Midday Report

New Zealand First will hold their first caucus meeting on Monday which could push talks to form a government up a gear.

National and ACT had the barest majority on election night but the picture changed with the final result, confirming that New Zealand First must be in the mix.

Policy positions are being worked through to identify areas of common ground and those that will prove more challenging.

Both ACT and New Zealand First have raised red flags over the affordability of National's tax package.

Another tricky policy will be Act's wish for a referendum on Te Tiriti o Waitangi, which National has previously dismissed as divisive.

NZ First Leader Winston Peters and ACT's David Seymour have yet to meet.

Seymour spoke to Charlotte Cook.

A Wairarapa fishing club says a diver had a lucky escape from an attack by what he believes was a great white shark.

The diver was part of a commercial diving crew who were collecting pāua east of the small fishing settlement of Ngawi, near Cape Palliser on the southern-most point of the North Island.

Rachel Helyer Donaldson has been following the story and spoke to Charlotte Cook.

Politicians around the motu are waiting with bated breath as the results of the special votes are about to come in. 

The official numbers will be released at 2pm - which could see a number of electorate seats change, and will provide the information the National Party need to negotiate its way to the ninth floor of Parliament. 

Te Pāti Māori had a record performance at the election but will be hoping to swing a couple more people across the line - especially in the Tāmaki Makaurau and Te Tai Tokerau seats. 

Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa Packer spoke to Charlotte Cook.

Beef and Lamb has hit back at a US lobby group which is calling for the government there to limit imports of New Zealand sheep meat.

Sally Murphy has the rural news.

The All Blacks captain Sam Cane will miss the Super Rugby Pacific season next year, opting to play in Japan rather than for the Chiefs.

Stephen Hewson has sports.

An insolvency firm is warning of a new wave of potential business failures amid a slowing economy. 

Anan Zaki has the business news.

Questions are being raised about the effectiveness of electronic monitoring after revelations the man accused of stabbing an Auckland dairy owner last month had disabled his monitoring bracelet more than 90 minutes before the attack.

Corrections didn't investigate or pass it on to police, saying it received about 3000 alerts that day and can only prioritise the higher risk ones.

It's now working with police to improve the system and review how it manages tracker tampering.

Criminal lawyer and Vice President of the Law Society Julie-Anne Kincade spoke to Charlotte Cook.

In just under two hours - we'll have a clearer picture of the shape of the next government.

The final results of the election will be announced at 2 o'clock this afternoon following the counting of around half a million special votes.

Provisionally National and ACT have 61 seats in a 121-seat Parliament, but that could well change.

Whatever happens - National has said formal negotiations on governing arrangements will start - with ACT and potentially New Zealand First.

Political reporter Giles Dexter spoke to Charlotte Cook.

A-I has been announced by the Collins English Dictionary as its Word of the Year. It was chosen from a list of new terms that will also be added to the dictionary - including one with a unique Kiwi sporting connection.

Andreea Calude is a senior lecturer in linguistics from Waikato University.

She says while A-I is actually an abbreviation of two words, language is always evolving -- and dictionaries are adapting as well.

Calude spoke to Charlotte Cook.

A new dental subscription service aiming to get people in the habit of regular check-ups has been launched at dentists in several cities.

EasyDental subscribers pay a monthly fee to cover multiple visits including a dental exam, a hygiene treatment and x-rays each year.

Dentists say the service will be helpful for people who can afford it, but won't be useful for low income groups.

New Zealand Dental Association president Amanda Johnson spoke to Charlotte Cook.