Election 2023

Chris Hipkins says he's still the leader of the Labour Party. He delivered the impassioned message after a marathon caucus meeting with new and current MPs. He's confirmed there was no leadership challenge, but the team will hold a vote within three months of the election. ZB political editor Jason Walls says Labour doesn't know the makeup of their future caucus yet- and there's still time for the...

Mount Albert's Greens candidate says the narrow margin in the seat shows elections are no longer two-horse races. Labour's Helen White has won on early numbers by just over 100 votes. It's traditionally a Labour stronghold, previously held by Jacinda Ardern, David Shearer, Helen Clark - and Michael Savage. White's blaming her slim-win on the Greens splitting the vote. Ricardo Menendez-March says h...

Former Labour Leader Andrew Little says he's thinking of the Party and its future as he quits politics. He says it's important those who'll form the next Labour Government get the chance to be nurtured and developed. Little says he doesn't believe people should hang on too long. "I feel very privileged to have been in the roles that I've been in and to have done what I've done, but I'm also at an...

Chris Hipkins is staying on as the leader of the Labour Party- for now. Which I think is the right thing for Labour, and I'll explain why. But first, I'll get you across what has happened. They made the call today in a nearly two-hour caucus meeting. It was supposed to wrap up at 2pm this afternoon, but it ran all the way until quarter past 3. Clearly there was more to discuss than they thought. I...

As the Labour party, still technically the Government of course, gather in Wellington to do that time-honoured thing of all losers, which is some soul searching, the trick is not to say you are doing it, but to actually do it. The trouble, as we have discovered these past three years, is they don’t actually do anything except talk. To search one's soul, one has to accept what has happened to you a...

Chris Hipkins is set to make his first public appearance since Labour's election loss.   The party will farewell a huge number of outgoing MPs at their first caucus meeting this morning.   Political Editor, Jason Walls, told Mike Hosking that the media hasn't heard from the Labour leader over the past few days.   He says Hipkins has basically gone to ground after the election loss, but he will fro...

‘Jacinda was prepared to sell her grandmother”.. read the headline yesterday.   A statement made by Ron Mark when interviewed about how coalition negotiations have gone in the past with NZ First. Unfortunately, he went on to say in the article that not only was she ready to sell her grandmother, but she did.   Ouch.   What an indictment on an already unpopular leader. But it should serve as a warn...

Tonight on The Huddle, Phil O'Reilly from Iron Duke Partners, Auckland Councillor Richard Hills and The Spinoff's Toby Manhire joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day- and more! National and ACT scored a slim majority in last weekend's election with 61 seats- and they may need NZ First's help after the extra special votes are tallied. Does Winston need to be included no mat...

The election has finally wrapped up- and New Zealand is in for a change of leadership. Chris Luxon is our new Prime Minister-elect and National and ACT are currently on 61 seats, with the final official result being declared on November 3. NZME's Fran O'Sullivan says the nation's business community appreciates the change of leadership. "People I've spoken with really expect to see clarity, they ex...

Chris Luxon secured his role as Prime Minister- and now begins weeks of negotiation, compromise and coalition talks. National and ACT have a slim right-wing majority of 61 seats, meaning they may need bolstering from NZ First if special votes move the dial. ZB political editor Jason Walls says Chris Luxon has warned media not to expect regular updates on how talks are progressing. LISTEN ABOVE See...

Incoming and outgoing MPs have arrived in Wellington as National's Chris Luxon and ACT's David Seymour form the next Government. Labour MPs have already begun handing over the reins and consulting National on future decisions- but no new policies will be implemented before November 3.  Jacinda Ardern's former Chief of Staff Mike Munro says the incoming MPs will be settling into their new roles- an...

Signs of camaraderie as we transition from one Government to the next. National's Finance spokesperson Nicola Willis says outgoing Finance Minister Grant Robertson has reached out to her. She says Robertson told her he was happy to discuss any aspect of the finance role. Willis says she appreciates that- and it's her intention to make some information requests of the Government over the next coupl...

