New Zealand changes govt, Key new PM
New Zealand's incoming prime minister John Key says his party's decisive win over the ruling Labour Party shows his nation has voted for change.
Key's centre-right National Party defeated the Labour Party, winning more than 45 per cent of the primary vote, enough to govern with the support of minor parties.
"In their hundreds of thousands across the country they have voted for change," Key told supporters at a function in Auckland.
Key, 47, promised a government he led would herald a more ambitious future for the country, which is in a recession and has rising unemployment.
"We need everybody pulling in the same direction. If we do that. If we work hard and if we remain determined we will make New Zealand as prosperous as we all know it can be," Key said.
"It will be a government that values individual achievement. It will be a government that supports those that cannot support themselves. And it will be a government we can all be part of," he said.
Key's defeat of the Labour government led by Prime Minister Helen Clark ends her nine-year reign as New Zealand's leader.
He thanked Clark, saying she was "most gracious" in a telephone call earlier in the night.
"We share a love of this country and I have always admired her dedication to the job and her ferocious work ethic and her desire to make New Zealand a better country.
"As prime minister of New Zealand she has always ensured our voice was heard on the international stage."
Earlier Clark conceded defeat, and resigned as leader of the Labour Party.
"I will be expecting Labour colleagues to elect a new leader before Christmas, and I will give that new leader, whoever it is, the total loyalty I have enjoyed from every member of parliament for a very long time," Clark said.
"As is obvious to all, tonight has not been our night.
"In politics we all experience the highs and the lows ... tonight is a night for the winners to savour, but we won't be going away," Clark said.
Another politician left licking his wounds was New Zealand's controversial foreign minister Winston Peters, whose NZ First Party failed to win a single seat.
"This is a very very significant crunch election like nothing you or I have ever seen.
"We have been the victims of it, but then, when you got into this game, that is what you have to be prepared to be - a victim and a loser," Peters told media.
"You can't win every night in this game, however it's not over yet."
"We will re-organise ourselves in the next month and we will see what 2011 will hold for all of us."
The Green Party secured 6.5 per cent of the vote, and will increase its presence in parliament by two, to eight seats.
Green Party leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said she had been hoping her party would have gotten a higher vote, given recent opinion polls.
"Even though we won't be supporting a National-led government, we may well find areas of common ground where we can work together," Fitzsimons said.
The Maori Party has increased its number of MPs by one and will have five MPs in the new parliament.
© 2008
AAP
