Young Nats in mood to paint town blue

Meghann Hemmings' father, who was stabbed to death, was a long-time National supporter. Photo / Greg Bowker

Champagne-swilling Young Nats partied into the small hours in celebration of National's election result.

Hundreds of right-wing supporters cheered John Key at the National election party at the SkyCity Convention Centre.

They included the daughter of good samaritan Austin Hemmings, who was killed in 2008 while trying to save a woman being attacked in central Auckland.

Meghann Hemmings, 22, said her father had been a long-time National supporter, and would have been proud to see her involved with the party.

Ms Hemmings, who has been involved with the Young Nats since leaving Fairfield College, said she felt strongly about what direction the country was heading in, and law and order was of particular concern.

"When you've been through something like that, and you're that close to it, obviously it always stays with you, and you think about those things," she said.

She joined John Key on the campaign bus in the lead-up to the election and before the result last night predicted National would come away with more than 50 per cent of the vote.

Membership of the Young Nats group, which says it stands for "freedom, choice, independence and ambition", has grown to more than 1000, president Daniel Fielding said.

"Everyone was in a great mood. I called it a night about 2am but some of them carried on," he said.

The group had seen a revival of members in Hamilton, Tauranga and Taupo in recent years, with many joining for the social element as well as for the policies, he said.

Fellow supporter Emma Mellow, 21, celebrated the result with Nikki Kaye last night before joining the party at SkyCity.

She became a member of Young Nats in 2008 and as well as supporting the policies, enjoyed the social aspect of the group.

"I was really interested in the election issues and I really wanted to back John Key. I was behind what the party stood for," she said.

Fellow supporter Aimie Hines, 24, said while there was a members' stereotype, "lots of us could break that - we're all quite different".

Typical Young National activists were university students aged 18 to 25, ranging from young farmers to law, arts and engineering students, Mr Fielding said.

Ms Hemmings' father, 44, was fatally stabbed when he went to the aid of a woman being threatened by a man outside the Stamford Plaza Hotel.

The man pulled out a knife and stabbed Mr Hemmings in the chest.

Pauesi Leofa Brown, 47, pleaded guilty to his murder and to assaulting the woman, and was sentenced to 16 years' jail.

- APNZ