The results of the 2023 New Zealand general election have been revealed, showing National and ACT are likely able to form a Government.
Labour leader and incumbent Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has conceded the election to Christopher Luxon, who will become New Zealand's 42nd Prime Minister.
12am - We are going to wrap up these live updates now. It is clear on the current numbers that National will lead the next Government. But a National-ACT Government may also need New Zealand First once the special votes are counted.
Labour has suffered a terrible defeat, losing nearly half of its caucus. Many of those losses have been in safe Labour seats like West Coast-Tasman and Mt Roskill. Other seats are very close, like National's 169-vote lead in Te Atatu or 72-vote lead in Banks Peninsula. Those could become Labour seats on the specials.
While Chris Hipkins says Labour wants to take time to reflect and refresh, the chatter will now be about whether he can stay on as the party's leader. One of his big potential challengers was Michael Wood - but he's gone from Parliament on these numbers.
The other story of the night has been Te Pāti Māori's win in the Māori seats. Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke has defeated Labour stalwart Nanaia Mahuta, while Takuta Ferris has won Te Tai Tonga over Rino Tirikatene. That's created a single overhang.
There's also the Port Waikato by-election to come on November 25. That will likely be won by National's Andrew Bayly, giving National another seat. Newshub will be back on the campaign for that - we will do it all again.
11:39pm - Christopher Luxon tells Newshub it is a "great day". He is very proud of Nationa;'s volunteers, candidates, MPs and officials. Politics is a team sport, he says.
He says he appreciated Winston Peters' remarks and while the current numbers show National and ACT can form a Government, he appreciated Peters' offering to help if necessary.
"New Zealanders have voted for change."
11:37pm - It looks like National and ACT will only just be able to form a Government.
To form a Government on the current numbers, parties need 61 seats. National and ACT currently have 61 seats.
That may reduce on special votes, but National is also likely to win the Port Waikato by-election in late November, giving it another seat.
11:35pm - Ohariu will stay with Labour's Greg O'Connor. With 97.2 percent of the vote counted, O'Connor is ahead by 1419 votes. His challenger, National's deputy Nicola Willis, is unlikely to be able to make that up. She will, however, likely be a senior minister - probably Finance Minister - in the next Government.
11:25pm - Nelson has had 100 percent of its vote counted and it's flipped to National. National's Blair Cameron has a 54-vote lead. It's quite likely it will go to a recount.
Other seats at 100 percent include New Plymouth, West Coast-Tasman and Whanganui. All have gone to National. Labour's loss of West Coast-Tasman to National's Maureen Pugh (who has a 915-vote lead) means minister Damien O'Connor has lost his seat.
11:20pm - Incoming PM Christopher Luxon thanks New Zealand for reaching for hope and voting for change.
He says National will be in a position to lead the next Government. That Government "will deliver for every New Zealander" by rebuilding the economy, bringing tax relief, restoring law and order, and delivering better healthcare and education.
Luxon says Hipkins rang him to concede the election. He thanked Hipkins for serving New Zealand as Prime Minister.
"It is obviously a tough night for Labour," he said.
He has rung ACT's David Seymour to congratulate him. Luxon says National and ACT will be in a position to form a new Government.
Luxon also says he wants to acknowledge New Zealand First and leader Winston Peters for saying he is willing to provide support.
11:15pm - Christopher Luxon and wife Amanda, and their two children have just entered Shed 10 in Auckland Central. He is about to take the stage as the Prime Minister-elected. Luxon is hugging with supporters.
11:13pm - RESULTS UPDATE
Vote counted: 2,127,813 or 89.2 percent
Labour: 34 seats or 26.5 percent
National: 50 seats or 39.5 percent
Greens: 13 seats or 10.6 percent
ACT: 12 seats or 9.1 percent
New Zealand First: 8 seats or 6.4 percent
Te Pāti Māori: 4 seats or 2.5 percent
11:08pm - Incoming Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is arriving at National's headquarters in Auckland Central. We will cross to his speech shortly.
