Focus on Politics

It's been three weeks since New Zealand went to the polls, a week since the final election result was announced and the writ has been returned, but there is still no Government in sight. New Zealand First, which holds the balance of power, has been in talks all week with both National and Labour as it tries to decide who to form a Government with. Our Deputy Political Editor, Chris Bramwell, has been on stakeout all week at Parliament.

Political journalist Colin James

National's Nicola Willis and Maureen Pugh have both lost their seats. However, Labour's Angie Warren-Clark and and human rights lawyer and Green candidate Golriz Ghahraman will now be coming to Parliament as list MPs.

In the final result, the Green Party picked up an extra seat, to take its total up from seven on election night, to eight.

Labour leader Jacinda Ardern says the final election results give her party a strengthened mandate to continue with coalition negotiations.

The National Party leader Bill English spoke to reporters at Lake Hayes.

Veteran political journalist Colin James crunches the numbers.

Perhaps the biggest upset of the election was the Maori Party's exit from Parliament as voters abandoned the party for Labour. In a shock few saw coming, co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell lost his 12-year hold on the Waiariki seat. The days since have been cause for reflection - what went wrong? Is the movement over - or can the party rebuild? Our political reporter Craig McCulloch was in Rotorua with Maori Party supporters as the results came in.

The election may be over, but there is no sign of a new Government just yet. All four parties involved in the coalition talks are getting their negotiating teams ready and figuring out where and what they are prepared to compromise on. Our Deputy Political Editor, Chris Bramwell, wraps up the week.

The day before the polls close in New Zealand, RNZs Poll of Polls shows National widening its lead over Labour, but when you add in the Greens they are pretty much even. While we've heard a lot about the race and the campaigns of the political parties, this week we talk to our team of reporters about what's it like to cover one of these campaigns, out on the road.