Election post mortems

John Key’s first extended interview as Prime Minister elect with John Campbell: part 1, part 2, part 3.

Sunday part 1, part 2, part 3,  part 4,  part 5.

Morning Report’s election special.

RadioNZ Sunday  – Sunday Group on the election and Media Watch on election coverage.

Celebrating

When you’ve just won a 10, 176 vote majority which gets you in to parliament; and also won more than 50% of the party in your electorate to help National get in to government you’ve got to celebrate.

And what better way to do it than with an asado?

 

Been there

Today we have a new government, I’m delighted with it but a lot of people won’t be and they have my sympathy because I’ve been there at the last three elections.

The worst of those was 2002, I was National’s Otago electorate chair and we lost the seat. I cried on the night and I cried again the next morning when I realised the full extent of the loss.

That loss isn’t just the loss of a job for MPs, their staff lose their jobs too.

Parliament, Mps and staff are a numerically small part of the political process and the loss of an election is also a loss for many thousands of members and supporters who give their time, energy and commitment to their parties and candidates.

While the winners celebrate on election night and wake, tired (over tired in fact, here) but happy, those on the other side have a subdued night and the morning after may not be any brighter.

These people have my sympathy, and I really mean that, because the longer I’m involved in the grassroots of politics the more I come to respect the others who are too, regardless of which part of the political spectrum they inhabit.

Almost all of us share the desire to get to a common destination, we just differ on the best vehicle and route to get us there.

So I offer them my sympathy and also some comfort.

A lot of things happen in spite of who is in government, there are no miracles when the party you support wins and generally there are no absolute disasters when the a party or parties you don’t support are in power.

They might do things you oppose and even abhor, but if and when they do, they help motivate you for the next election  – and that’s only a thousand and something sleeps away.

The colour of the house

Total Votes Counted:	2,103,842
Special Votes:	208,001
Less than 6 votes taken in Polling Places:	1,261
Party	Party Votes	% Votes	Electorate Seats	List Seats	Total Seats
National Party	951,145	45.45	41	18	59
Labour Party	706,666	33.77	21	22	43
Green Party	134,622	6.43	0	8	8
ACT New Zealand	77,843	3.72	1	4	5
Mäori Party	46,894	2.24	5	0	5
Jim Anderton’s Progressive	19,536	0.93	1	0	1
United Future	18,629	0.89	1	0	1
New Zealand First Party	88,072	4.21	0	0	0
Kiwi Party	11,659	0.56	0	0	0
The Bill and Ben Party	10,738	0.51	0	0	0
Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party	7,589	0.36	0	0	0
New Zealand Pacific Party	6,991	0.33	0	0	0
Family Party	6,973	0.33	0	0	0
Alliance	1,721	0.08	0	0	0
Democrats for Social Credit	1,112	0.05	0	0	0
Libertarianz	1,070	0.05	0	0	0
Workers Party	824	0.04	0	0	0
RAM – Residents Action Movement	405	0.02	0	0	0
The Republic of New Zealand Party	298	0.01	0	0	0
			70	52	122