11:05pm - Labour leader Chris Hipkins tells Newshub he is "disappointed" with the result and acknowledges the MPs who have served New Zealand but won't be returning to Parliament.
He says there will be plenty of time to reflect on the campaign. He says it has been a challenging year and term, especially leading New Zealand through the pandemic and its aftermath.
Hipkins says his team doesn't want to rush decisions. He wouldn't say if he intends to resign. He is committed to doing the right thing by Labour, he says.
"We have got three years clearly," Hipkins says.
11pm - Nelson looks like it will be one of the closest seats. About 95.7 percent of the vote has been counted, but Labour's Rachel Boyack only has a 120-vote lead. It could come down to a recount.
Another close one is Mt Albert. Labour's Helen White only leads by 81 seats over National's Melissa Lee. About 85 percent of the vote has been counted.
There's also Te Tai Tokerau, where Labour's Kelvin Davis is leading by 120 seats.
10:55pm - National leader and incoming Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has left his Remuera residence on his way to National's headquarters. He gives a thumbs up from his Crown car.
10:54pm - RESULTS UPDATE
Vote counted: 2,032,461 or 83.2 percent
Labour: 34 seats or 26.4 percent
National: 50 seats or 39.7 percent
Greens: 13 seats or 10.6 percent
ACT: 12 seats or 9.1 percent
New Zealand First: 8 seats or 6.4 percent
Te Pāti Māori: 4 seats or 2.5 percent
10:44pm - Hipkins says he will ensure there is a smooth transition to a new Government, while the current Government will act as a caretaker.
He says Labour will then take time to reflect and refresh. He says Labour has an important role in Opposition to hold the new Government to account.
"We will keep fighting for working people because that is our history and our future."
10:41pm - Meka Whaitiri, who ditched Labour to stand for Te Pāti Māori in Ikaroa-Rawhiti, has rung the Labour candidate to concede. On Te Pāti Māori's current results, she won't be returning to Parliament.
10:35pm - Labour leader Chris Hipkins is speaking to supporters in the Hutt Valley. Supporters chant "Chippy".
He thanks his Labour supporters for being at the event and for their work over the past six weeks. He says Labour has run their biggest ground campaign.
"From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much," he says.
Hipkins says the results show that wasn't enough.
He has rung Christopher Luxon to congratulate him. Labour is not in a position to form another Goverment on these numbers, Hipkins says.
10:34pm - Nanaia Mahuta appears to have conceded Hauraki-Waikato to Te Pāti Māori's Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, according to Newshub panellist Julian Wilcox. That is an incredible shift. Mahuta is the current Foreign Affairs Minister and first entered Parliament in 1996. As she is not on the list, she won't return to Parliament.
10:28pm - National has won back Wairarapa. National candidate Mike Butterick is ahead by 2220 votes with 89.7 percent of the vote counted. It's hard to see Labour come back from here. The current MP is Labour's Kieran McAnulty. McAnulty should be able to get back into Parliament on the List.
10:24pm - Labour leader Chris Hipkins is refusing comment extensively to media on his way into the Labour event. He would only say that he wanted to thank volunteers.
Outgoing Labour MP Stuart Nash says he expects his party would have won had it gone to the polls earlier in the year. He says National leader Christopher Luxon has peaked at the right time.
10:23pm - National's Melissa Lee's lead in Mt Albert has dropped back. She is only 80 votes ahead of Labour's Helen White now. It's going to go down to the wire.
10:18pm - ACT leader David Seymour says his message to the voters is "thank you".
He takes the stage in Auckland Central and tells supporters: "To so many people who have put their trust in ACT tonight, this country has voted for change and a record number have voted for real change."
Seymour says he wants to see New Zealand a more united place. ACT will "work tirelessly", he says.
He also congratulates ACT MP Brooke van Velden who appears to have won Tamaki.
10:17pm - Former Prime Minister Sir John Key is speaking to Newshub.
He says Christopher Luxon will be a great Prime Minister. He is a consensus person and won't be a radical, says Sir John. He has a strong view of where New Zealand should go.
