Election message for you, Chester

The people of Whanganui have spoken. Incumbent MP Chester Borrows has been returned to Parliament, but not without being sent a strong message around the impact of centralisation and its accompanying job losses on our city and region.

Mr Borrows won the Whanganui seat for a third time on Saturday night, beating out second-time Labour challenger Hamish McDouall with a provisional majority of 4786, a drop from his 2008 margin of 6333.

Mr Borrows will be pleased, as his success reflects not only the continued support of regional New Zealand for the National Party and its policies, but also his own hard work as an MP.

In the past term his stature within the party has grown through his select committee work and, while Prime Minister John Key's two visits to the city in the lead-up to this year's election were politically expedient, they were also testament to Mr Borrows' popularity and rank within his own party.

Mr Borrows has not been shy about voicing his ambitions to one day hold a ministerial post. Such a promotion would be not only a great personal achievement for Mr Borrows, but would strengthen Whanganui's voice in Parliament.

Elsewhere, Manawatu Mayor Ian McKelvie can be pleased with his strong effort in holding on to the true-blue seat of Rangitikei. Following in the footsteps of electorate predecessor Simon Power was never going to be easy, but Mr McKelvie's provisional majority of 8741 is a strong buffer for a first-time MP.

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia was never going to lose Te Tai Hauauru, but will be disappointed at her majority, which was slashed from 7817 in 2008 to 2760 on election night. A strong performance from Labour's Soraya Peke-Mason and the presence of a Mana party candidate did not help her chances.

The political landscape will take time to settle over the coming weeks and, despite National being convincingly returned to power, it is certain there will still be significant change.

The Labour Party has been crushed, and Phil Goff cannot remain as leader. It's a shame the passionate, convincing Mr Goff we saw over the past fortnight, and in particular during Saturday night's concession speech, did not appear sooner in the election campaign.

Even worse is Act, which has become a shadow of its former self, a political laughing stock - although it's probably more deserving of pity than derision.

The Greens will be happy to have hit their 10 per cent party vote target, although it's likely to be tinged with some disappointment that, yet again, some of their better pre-election polling figures did not stand up when it came to the one vote that really mattered.

A large portion of that can be pinned on the surprising resurgence of Winston Peters and New Zealand First. Like a pin-striped cadaver, Mr Peters has risen from his political grave, and will spend the next three years frightening the hell out of his opponents.

In some ways, it appears business as usual, as Mr Key seeks to renew his coalition arrangement with United Future, Act and the Maori Party.

But on the margins, things are quite different - it promises to be a fascinating three years.

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