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While Labour’s landslide makes a coalition in New Zealand extremely unlikely, the PM might set up a ‘consultation’ deal with the smaller party New Zealand’s Labour and Green parties have met for the third time to discuss what role the latter might play in the new government expected to be formed by Jacinda Ardern within days.With Labour holding all the cards after its landslide...

A minor party hasn’t won a general electorate seat in well over 20 years. The result shows what is possible when convention is scrapped I was making toast in my tiny apartment kitchen four weeks ahead of election day. Not that I really had track of the days. They had melded into one ever-extending runway as Auckland went through its second Covid-19 lockdown and...

Good journalists know balanced reporting is not as simple as providing both sides of the story. You have to squash falsehoodsLike the families of 1.14 million people worldwide, our family has lost people we love to Covid-19. They are people who would not have died were it not for this deadly, hyper-contagious virus. We are in a global pandemic that is at least 15...

After securing a historic election victory, the New Zealand prime minister was asked about the world leaders who sent her congratulations. 'I have had a few lovely messages. Scott Morrison ... I've had the prime minister of Denmark, Pedro Sánchez from Spain. Of course, Boris Johnson reached out as well.' When asked about whether Donald Trump had been in touch, she replied: ' I...

New Zealand overwhelmingly embraced Jacinda Ardern’s Labour, leaving Judith Collins’ party in the wildernessJudith Collins had a spring in her step and a high-beam smile when she appeared for reporters the day after a New Zealand election that delivered a landslide victory to her opponent, Jacinda Ardern of Labour – the country’s most popular leader of modern times.“I’m feeling really good,” she said. “Woke...

Prime minister says she will be ready to form a government in two to three weeks as New Zealanders enjoy return to normal life • New Zealand Greens on the rise after voters return to the fold • Opinion: New Zealanders have recognised their good luckJacinda Ardern has held out the possibility of forming a coalition government despite securing a historic election victory that...

New Zealanders give Labour more votes than at any other election in past five decadesFollow the results liveJacinda Ardern will govern New Zealand for a second term after the Labour party secured a historic landslide victory in the general election, attracting so many votes it could become the first party in decades to be able to govern alone. Ardern’s deft handling of the Covid-19...

Jacinda Ardern condemns divisive elections during victory speech, saying polls 'don’t need to tear people apart'. Her words were interpreted as a veiled allusion to the divisive US election, which take place in two weeks. The Labour party secured a landslide victory with its best result in five decades after Ardern emphasised kindness and cooperation during her first term, and told voters she needed...

Jacinda Ardern has secured a second term as leader after a resounding victory in the country’s general election. The Labour leader had led a coalition government since October 2017, ending nearly a decade of National rule. During her first term Ardern had to deal with responses to the Christchurch terrorist atrocity, the Whakaari volcano eruption and the Covid-19 pandemic. She gave birth to her...

Jacinda Ardern is on track to be re-elected as the prime minister of New Zealand. The Labour party looked set for a landslide victory, attracting so many votes in the general election it could become the first party in decades to be able to govern alone.With more than 90% of the vote counted, Labour had secured 49%, with the opposition National party on 27%. Addressing...

Winston Peters has rebuked a coronavirus sceptic at an election campaign event in Tauranga. New Zealand's deputy prime minister was answering questions from an audience on Tuesday when the unidentified man asked: 'Where is your evidence that there is a virus that causes this disease?''Here's someone who gets up and says "the Earth is flat",' Peters responded. 'Sorry sunshine, wrong place.' New Zealanders go...

The New Zealand opposition leader has pulled no punches after being thrust into the role just a few months before the election“I’m very aware that I’m not going to be able to come out and ‘out-Jacinda’ Jacinda Ardern,” says New Zealand’s opposition leader of her rival. “But I can be Judith Collins.”On Saturday, New Zealanders will be given the choice not only between parties...

She is wildly popular in the polls but significant risk lies in Labour’s decision to pin all their hopes on their leader’s profileRead our weekly election briefingOn the lush green grounds of New Zealand’s oldest university, prime minister Jacinda Ardern is getting mobbed.Half a dozen police officers clear a path through the heaving crowd in Dunedin, while her security detail tightly flank Ardern, and...

It has been a challenge to remember what a normal political scene looks like, but how good is boring right now?As countries around the world experience a resurgence in Covid-19, New Zealand has once again contained the virus, making its election cycle something close to normal, and also a tad ridiculous.It was already a bit ridiculous. Continue reading...

Jacinda Ardern and Judith Collins both bring B-game to seemingly interminable showAre we there yet? Is it election day? Is it possible to bring the date forward a little bit from 17 October? Not by too much – things have to be put in place, pens secured to pieces of string and the like. How’s tomorrow?Election fatigue hit hard during Tuesday night’s leaders’ debate....

A tongue-in-cheek campaign is urging eligible overseas New Zealanders to vote in this month’s general election. Here’s how easy – and important – it isRead our weekly NZ election briefing hereTwo weeks out from the election, New Zealanders based overseas are being called on to make their voice heard by the “team of 5 million” back home.Every Kiwi Vote Counts, a new non-partisan initiative,...

The Mana Motuhake policy is a 25-year plan to improve the outcomes of whānau Māori that the mainstream major parties have failed to deliver onIn an election campaign that has so far been largely a bidding contest over who can fund the most “shovel-ready projects”, create the most jobs and support the most apprentices post-Covid, many commentators have bemoaned the absence of any visionary...

Both major parties are pinning their hopes on jobs for the boys to lead the post-coronavirus economic recoveryNZ election weekly briefing: a dull debate, budget mistakes, Ardern tattoo anyone? Some may have heard the terms “shecession” or “pink recession”; words associated with the worldwide trend for pandemic-related job and income losses to affect women more than men. In New Zealand, we saw it in...