10:15pm - RESULTS UPDATE
Vote counted: 1,779,811 or 67.3 percent
Labour: 33 seats or 26.2 percent
National: 51 seats or 40.5 percent
Greens: 13 seats or 10.4 percent
ACT: 12 seats or 9.2 percent
New Zealand First: 8 seats or 6.3 percent
Te Pāti Māori: 5 seats or 2.5 percent
10:10pm - Some of the seats we are watching right now.
Nelson: Labour's Rachel Boyack leads National's Blair Cameron by 2 votes with 76.6 percent counted.
Te Tai Tokerau: Te Pāti Māori's Mariameno Kapa-Kingi is leading Labour's Kelvin Davis by 7 votes.
Ohairu: Labour's Greg O'Connor is leading National's Nicola willis by 817 votes.
10:05pm - Labour leader Chris Hipkins is leaving his home on his way to Labour headquarters. He refused to say whether he has called National leader Christopher Luxon to concede. It appears he will be losing the prime ministership.
10pm - Whanganui is flipping back to National. There has been a little over 80 percent of the vote counted in the seat and Carl Bates is ahead by nearly 5000 votes. Steph Lewis, the Labour MP, looks like she is out of Parliament.
9:55pm - Greens co-leader Marama Davidson says she is "stoked" with the results.
"The people have spoken, yeah... it's been incredible."
Both Davidson and co-leader James Shaw have shown up at their party's headquarters in central Auckland.
The Greens are sitting on 10.4 percent, with 13 seats. They are currently predicted to get Auckland Central, Wellington Central and Rongotai.
Davidson says it is the honour of her life to lead the Green Party alongside shaw. She says she is "so proud" of everyone who has helped the Greens get their result.
9:45pm - More than half of the vote has now been counted - and it appears New Zealand will have a new Prime Minister. National and ACT have enough seats to govern. Christopher Luxon is on track to become Prime Minister.
RESULTS UPDATE
Vote counted: 1,516,221 - 51.9 percent
Labour: 33 seats or 26 percent
National: 51 seats or 41.1 percent
Greens: 13 seats or 10.4 percent
ACT: 12 seats or 9.2 percent
New Zealand First: 8 seats or 6.1 percent
Te Pāti Māori: 4 seats or 2.5 percent
9:35pm - National campaign chair Chris Bishop is ahead by about 520 votes in Hutt South. He says he is focused on the National party vote. He says it is always tight in Hutt South.
He doesn't think a second election will be required on the current numbers. Bishop previously speculated it could be a potential post-election outcome.
9:30pm - New Zealand First leader Winston Peters is speaking in Russell. He says that people once laughed at the idea of a NZ First comeback, but they are not laughing now.
NZ First is on 6.1 percent, which would get it eight seats. But it wouldn't be needed by National and ACT to form a Government.
"We have always known that in great democracies, the people who are elected and all those officials must be held to account. Our purpose is to keep them honest," he said.
He thanks the NZ First candidates who were unsuccessful on Saturday night.
"We have done the impossible."
9:24pm - RESULTS UPDATE
Vote counted: 1,389,025 or 43.5 percent
Labour: 32 seats or 25.8 percent
National: 52 seats or 41.6 percent
Greens: 13 seats or 10.4 percent
ACT: 12 seats or 9.3 percent
New Zealand First: 8 seats or 6.1 percent
Te Pāti Māori: 5 seats or 2.5 percent
9:18pm - Let's look at the NZ First vote. It's received about 6 percent of the vote with 40.5 percent of the vote counted. That equals eight seats.
While polling prior to the election showed NZ First would be needed by National and ACT to form a Government, National and ACT could do it without Winston Peters' party.
National currently have 52 seats, while ACT have 12. That would give them 64, more than the 62 required.
9:13pm - ACT's Brooke van Velden is leading by more than 3000 votes in Tamaki. She thanks all the locals and volunteers in the electorate. She says she is thrilled and looking forward to seeing the party vote. If she wins, it will likely mean the end to National MP Simon O'Connor's time in Parliament.