The colour of the seats

Auckland Central	100.0%	KAYE, Nikki (NAT)	TIZARD, Judith (LAB)	1,181
Bay of Plenty	100.0%	RYALL, Tony (NAT)	DEVOY-HEENA, Carol (LAB)	16,440
Botany	100.0%	WONG, Pansy (NAT)	TAWA, Koro (LAB)	10,119
Christchurch Central	100.0%	BURNS, Brendon (LAB)	WAGNER, Nicky (NAT)	880
Christchurch East	100.0%	DALZIEL, Lianne (LAB)	GILMORE, Aaron (NAT)	5,545
Clutha-Southland	100.0%	ENGLISH, Bill (NAT)	PRYDE, Don (LAB)	14,323
Coromandel	100.0%	GOUDIE, Sandra (NAT)	KININMONTH, Hugh (LAB)	13,440
Dunedin North	100.0%	HODGSON, Pete (LAB)	WOODHOUSE, Michael (NAT)	6,660
Dunedin South	100.0%	CURRAN, Clare (LAB)	POWELL, Conway (NAT)	5,992
East Coast	100.0%	TOLLEY, Anne (NAT)	MACKEY, Moana (LAB)	5,933
East Coast Bays	100.0%	McCULLY, Murray (NAT)	GOLDSMITH, Vivienne (Viv) (LAB)	12,800
Epsom	100.0%	HIDE, Rodney (ACT)	WORTH, Richard (NAT)	11,813
Hamilton East	100.0%	BENNETT, David (NAT)	MORONEY, Sue (LAB)	8,069
Hamilton West	100.0%	MACINDOE, Tim (NAT)	GALLAGHER, Martin (LAB)	1,541
Helensville	100.0%	KEY, John (NAT)	FENTON, Darien (LAB)	18,562
Hunua	100.0%	HUTCHISON, Paul (NAT)	CARTER, Jordan (LAB)	14,738
Hutt South	100.0%	MALLARD, Trevor (LAB)	QUINN, Paul (NAT)	3,632
Ilam	100.0%	BROWNLEE, Gerry (NAT)	YAU, Sam (LAB)	10,812
Invercargill	100.0%	ROY, Eric (NAT)	SOPER, Lesley (LAB)	6,152
Kaiköura	100.0%	KING, Colin (NAT)	McNAMARA, Brian (LAB)	10,136
Mana	100.0%	LABAN, Winnie (LAB)	PARATA, Hekia (NAT)	5,314
Mängere	100.0%	SIO, Su’a William (LAB)	FIELD, Taito Lemalu Phillip (NZPP)	6,496
Manukau East	100.0%	ROBERTSON, Ross (LAB)	BAKSHI, Kanwaljit Singh (NAT)	10,784
Manurewa	100.0%	HAWKINS, George (LAB)	CALDER, Cam (NAT)	5,753
Maungakiekie	100.0%	LOTU-IIGA, Peseta Sam (NAT)	BEAUMONT, Carol (LAB)	1,876
Mt Albert	100.0%	CLARK, Helen Elizabeth (LAB)	MUSUKU, Ravi (NAT)	8,695
Mt Roskill	100.0%	GOFF, Phil (LAB)	BLUE, Jackie (NAT)	5,557
Napier	100.0%	TREMAIN, Chris (NAT)	FAIRBROTHER, Russell (LAB)	8,430
Nelson	100.0%	SMITH, Nick (NAT)	STREET, Maryan (LAB)	7,884
New Lynn	100.0%	CUNLIFFE, David (LAB)	GROSER, Tim (NAT)	3,368
New Plymouth	100.0%	YOUNG, Jonathan (NAT)	DUYNHOVEN, Harry (LAB)	314
North Shore	100.0%	MAPP, Wayne (NAT)	TWYFORD, Phil (LAB)	13,159
Northcote	100.0%	COLEMAN, Jonathan (NAT)	McCRACKEN, Hamish (LAB)	8,577
Northland	100.0%	CARTER, John (NAT)	JONES, Shane (LAB)	9,423
Öhariu	100.0%	DUNNE, Peter Francis (UFNZ)	CHAUVEL, Charles (LAB)	1,170
Ötaki	100.0%	GUY, Nathan (NAT)	HUGHES, Darren (LAB)	1,422
Pakuranga	100.0%	WILLIAMSON, Maurice (NAT)	KELLY, Brian (LAB)	12,759
Palmerston North	100.0%	LEES-GALLOWAY, Iain (LAB)	PLIMMER, Malcolm (NAT)	1,050
Papakura	100.0%	COLLINS, Judith (NAT)	HEREORA, David (LAB)	9,674
Port Hills	100.0%	DYSON, Ruth (LAB)	HEFFERNAN, Terry (NAT)	3,093
Rangitata	100.0%	GOODHEW, Jo (NAT)	BLANCHARD, Julian (LAB)	7,648
Rangitïkei	100.0%	POWER, Simon (NAT)	ANGUS BURNEY, Jills (LAB)	11,131
Rimutaka	100.0%	HIPKINS, Christopher John (LAB)	WHITESIDE, Richard (NAT)	625
Rodney	100.0%	SMITH, Lockwood (NAT)	ROBERTS, Conor (LAB)	14,376
Rongotai	100.0%	KING, Annette (LAB)	FINLAYSON, Christopher (NAT)	7,845
Rotorua	100.0%	McCLAY, Todd (NAT)	CHADWICK, Steve (Stephanie) (LAB)	4,855
Selwyn	100.0%	ADAMS, Amy (NAT)	COATES, David (LAB)	10,246
Tämaki	100.0%	PEACHEY, Allan (NAT)	BARTLEY, Josephine (LAB)	15,195
Taranaki-King Country	100.0%	ARDERN, Shane (NAT)	van de WEERT, Renée (LAB)	14,615
Taupö	100.0%	UPSTON, Louise (NAT)	BURTON, Mark (LAB)	5,855
Tauranga	100.0%	BRIDGES, Simon (NAT)	PETERS, Winston (NZF)	10,710
Te Atatü	100.0%	CARTER, Chris (LAB)	HENARE, Tau (NAT)	4,638
Tukituki	100.0%	FOSS, Craig (NAT)	BARKER, Rick (LAB)	7,288
Waikato	100.0%	TISCH, Lindsay (NAT)	ARDERN, Jacinda (LAB)	11,757
Waimakariri	100.0%	COSGROVE, Clayton (LAB)	WILKINSON, Kate (NAT)	518
Wairarapa	100.0%	HAYES, John (NAT)	MACKENZIE, Denise (LAB)	6,309
Waitakere	100.0%	BENNETT, Paula (NAT)	PILLAY, Lynne (LAB)	901
Waitaki	100.0%	DEAN, Jacqui (NAT)	PARKER, David (LAB)	10,176
Wellington Central	100.0%	ROBERTSON, Grant (LAB)	FRANKS, Stephen (NAT)	1,517
West Coast-Tasman	100.0%	AUCHINVOLE, Chris (NAT)	O’CONNOR, Damien (LAB)	975
Whanganui	100.0%	BORROWS, Chester (NAT)	McDOUALL, Hamish (LAB)	5,963
Whangarei	100.0%	HEATLEY, Phil (NAT)	CHALMERS, Paul (LAB)	13,673
Wigram	100.0%	ANDERTON, Jim (JAP)	ALEXANDER, Marc (NAT)	4,566
Hauraki-Waikato	100.0%	MAHUTA, Nanaia (LAB)	GREENSILL, Angeline Ngahina (MAOR)	1,046
Ikaroa-Räwhiti	100.0%	HOROMIA, Parekura (LAB)	FOX, Derek Tinia (MAOR)	1,609
Tämaki Makaurau	100.0%	SHARPLES, Pita (MAOR)	WALL, Louisa Hareruia (LAB)	6,325
Te Tai Hauäuru	100.0%	TURIA, Tariana (MAOR)	MASON, Errol (LAB)	6,834
Te Tai Tokerau	100.0%	HARAWIRA, Hone Pani Tamati Waka Nene (MAOR)	DAVIS, Kelvin Glen (LAB)	5,496
Te Tai Tonga	100.0%	KATENE, Rahui (MAOR)	OKEROA, Mahara (LAB)	684
Waiariki	100.0%	FLAVELL, Te Ururoa (MAOR)	RIRINUI, Mita (LAB)	5,986