A former New Zealand First MP says the Party will be driven by its manifesto, and protecting past coalition gains. Incoming Prime Minister Chris Luxon is holding talks with potential partners, waiting for the final count on November 3. It could mean National and ACT need NZ First to rule. Now-Carterton Mayor, Ron Mark, says law and order and co-governance top the Party's list. "These things fit pe...

I feel like we need to deal with the elephant in the room- Winston’s going to be part of this Government, isn’t he? Nobody’s saying it out loud, but I think we can all see that it’s absolutely going to happen. Take the cue from the fact that he was offered the Speaker’s job. And as far as I can see, they’re going to need him because at the moment - assuming that they win the Port Waikato by-electi...

So the political party that didn’t know what it stood for anymore and offered no real future lost the election to the party that offered tax cuts that are affordable only by increasing taxes on the wealthy and then claim that we’re back on track.  I’d argue that New Zealand is confused.  How else can you explain a nation that just 3 years ago so gratefully gave a red tide to Labour and now switche...

Rongotai's new MP has fronted up to media following the weekend's election result. The Greens Julie Anne Genter won the Labour stronghold seat. She explained to Nick Mills why she thinks she won. LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Greg O'Connor believes he's won the Ohariu electorate through his strong ground game. Amongst a blue wave, the incumbent Labour MP beat National's Deputy Leader Nicola Willis in the seat over the weekend. O'Connor thinks his omnipresence and determination got him over the line. He says he's made a real effort to know the people of his electorate well during his six years in office. LISTEN ABOVE Se...

The weekend. Discuss.    No there's more than that isn’t there? What a weekend. I owe my texter Muz from Hawkes Bay a bottle of Pinot of his choice. He said that it would be a walkover, that it would be absolutely obvious that National would do well and that they would have partners to support them.    I thought the election would be a bit closer, a bit tighter. But ultimately, although it wasn't ...

What I enjoyed most about Saturday night was the message. What National and Act have argued for, and got support for, is to take this country back to what it was - aspirational, successful, outward looking and positive. For years we were the rockstar economy. When tragedy and upset struck as it did with the earthquake and the Global Financial Crisis, we didn’t buckle and we didn’t sink. We backed...

Wellington Central's new MP Tamatha Paul has revealed why she wouldn't talk to Mike Hosking during his election night coverage. The Green candidate won the seat convincingly over the weekend, however refused to be interviewed by Newstalk ZB's Breakfast Host when asked. She explained to Nick Mills why that decision was made.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Well what a weekend.   From the nail biter of a fantastic AB’s game, which, for the record, I was never in any doubt of. For those of you who were still listening to our election night coverage at midnight Saturday night you would have heard me say I picked the AB’s to win – so you know, never in any doubt from me, just saying. Just so happy for Fozzie to be honest. I feel like he deserved that.  ...

Incoming Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says he wants to "get cracking on" building relationships and starting conversations with respective political parties in forming a government.   Speaking to Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking this morning, he acknowledged there is a large chunk of special votes still needing to be counted.   Asked about his thinking on NZ First and party leader Winston Peters, he...

ACT Party leader David Seymour said what is clear is there is going to be a process driven by the special votes that may well deliver them a majority to work together with the National Party.   "But there's also a possibility that there's going to be a third person in this marriage —as Diana once said— and we're going to have to work through how we create a three-way deal," he said, acknowledging...

The National Party says it's keeping the special votes in mind as it starts working out how it will form government.   Deputy Leader Nicola Willis says they won't be doing any negotiating via the media because they want to respect the privacy of prospective coalition partners.   She told Kate Hawkesby that work is going on.   Willis says they're progressing relationships with parties they want arr...

A polling expert has given New Zealand's general election polls a pass mark.   Curia Principal David Farrar told Mike Hosking that the polling industry gave a pretty good idea of what to expect.   He says with half a million votes to come, National's probably going to end up somewhere between 37 and 38%, which is where polls expected them to land.   LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.com/listener for p...