9:09pm - "We did this," Green MP Chloe Swarbrick says at the Greens HQ. She is ahead by about 1400 votes in Auckland Central. The Greens look like it will win Wellington Central, with Tamatha Paul up by about 3000 votes. Julie Anne Genter is leading by about 100 votes in Rongotai.
9:06pm - Labour's Grant Robertson tells Newshub it is not the result Labour were looking for. He says most of the votes counted are advance votes and he expects the result to change a little over the evening. Robertson says clearly Labour would wish to be in a better position.
He says he hasn't thought about his own future if Labour loses as it appears it will.
"The time for the change narrative is always very hard to fight," he said.
9pm - RESULTS UPDATE
Vote counted: 1,277,063 or 35.2 percent
Labour: 32 seats or 25.7 percent
National: 53 seats or 41.9 percent
Greens: 13 seats or 10.4 percent
ACT: 12 seats or 9.2 percent
New Zealand First: 7 seats or 6 percent
Te Pāti Māori: 5 seats or 2.5 percent
8:59pm - Labour campaign chair Megan Woods tells Newshub there are swings around the country. She expects a lower majority than what she achieved in 2020.
She says it is still early with about a third of the vote counted and much of that is advance vote. Woods is yet to speak to Labour leader Crhis Hipkins.
8:55pm - This is a Labour bloodbath. It has hemorrhaged support in once 'safe' seats. That includes Banks Peninsula, Mt Albert, Mt Roskill, New Lynn, Takanini, Te Atatu, Wairarapa, and West-Coast Tasman.
There is still time for the party's result to change in those seats - but there will be some very nervous candidates in them at the moment.
8:47pm - National's Melissa Lee tells Newshub she is "stoked" but still "nervous" because more votes are due to come in. She says National has never been ahead in this seat.
"It's an exciting evening, so I am going to celebrate," she says.
Mt Albert has previously been held by Jacinda Ardern and Helen Clark. Lee is ahead by 484 votes with 37 percent of the vote counted.
Newshub Political Editor Jenna Lynch calls Lee's lead "mad". She says Helen White, the Labour candidate, should be ashamed of herself after first losing Auckland Central to the Greens in 2020, and now potentially Mt Albert.
8:42pm - Newshub's Mike McRoberts is speaking to Greens MP Golriz Ghahraman. She says the Greens are having an "amazing surge" in the party vote and that is sending a message that the next Government needs to deal with the climate crisis.
With 32 percent of the vote counted, the Greens are on 10.4 percent or 13 seats.
8:38pm - Labour is "drowning its sorrows", says Newshub Political Editor Jenna Lynch after hearing that report from Amelia Wade. Labour is on 25.7 percent or 32 seats - nearly half of the seats it won in 2020.
8:36pm - Newshub's Amelia Wade is at Labour HQ. She says it is surprisingly buoyant given Labour's poor result so far. She says there are a lot of bottles of wine open. Labour MP Grant Robertson is in the building, but is having a quiet beer with Labour MPs Ibrahim Omer and Ginny Andersen.
8:34pm - "Holy heck, how things have changed down here," says Newshub's Lloyd Burr at the National headquarter. He says there were cheers there when National's results came up on the big screen. National could take a number of Auckland seats - including Jacinda Ardern's former seat.
8:33pm - RESULTS UPDATE
Vote counted: 1,205,508 or 30 percent
Labour: 32 seats or 25.7 percent
National: 53 seats or 42.1 percent
Greens: 13 seats or 10.3 percent
ACT: 12 seats or 9.2 percent
New Zealand First: 7 seats or 5.9 percent
Te Pāti Māori: 6 seats or 2.5 percent
8:25pm - Te Atatu is currently held by Labour's Phil Twyford with a significant majority. But he is currently behind National's Angee Nicholas. Nicholas is ahead by 600 seats. There is about 39.5 percent vote counted.
8:22pm - Labour's Kieran McAnulty is telling Newshub that Labour's polling result nationwide is "disappointing", but he is happy with how it is holding up in Wairarapa. He is going to be watching the electorate result closely.
