9 Nov 2008

Key sweeps to victory, Clark and Cullen stand down

4:21 pm on 9 November 2008

National Party leader John Key has won a decisive victory in the 2008 general election, with 59 seats in Parliament.

Conceding defeat, outgoing Prime Minister Helen Clark announced she was standing down as Labour leader.

Deputy leader Michael Cullen also announced later he was standing down from the position.

Mr Key addressed hundreds of his party faithful in Auckland, telling them there will be a new National-led Government.

The incoming Prime Minister said the result shows New Zealanders have spoken in their hundreds of thousands and called for change.

He said New Zealand had voted for a safer, more prosperous and ambitious New Zealand.

Mr Key said he is looking forward to leading the country, despite the challenges it faces.

National will be able to form a new Government with the support of ACT and United Future, while New Zealand First was not returned to Parliament this term.

Labour leader Helen Clark congratulated John Key in a speech to supporters at Labour Party headquarters in Auckland.

Miss Clark said she accepted the choice the public had made, and accepted responsibility for the election result.

She then announced she was standing down and expected Labour colleagues to elect a new leader before Christmas.

Miss Clark, who retained her Mt Albert electorate, earlier telephoned John Key to concede the election.

Michael Cullen is also standing down as deputy leader. He said on Sunday it was time to step aside as the party rebuilds.

Dr Cullen said he would continue to serve in Parliament.

Party placings

National secured 45.5% of the party vote to Labour's 33.8%.

The results would give a potential National-led Government, with ACT and United Future, 65 seats in Parliament.

Labour would have 43 seats, the Green Party eight seats, the Maori Party five and United Future and Progressive one each.

ACT leader Rodney Hide won the Epsom electorate and his party gained 3.7% of the party vote.

United Future leader Peter Dunne, who would also line up with a National government, retained his Ohariu seat.

The Green Party gained 6.4% of the party vote, which would give it eight MPs.

New Zealand First was on 4.2%, below the 5% threshold to get back into Parliament without winning an electorate.

Party leader Winston Peters lost Tauranga to National's Simon Bridges, and conceded defeat in a speech at his party headquarters.

The Maori Party won five of the seven Maori seats, and has 2.2% of the party vote.

Voter turnout

Election officials say they are happy with the voter turnout at this year's elections.

The Chief Electoral Officer, Robert Peden, says the provisional voter turnout this year was 78.69%, based on the number of eligible voters who enrolled by 5pm on Friday.

More than two million votes were counted on Saturday night, and an estimated 240,000 special votes will be counted this week.

The Chief Electoral Office aims to declare the official election results on Saturday 22 November.

The election was New Zealand's fifth under the MMP system.