ First leader Winston Peters were lobbying for the role.
Luxon spoke to media outside his home in Auckland this afternoon. (Source: 1News)
"We need to close out these issues and after that we're going to work with incredible speed because it's important we get to work for the New Zealand people.
"It will take as long as it takes, unfortunately. But we are so close, we've come so so far and we need to close it out quickly and get to work."
Luxon said he'd enjoyed working with Peters and Seymour and had got to know them well through the talks.
He said he'd been on the phone so much throughout the day that he'd had to charge his phone twice.
"We'll continue our conversations tonight, and if we have to, into tomorrow as well, and as long as it takes, frankly.
"Once we have agreement there we'll be able to signal that we have concluded our negotiations. They'll need to be ratified by our respective party organisations, which will be pretty quick, and then we'll be moving very quickly through to Wellington to announce what we've agreed."
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