Prime Minister-elect Christopher Luxon heads to Wellington, could still call on Winston Peters; Israel’s Prime Minister urges evacuations

Luxon heads to Wellington

Prime Minister-elect Christopher Luxon will make his way to Wellington today, to start building his new government.

After winning his party 50 seats in the House, Luxon is heading back to the capital to begin the business of governing.

He still needs to hammer out a governing arrangement with the Act Party and possibly New Zealand First.

That will be in the coming days.

Today, Luxon will meet with his new MPs at Parliament and continue his strategy sessions with his kitchen cabinet.

National Party leader and Prime Minister-elect Christopher Luxon.

David Seymour’s opportunity

Act Party leader David Seymour says the party owes Kiwis big time, after its election night result.

Preliminary numbers give the party 11 seats, allowing Act to form a coalition Government without New Zealand First.

But special votes could change the equation, and Christopher Luxon may still need to involve Winston Peters.

Seymour says getting elected is an opportunity, not in itself an achievement.

Housing confidence up

New Zealand’s property sentiment has shifted.

The ASB Housing Confidence Survey shows 8 per cent expect house prices to continue falling - down from 34 per cent last quarter.

Fewer people are also expecting further interest rate hikes - 38 per cent down from 59 per cent last quarter.

ASB economist Nathaniel Keall says Aucklanders are particularly bullish.

Evacuation orders in Israel

The Israeli Prime Minister is urging people to evacuate south, as it prepares ground operations in Gaza.

Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to “demolish Hamas”, after its deadly rampage through Israeli border towns.

Israel has unleashed a ferocious bombing campaign over Gaza in retaliation for the attacks that killed around 1300 Israelis, mostly civilians.

Gaza authorities say more than 2200 people have been killed there, a quarter of them children.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says Israel has a right to defend itself, but it needs to do it in a way that affirms their shared values.

Palestinians stand by the building of the Zanon family, destroyed in Israeli airstrikes in Rafah, Gaza Strip. Photo / AP