National's Mike Butterick is leading by about 1100 votes.
8:20pm - Labour is getting a massive thumping, says Newshub Political Editor Jenna Lynch. She says one of the big turning points for Labour was the lengthy 2021 Auckland lockdown. She says it would be hard for any party to win after imposing that.
8:17pm - Wairarapa is one of the big battleground seats. With 24.1 percent of the vote counted, National's Mike Butterick is more than 1200 votes ahead of Labour's Kieran McAnulty.
8:13pm - One of the most interesting factors of the night are the Māori seats. Te Pāti Māori is leading in six of the seven seats. It's only not leading in Ikaroa-Rawhiti. If it was to win six seats, it would cause a three-seat overhang. That would mean 123 seats in Parliament after Saturday night. It would also mean 62 seats would be needed to form Government.
8:11pm - Maungakiekie was one of 2020's closest electorates and was won by Labour. But with nearly 50 percent of the vote counted, National's Greg Fleming is more than 3000 votes ahead.
8:06pm - National's Chris Bishop is currently leading in Hutt South. He is ahead by about 560 votes with 32.9 percent of the vote counted. He held the seat between 2017 and 2020. The current MP is Labour's Ginny Andersen, who is also the Justice Minister.
8:02pm - Labour's Greg O'Connor is speaking to Newshub's Amelia Wade. He says he expected Ohariu to be neck-and-neck. He is currently trailing National's Nicola Willis by about 200 votes. He is the incumbent MP.
8pm - RESULTS UPDATE
Vote counted: 1,034,902 or 24.2 percent
Labour: 32 seats or 25.9 percent
National: 52 seats or 42 percent
Greens: 13 seats or 10.2 percent
ACT: 12 seats or 9.2 percent
New Zealand First: 8 seats or 6 percent
Te Pāti Māori: 5 seats or 2.5 percent
7:55pm - National leader Christopher Luxon's wife Amanda and their two children have come out of their home with pastries.
She tells Newshub that the family is "just enjoying the night" and watching the results. She is "incredibly proud" of her husband. Both children say they are very proud of their father.
7:52pm - National deputy leader Nicola Willis tells Newshub it is far too early to call anything, but there are positive signs.
"It is a wonderful, there is a lot of gratitude," she says.
Willis is leading the Labour candidate of 212 votes in Ohariu.
She said Labour appears to be struggling nationwide.
7:49pm - ACT's Brooke van Velden is ahead in the National-held Tamaki. She is speaking to Newshub, saying the work of volunteers in Tamaki appears to have paid off. She isn't getting too confident but says change is possible for Tamaki.
She is leading by nearly 1400 votes. She's on 45.77 percent compared to National's Simon O'Connor's 36.29 percent.
7:46pm - Let's look at the Māori seats, where Te Pāti Māori is currently leading in five of the seven seats. That includes in Hauraki-Waikato, where a Te Pāti Māori candidate win would mean Labour's Nanaia Mahuta will be out of Parliament. Labour is only leading in Te Tai Tokerau and Ikaroa Rawhiti.
7:43pm - RESULTS UPDATE
Vote counted: 845,698 or 18.6 percent
Labour: 33 seats or 26.4 percent
National: 52 seats or 41.2 percent
Greens: 13 seats or 10.4 percent
ACT: 11 seats or 9.2 percent
New Zealand First: 8 seats or 6.2 percent
Te Pāti Māori: 5 seats or 2.4 percent
7:40pm - Let's have a look at Takanini. It's New Zealand's newest electorate after being established in 2020. It's currently held by Labour, but National's Rima Nakhle is more than 5000 votes ahead with 32.7 percent of the vote counted.
7:30pm - There are two major upsets potentially on the cards. With 21 percent of the vote counted in Mt Albert, National's Melissa Lee is 160 seats up on Labour's Helen White. This is Jacinda Ardern's old seat. One of the reasons for National leading is that the Greens' candidate is doing well, splitting the vote for the right to take it.
