NZ First Keeps Stance on Opportunity Party as Special Votes Await Count

New Zealand First deputy leader Shane Jones says his party's rule-out of the Opportunity party remains in place for now while the official count proceeds. Jones spoke to media on Russell's waterfront while party leader Winston Peters chose to avoid reporters, stating he would keep his counsel until all votes are counted. The Electoral Commission is currently counting about 399,365 special votes, with the final result expected to conclude by the end of the month.

Election Results

Current coalition parties National, Act, and NZ First hold a slim majority in Parliament. Opportunity entered Parliament after reaching 6% of the vote, led by Qiulae Wong. NZ First secured about 9.8% of the party vote, an increase from 6.8% in 2023. Act also increased its share to 10.9% from 8.6%. Jones stated that NZ First's increased share will be leveraged and not squandered during upcoming coalition talks.

Government Challenges

Jones warned that the next government faces a "wicked three years" and needs greater bipartisanship to tackle the high cost of living. National was left with no list seats after receiving a 29.2% party vote alongside 42 electorate wins, leaving senior MPs like Nicola Willis, Chris Bishop, and Paul Goldsmith out of Parliament. Jones also addressed controversy surrounding NZ First candidate Michael Laws and his comments about women in Opportunity, noting that leader Winston Peters confirmed a board meeting will be held to discuss the matter after the election.

Context

New Zealand's mixed-member proportional electoral system often results in coalition governments where smaller parties hold significant leverage. Special votes, which include overseas ballots and votes cast outside a voter's home electorate, are counted after election night and can shift seat allocations and final party percentages.