With Labour currently sitting on 64 seats, will Jacinda Ardern choose to govern alone or will she govern with the Greens and the Māori Party?
Speaking to Newshub's election panel as the results flowed in, the Labour leader was asked by Duncan Garner if she wanted to rule alone.
Ardern replied New Zealand had delivered her party a "very strong mandate".
"When it comes to what might happen with other parties, look I'd rather let the results finally all finish rolling in, but it is clear Labour will be leading and does have that mandate," she replied.
"I am a consensus politician, my view is that's how we get change that sticks and I'd like to think that's how we managed to attract votes this election that will have spanned across the political divide. I know we will have had people voting for us this election who may not have voted Labour before.
"But I do also think they've done that because they want us to crack on with that, they want us to move with haste and speed on the recovery, they don't want too much complexity so I'll be keeping all that in mind in the work we do going forward."
Ardern added when you have more "complex arrangements" it means things can be slower.
"The strong mandate means we can crack on with that recovery," she said.
Garner pointed out this sounds like governing alone without other parties to get in the way.
"Actually I think the mandate we've been given either way, regardless of whatever form of Government we choose to create, the mandate we have will allow us to do that regardless," Ardern replied.
So who might join in Government?
As Garner pointed out, during Ardern's victory speech there was no mention of former coalition partners the Greens or New Zealand First.
"She didn't talk about a partnership with anyone," said journalist Linda Clark. "She doesn't need the other parties. I always certainly assumed they would reach out and bring the Greens in. The Greens are counting on that."
Based on current results, the Māori Party will also return with one MP.
"I think Labour's Māori caucus will wrap its arms around that and bring them in," Clark said.
"Remember the Māori Party campaigned for candidacy only. They wanted their voters to vote for Labour as a party so there's no reason they shouldn't work together."
