Labour leader Chris Hipkins told media today that the Labour caucus will be a "formidable opposition" that will hold the expected three-party governing arrangement to account.
This comes as final results were released by the Electoral Commission.
"We’ve got great talent and experience in our team, including a number of former Ministers, and we plan to work hard to win back the confidence of more New Zealanders over the next three years," said Hipkins.
He reiterated that he would stay on as Labour leader.
"It's a job that I enjoy."
Hipkins said the results showed Labour has lost both senior and new MPs who served over "three and potentially six very difficult challenging years for New Zealand".
“I want to personally thank those MPs and their families, who have given so much to the country and to the Labour Party. Thank you for working hard to make a difference for your communities and for New Zealand."
The 34-strong caucus will have a slightly different make-up now that final results have been counted.
Narrow victory in Nelson
Preliminary results saw National’s Blair Cameron take Nelson from Rachel Boyack, but final results have returned her to the seat with a majority of 29 votes.
Boyack said she is "delighted" to have been returned to Parliament and is looking forward to continuing her work as a "strong advocate" for the Nelson region.
Similarly, Labour’s Phil Twyford has put a brick back in Labour's 'red wall', managing to secure Te Atatū from National’s Angee Nicholas, with a majority of 131 votes.
Nicholas had won the seat based on preliminary results.
Twyford described the wait for the final results as "excruciating".
Helen White's majority in the formerly safe Labour stronghold of Mount Albert has shrunk to just 20 votes, while Labour's Banks Peninsula candidate Tracey McLellan is now out of Parliament.
Hipkins said that it is likely that we will see some recounts in electorate seats where the margins are close.
"Whether there's a recount will be a question for the other side rather than for us."
Māori seats flipped by TPM
Te Pāti Māori has also seized two further Māori electorate seats - Tāmaki Makaurau and Te Tai Tokerau, which at the last election were won by Labour’s Peeni Henare and Kelvin Davis respectively.
Te Pāti Māori’s Mariameno Kapa-Kingi took Davis’ seat with a majority of 517 votes, while Takutai Tarsh Kemp has won Tāmaki Makaurau with a majority of just four votes.
Hipkins acknowledged "clear vote splitting" in the Māori electorates.
"We saw them voting Labour with their party vote...but wanting if you like a Māori party voice within that government."
He also said that he would give Henare "full support" if he wanted to call for a recount.
All other electorate candidates leading on election night preliminary results have been confirmed as winners.
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