ACT leader David Seymour says it's a "reality" that his party told "a series of truths" that may have hurt its vote tally.
ACT had polled in double figures for a time but ended up with 9% after all the ordinary votes were counted.
It's a record result for the party and 9% would see them returned to Parliament with 11 MPs.
As it stands, ACT could form a two-party coalition with National, but special votes – which traditionally skew left – are yet to be counted and New Zealand First could yet have a role to play.
Seymour said "New Zealanders have voted for change" – but "of course, you always wish that you'd done better".
"People will ask what happened," he said this morning. "I think basically, ACT told a series of truths.
"First of all, we do need an honest conversation around the role of our Treaty in modern society.
"The government's books are in a terrible shape, we are gonna have to reduce expenditure.
"And we're going to really stick to our guns and fight for those changes," he said.
But potential overhang or a change in party vote share may mean National and ACT need NZ First in a supporting role. (Source: 1News)
"Of course, a lot of those truths I think need to be told but often weren't well received – and that's just reality."
Seymour added that the party had been true to itself.
Asked if he expected to need New Zealand First's support to form a government, Seymour said it's possible.
"I don't know about likely," he said. "Not every vote's been counted yet, there's about half a million people who made a special vote for whatever reason and those votes will be counted over the next couple of weeks. Let's see what that delivers."
And the Port Waikato by-election creates another "constitutional wrinkle", Seymour added.
"So there's a few balls up in the air," he said.
Van Velden tight-lipped on Cabinet prospects
ACT's deputy leader said she will serve "where the party and the new government think it's best". (Source: Q and A)
ACT deputy leader Brooke van Velden, who claimed the Tāmaki seat from National's Simon O'Conner, was coy when asked about her personal ambitions in the wake of the party's result.
Van Velden said she will go "where the party and the new government think it's best" for her to serve.
Asked whether she would pursue a Cabinet portfolio, van Velden said she would be "very humbled to serve in that capacity".
"But of course, it's more important for us in ACT to make sure that we get the policy wins that help New Zealand thrive.
"I'm just thrilled with what the results are looking like," she said.
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