Greens' leader James Shaw has struck a deal with the Opposition over how Question Time is run.

Green Party co-leader James Shaw says the prime minister is well aware of the risks of not having any political friends at the 2020 election.

That means Jacinda Ardern's conscious of ensuring coalition partner NZ First and supply and confidence partner, the Greens, "get the profile associated with our work programmes", he said.

Shaw's comments come in response to his announcement on Sunday that the Greens are handing over their primary questions in the House to the Opposition so the Government can be held to greater account.

Asked whether the move was about differentiating his party from Labour, Shaw said, if "NZ First and the Greens both get squeezed out of Parliament then (Labour) will end up with a no friends situation and not being able to put the numbers together".

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He said Ardern is "as conscious as anyone that there's the chance she'll end up in the same boat as National" - with no coalition partners - and will make sure NZ First and the Green Party get recognition for their policies.

Shaw says keeping the Green Party's chances alive at the next election is about more than just "delivering on the promises in the coalition document".

"The history of small parties is that just doing what you said you were going to do isn't sufficient. You also have to communicate...where you got your wins."

Striking a deal with National to give them an extra 42 primary questions during Question Time this year alone was a win-win.

"I guess the win for us is we're doing something in Government that we said we'd do in Opposition and that's important to us," Shaw said.

"We have to take every opportunity that we can - that's honestly what it boils down to."

"We think patsy questions are a waste of time, and New Zealanders have not put us in Parliament to do that; we're there to make positive change for our people and our environment.

"We don't expect any other party to follow suit – this is about us leading the kind of change we want to see in Parliament," Shaw said.

LABOUR WELCOMES SCRUTINY

Acting Leader of the House Iain Lees-Galloway said Labour's position was that it was the Green Party's decision to make.

"The fact is they're a confidence and supply partner so they have the freedom to make a decision like that if they want to."

"We welcome all the scrutiny that we get in the House," he said.

The Greens had made it clear it thought Question Time was for the Opposition to scrutinise the Government, which is "quite a reasonable position to take".

Labour was verbally told about the Greens' plans a couple of weeks ago, before an approach was made to National, and gave Labour the documentation outlining the details on Thursday.

The Green Party also plans to make a submission to the Standing Orders Review, which kicks off next year, to advocate for further changes to Question Time.

"This review is where all parties in Parliament make decisions about how future parliaments will operate and is the best place for all politicians to discuss any long term permanent changes to Question Time," Shaw said.

"That we can occasionally disagree with each other highlights the strength and flexibility of this Government."

NATIONAL TAKING UP OFFER

National Party leader Simon Bridges has welcomed the Green Party's decision.

"I said when I became Leader that National would remain firmly focused on being an effective Opposition and in the past weeks we have continued to do that.

"That includes during Parliamentary Question Time when Opposition MPs get Ministers on their feet asking questions of importance to New Zealanders, and those efforts will now be bolstered by the Green Party's decision.

"National will use the Green Party's Questions as well its own to continue to focus on the issues that matter to New Zealanders - the economy, law and order, housing, public services and the environment.

"The Green Party's willingness for this weak Government to be held to account is commendable and we will honour the spirit of this move by doing so strongly," Bridges said.

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