In Mt Roskill, with 15.7 percent of the vote counted, National's candidate is about 870 seats up on Labour's Michael Wood. Wood would be out of Parliament if he loses this. That would be a huge upset.
Let's remember these are early vote counts.
7:28pm - We are watching two Wellington seats that could be going to the Greens on Saturday night. In Wellington Central, the Greens' Tamatha Paul is ahead of the Labour candidate by more than 2500 votes. Labour currently holds it.
In Rongotai, also currently held by Labour, the Greens' Julie Anne Genter is ahead - but only by 94 seats. Only 4.5 percent of the vote has been counted.
7:24pm - One of the seats under the spotlight is Ohariu. National deputy leader Nicola Willis is challenging incumbent Labour MP Greg O'Connor. With 26.3 percent of the vote cast, Willis is ahead by 238 votes or roughly 1.5 percent.
7:20pm - Speaking to Newshub, New Zealand First candidate Shane Jones says his team has run a really good campaign, not just over the past six weeks, but over the last couple of years. He believes NZ First has tapped into something in the electorate. He said his party are full of "professionals" so could work with ACT if necessary.
With 7.2 percent of the vote counted, NZ First would have eight seats.
7:18pm - Newshub Political Editor Jenna Lynch has made the intersting point that on about 5 percent of the vote counted, National and ACT could form a Government without New Zealand First. That could change throughout the night.
7:16pm - RESULTS UPDATE
Vote counted: 354,653 or 5.2 percent.
Labour: 32 seats or 25.7 percent.
National: 51 seats or 41 percent
Greens: 14 seats or 10.9 percent
ACT: 12 seats or 9.4 percent
New Zealand First: 8 seats or 6.4 percent
Te Pāti Māori: 6 seats or 2.2 percent.
7:13pm - Let's take a look at one battleground electorate - Nelson. It currently has 14.9 percent of the vote counted. Rachel Boyack is leading by just 17 votes currently. That shows how close it is.
Another battleground is Ilam. Labour won it off National in 2020. But National's candidate has 42 percent of the vote so far, compared to The Opportunities Party's Raf Manji on 26.5 percent. Incumbent Sarah Pallett is on 24.21 percent. About 13 percent of the vote has been counted.
7:08pm - RESULTS UPDATE
Vote counted: 132,483 or 1.6 percent
Labour: 33 seats - 25.7 percent
National: 52 seats - 41.1 percent
Greens 13 seats - 11.3 percent
ACT: 12 seats - 9.3 percent
New Zealand First: 8 seats - 6.4 percent
Te Pāti Māori: 3 seats - 1.8 percent
7:06pm - Newshub senior political reporter Amelia Wade is at the Labour headquarters in Upper Hutt. She says there is a mixture of candidates and staffers at the event. Council of Trade Unions economist Craig Renney is also there. He has played a massive role this election campaign in finding holes in National's tax plans.
7:05pm - Newshub's Alexa Cook is at Labour leader Chris Hipkins' house. He has been spending election day with family and cooking sausage rolls. Hipkins' chief press secretary Andrew Campbell has brought some out for media.
7:03pm - Reporting from the National headquarters, Newshub political reporter Lloyd Burr said the event at Shed 10 is mostly full of Young Nats and staffers, with no candidates yet in sight.
7pm - Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live updates of the 2023 election results.
After six weeks of campaigning, New Zealand's political parties and candidates are about to find out who has been successful - and who has not.
Newshub will bring you the latest party vote results and how those translate into seats in Parliament. We will also break down the electorate results and any seats that flip.
Nearly 1.4 million people voted early - meaning before Saturday - which is well down on the just under 2 million who did in 2020.
The Newshub-Reid Research poll on Wednesday night put Labour at 27.5 percent, National at 34.5 percent, the Greens at 14.9 percent, ACT at 8.8 percent, New Zealand First at 6.8 percent, and Te Pāti Māori at 2.7 percent.
Join us throughout the night as we bring you the latest analysis, reaction and interviews. You can also watch Newshub's broadcast coverage in the video above, and on Newshub's YouTube channel and Facebook page.
