New Zealand Prime Minister John Key talks with media after casting his vote at Parnell Primary School. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Reaction to last night's election result has been swift in coming. Follow the latest news here. Refresh your browser for the latest update
That concludes today's election updates. Thanks for joining us. Our comprehensive Election 2011 coverage continues tonight and tomorrow, when John Key will meet the leaders of Act, United Future and the Maori Party to discuss coalition talks. Good bye.
Damien O'Connor says regaining West Coast-Tasman for Labour was a bittersweet victory.
Mr O'Connor reclaimed the seat he had previously held for 15 years, from National's Chris Auchinvole.
Today he was enjoying his victory at a community market in Motueka.
"I'm very pleased to have the support from a region I feel passionate about."
Mr O'Connor said it was sad some of his party's "bright stars" were out of Parliament but that would not distract him from getting back to work.
"My first priority will be to continue to work with the families of Pike River to ensure that the Government does not forget about them."
Political comeback king Winston Peters is threatening to take legal action against a right wing blogger, just hours after finding out he's coming back to parliament.
In the final days of the election campaign blogger David Farrar alleged the New Zealand First leader's candidacy was illegal. A statement which Mr Peters has vehemently denied.
In the final days of the election campaign blogger David Farrar alleged the New Zealand First leader's candidacy was illegal because he hadn't gone through the correct registration process.
Speaking to podcast The Slightly Correct Political Show Mr Peters says he won't stand for such outrageous actions and hinted he'll take legal action against Mr Farrar.
Labour leader Phil Goff will not quit Parliament this term, but is staying silent on his future as Labour's leader.
However he said his decision would be in line with his previous comments that he would leave the leadership on his own terms.
Asked if he would serve a full term as MP for Mt Roskill, regardless of what happened with the leadership, he said "absolutely."
"I have no plans to retire from Parliament. I was elected with a very strong majority to serve the people of Mt Roskill. I've served them for nearly three decades and I'm going to keep on serving them."
Mr Goff said he took responsibility for Labour's result in the election. However, he did not resile from the policies Labour put up, saying "brave" policies were critical for the future of New Zealand.
Outgoing Act Party Leader Don Brash is open to the idea of a co-leader arrangement in the party.
He's talking up the future of the party, particularly candidates David Seymour and Steve Whittington.
Dr Brash says ACT may well look at a co-leader arrangement because those two are clearly the future of the Act Party
National will forge ahead with its plan to sell off shares in state-owned assets following its election victory.
In his victory speech to National supporters at SkyCity in Auckland last night, Prime Minister John Key reiterated his commitment to the programme.
And speaking to TV3`s The Nation this morning, National's campaign mastermind Steven Joyce said the plan had been clear for several months, and the public was well aware of the issue.
"We announced in February this year and have been talking about it ever since, so it's not like people didn't have the opportunity to go and vote against it."
He disagreed National would have got over the 50 per cent mark if it had not had the asset sales policy, saying partial sales were a key plank of the party's plan to decrease debt and without it, people would have criticised the economic plan.
"You get smacked either way. If you take things off the table that are a bit more politically challenging you're doing less things to address the major issue."
Deputy leader Annette King admits she's disappointed the party fell short of 30 per cent support.
"We have lost, but we haven't lost hope and we haven't lost heart and what we've had over the last three years is a real building of our party," Ms King told Newstalk ZB.
Thirteen seats - and the Greens reckon special votes might just deliver them a 14th MP.
If it happens, we'll see our first profoundly deaf parliamentarian.
Co-leader Metiria Turei says changes will be needed if Mojo Mathers enters the house.
"If that's the case then we will have to have a system that New Zealand sign language is the third language of this country and the parliament should be responsible for that," says Mr Turei.
Metiria Turei says both the deaf and the disabled communities have campaigned on the inability for them to access the parliamentary process in the same way as other New Zealanders.
Labour MP Shane Jones has said it is "highly unlikely'' he will put his name in the hat for his party's leadership.
Following his party's heavy defeat last night, Labour leader Phil Goff signalled clearly that he would be considering retirement, and said he planned to speak to his caucus on Tuesday.
Mr Jones, along with frontbenchers David Cunliffe and David Parker, has been tipped as a possible replacement, but this morning told TV3`s The Nation, he was not likely to fight for the role.
"It's highly unlikely that I'm going to put my hand up for Labour Party for leadership.''
Mr Jones refused to indicate who he would support in a leadership battle.
Don Brash believes the teapot tapes saga brought Winston Peters back into Parliament.
He resigned as ACT leader last night, after the party failed to win enough support for him to get a seat.
John Banks took Epsom comfortably, with a majority of over more than two thousand on the night.
Don Brash took a swipe at the media coverage the New Zealand First leader received.
"I'm appalled by that, I don't think Winston has anything to add to our democracy," Dr Brash told Newstalk ZB this morning.
The Greens are confident they'll be able to make gains under a National government.
The party will have 13 seats in Parliament, with five fresh faces.
One of the newbies Denise Roche says the Greens achieved a lot over the past three years with National, and were able to find common ground. She's confident that'll continue.
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters is adamant his party will make a splash in Parliament.
Mr Peters will return to Parliament with eight MPs after three years out in the cold.
Leader Winston Peters has committed his party to opposition.
He disputes the idea it'll mean they won't be able to get policy gains.
He denies his party will be without influence and indicates one of its priorities will be to tackle separatism.
NZTA-Waka Kotahi has been locked in a dispute with the road builders.