TRANSCRIPT
Christopher Luxon will be New Zealand's next prime minister.
The former head of Air New Zealand has turned around the fortunes of the centre-right National Party and is on track to form a government with the support of the libertarian ACT party and possibly New Zealand First in a coalition to be confirmed in the coming days.
With 98 per cent of the preliminary vote counted, his party has 40 per cent of the vote with Labour getting 26.8 per cent.
The Prime Minister-elect has thanked New Zealanders and pledged to deliver for them.
“Thank you, New Zealand, because from all over your country, this great country, you have reached for hope and you have voted for change. And I'm immensely proud to say that on the numbers tonight, National (Party) will be in a position to lead the next government. And my pledge to you, is that our government will deliver for every New Zealander.”
And this is what Mr Luxon is promising to deliver.
"We will rebuild the economy and deliver tax relief. We will bring down the cost of living. We will restore law and order. We will deliver better healthcare and we will educate our children so that they can grow up to live the lives that they dream of and that's what you voted for and that’s what we will deliver."
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says Labour needs to be proud of what it achieved in the past six years.
"The result tonight is not one that any of us wanted. But I want you to be proud of what we achieved over the last six years, because despite governing through some of the biggest challenges our country has ever faced, we kept New Zealand moving forward and we protected those who needed help the most."
He says Labour faced many challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I honestly think the gods rounded up curve balls to throw at us. Terrorist attacks, volcanoes, cyclones and floods and of course the COVID-19 global pandemic and the global cost of living crisis that followed. Despite these huge forces against us, through it all, we made a difference. We saved lives and recorded the lowest number of COVID deaths in the developed world."
Mr Luxon says the election result is both humbling and energising.
“I cannot wait to get stuck in and to get to work because New Zealanders have chosen change and our new government will deliver it and we will get this country back on track.”
