Labour leader Andrew Little has made his strongest comments on speculation Jacinda Ardern could be considered for the deputy leader role - saying "don't expect any change".
Ardern's strong showing in the Mt Albert byelection - she recorded 77 per cent of the vote - has increased speculation that she could be elevated to the deputy position ahead of the September 23 general election.
Little was asked about that prospect at Ardern's victory party last night and said there was "no vacancy" and he wasn't "planning any changes".
Today, he repeated that statement, and added, "I'm not thinking about it. Don't expect any change".
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Advertise with NZME.Current deputy, Annette King, said no Labour MPs had suggested a change in deputy leader could be warranted, or talked to her about possibly standing aside.
"Nothing has changed," she said today, adding that the speculation was media-driven and hurtful. "Nobody has phoned me up and said things have changed."
Earlier this week, she told the Herald that the caucus had no reason to contemplate a change in deputy.
"What would changing me for Jacinda bring that we don't already have? Someone that is younger? Well, is age everything, or is it a combination of fairly new talent and experience.
"No one says that Winston [Peters] is too old. Isn't it interesting. I hear that as a woman I'm too old, but Winston who is older than me isn't too old. So I find it a bit sexist, really."
Ardern completed her first duty as Mt Albert MP-elect this afternoon, attending a family day at the Pt Chevalier Lions Club.
"It is a great feeling," she said. "The fact that the area in which I live in is now the area I get to work across, does feel fantastic."
At her victory function last night, Ardern referenced the seat's history, having being held by David Shearer, a former party leader, and former Prime Minister Helen Clark.
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Advertise with NZME."The most common theme from this seat has been that every MP who has found themselves here got thrashed somewhere else first, so I have continued that fine tradition," she said today when asked about her place in that legacy.
Ardern recently moved into Mt Albert with her partner Clarke Gayford but had been intending to stand in Auckland Central for the third time prior to Shearer's resignation, which caused the byelection.
National's Nikki Kaye beat Labour's Jacinda Ardern by just 600 votes in Auckland Central in 2014.
Kaye will contest Auckland Central again after recovering from breast cancer, and will face employment lawyer Helen White, who has been selected as Labour's candidate.
"When it comes to Auckland Central I still have every intention to support the new candidate there to win that seat, and I will be elated when I see that happen," Ardern said. "For me the fact that someone else will now finish that chapter is absolutely fine".