 

Polling Places Counted:

6,304 of 6,304 (100.0%)

Morning after

Four hours of sleep is not conducive to intelligent thought so I’ll keep this brief.

Some highlights:

* We have a National led government.

* National won 9 new seats (I know it’s the party vote that counts in forming a government, but good electorate MPs not only serve their constituents well, they also provide a positive face for the party which helps the vote next time round).

(The election night results for seats are here).

* John’s speech, in particular his desire for inclusiveness and hope:

New Zealand has spoken. Hundreds of thousands across the country, they have voted for change.

“Thank you for your support, and thank you for your trust. I talked about when I was a boy in a state house, riding my bike past the houses of people more fortunate than me.

“What inspired me then, and still inspires me today, is the belief within ourselves that we have the ability to make our lives better.

“And as it is for individuals, so it is for our country. Because New Zealand has so much more potential. This is not as good as it gets.”

He also said that whether or not people had voted for him, he’d be leading a government that works for all New Zealanders.

He was gracious to Helen Clark, acknowledged what she’d done for New Zealand and thanked her for it.

(The speech is here, post speech interview with John Campbell here,).

* Locally – Jacqui Dean’s hard work across the huge Waitaki electorate (34,888 square kms) was rewarded with a majority of 10,176.

Every good party needs a cake