The new government is tipped to be officially sworn in next Wednesday, with negotiations between National and confidence and supply partners proceeding rapidly.
UnitedFuture is officially on board, having concluded negotiations, the Maori Party is seeking advice from party members and only Act is yet to settle on a draft agreement.
But Prime Minister designate John Key says the naming of his cabinet may not happen on Sunday as originally hoped.
On Monday, Key is due to fly to Peru to attend Apec, where he will rub shoulders with world leaders such as George Bush and Kevin Rudd.
After that he is off to the UK, where he will meet both Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Conservative leader David Cameron, a mentor of sorts to Key.
Key says he has already talked with Brown about the visit and they have discussed the importance of New Zealand's relationship with Britain and how Brown intends to continue it.
However, the globetrotting means he might not get his feet officially into his Beehive office until the following Friday.
The Maori Party is on track for a weekend decision on whether it will strike a confidence and supply deal.
Its MPs are holding a series of nationwide hui seeking feedback from party members over whether they should take ministerial posts outside of cabinet and get policy concessions in exchange for supporting the Key government.
Waiariki MP Te Ururoa Flavell says the aim is to have the hui finished by midday Sunday, then reach a decision. He says MPs will teleconference to ensure they are all on the same page, then pass on the outcome to Key.
The closer relationship between the National Party and Maori has been underscored by a delegation of iwi leaders to Key's parliamentary office.
Representatives from Tainui, Tai Tokerau, Tuwharetoa, Whanganui and Ngati Porou spent a short time with Key who says a formal agreement with the Maori Party looks to be on track.
He says there is now a lot of goodwill between his party and Maori, who he says are very keen to engage in order to forge a strong relationship.
Key says it is much easier for the Maori Party to have a relationship with National because they are not in the position of kingmaker, perhaps meaning they have not been able to be as forceful in negotiations as they would have liked.
He also recognises that the circumstances mean the Maori Party
will remain an independent force, free to go with either National
or Labour come 2011.
