Green Party co-leader James Shaw was positive about his party's performance in last night's election, despite acknowledging a likely return to Opposition once coalition talks were finished.
Shaw said this morning: "Obviously, we're sad to be out of government."
"We're really proud of the work that we've done over the last six years, and would've liked to be able to continue that for the next three. But, we had a banger of a night," he added.
With 100% of the ordinary votes counted, the party looks set to take 14 MPs to Parliament. However, over 500,000 special votes are outstanding and those traditionally skew left.
In the electorates, Chlöe Swarbrick held Auckland Central, while Tamatha Paul claimed Wellington Central and Julie Anne Genter Rongotai, also in the capital.
"It's a fantastic result and we've got, at the moment, as many Green MPs as we've ever had before," Shaw said. "It's a good result."
Asked if the Green Party would negotiate a coalition with National leader Christopher Luxon, Shaw said he didn't expect a call.
Shaw has previously said it would be rude not to answer Luxon should he come ringing after the election.
The party flipped two Labour strongholds in Wellington, and retained Auckland Central amid a blue wave. (Source: 1News)
"Christopher Luxon said last week, categorically, he wasn't interested in working with us," Shaw said. "He hasn't called us.
"As I said, it would be rude not to pick up the phone but ultimately that's up to the incoming prime minister.
"And I cannot imagine why he would try and work with a party that is as philosophically different from his party, when he's got someone in the ACT Party who's much more philosophically the same."
Shaw said nobody ever asks ACT if they would work with Labour.
And when asked about Labour's result last night, the Green co-leader called it a "shellacking".
"It was a terrible result for them," he said. "They lost some really, really good people.
"They'll be feeling quite shattered, I would imagine."
Shaw wouldn't be drawn on whether the Greens could expect another seat once special votes were in.
"I don't know," he said. "I'd obviously like one."
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