PM Jacinda Ardern reacts to final election results after meeting with cabinet. Video / Mark Mitchell
Jacinda Ardern has cemented her stunning election victory with a final tally of 50 per cent support for Labour, the highest of any party since 1951, and an extra seat for her party.
Labour's 65 seats make it even more comfortable for Ardern to lead a second-term government with anoutright majority.
She has talked repeatedly about "cracking into it" since the election three weeks ago, and did so yesterday with ministers being sworn in before the final results came through, and the first cabinet meeting a short time later.
"I was incredibly humbled by that mandate," she said at her post-cabinet press conference.
"That is extraordinary to have that level of support from New Zealanders and with that comes significant responsibility. It's our job now to get on with the plan and the work that they elected us to get on with."
The Māori Party picked up a second seat, meaning co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer will join Rawiri Waititi as first-time MPs, a big comeback for a party that has been out of Parliament for three years.
And National's ignominy continued with the loss of two seats and confirmation that its former seat tally of 56 at the 2017 election has plunged by 23 MPs to just 33 now.
Final results put its support at 25.6 per cent, which is only fractionally better than David Cunliffe did with Labour in Opposition in 2014.
One-term National MP Denise Lee lost Maungakiekie to Labour list MP Priyanca Radhakrishnan, who was sworn in as a new minister yesterday, and one-term National MP Matt King lost Northland to Labour list MP to Willow-Jean Prime.
New minister Priyanca Radhakrishnan with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy after the swearing-in ceremony at Government House. Photo / Mark Mitchell
National's health spokesman Shane Reti lost Whangārei to Labour's first-time candidate Emily Henderson but he stays in Parliament as a list MP and is tipped to become deputy to Judith Collins next week after Gerry Brownlee stepped down.
Act and the Green Party remained unchanged with 10 seats each, and Green MP Chloe Swarbrick was confirmed in Auckland Central after a close contest with Labour.
New Zealand First's support went from 2.7 per cent on election night to 2.6 per cent and with no electorate seat, its nine MPs remain out of Parliament.
The results in the referendum legalising recreational cannabis narrowed after special votes were counted.
The provisional result had the No vote on 53.1 per cent and the Yes vote on 46.1 per cent. The final result was 50.7 per cent for No and 48.4 per cent for Yes, with a margin of only 67,662 between them.
Ardern ruled out doing any co-operation deal with the Māori Party – Labour has one with its traditional allies, the Green Party.
She said being a Government for all New Zealand meant doing as much as they could on a consensus basis with others.
"But I don't think New Zealand expects us, with the mandate that we have, to build formal alliances with a multitude of parties. Our job is to work with what we've been given, to co-operate where it makes sense to, to build consensus where it is important, but ultimately to get on with the job."
The first cabinet meeting yesterday. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Ardern announced after cabinet that Parliament will meet on November 25 for the commission opening - to be sworn in and elect a Speaker - and the Speech from the Throne would take place on November 26.
Parliament will then sit for the first two weeks in December to progress priority bills and to hear most of the maiden speeches from the new 42 MPs.
That means ministers will have three weeks to get to grips with their portfolios before facing questions in the House from Opposition MPs on December 1.
Asked about the United States election, Ardern said no one in New Zealand would expect her or other leaders to be seen to be interfering or commentating on any other country's electoral process or democracy.
"As a country, as a people, we have faith in the American institutions, we have faith in their democracy and of course their democracy is still underway – they are still counting votes.
"Here in New Zealand of course, three weeks later and we have only just had a final count, so we are well used to it taking a bit of time to work through those final outcomes."
She said New Zealand would build a relationship with whichever candidate finally took office.
"When we have had Donald Trump in the role, we've worked very hard on that relationship. We've had bilaterals that have made a difference.
"If it were to be Vice-President Biden, of course there is already an existing knowledge, an appreciation and understanding of New Zealand through previous visits as well.
"Regardless we will work hard on that relationship and I'm certain either way it will be a positive one."
