“Politics can be tough. One of the hardest parts of this election came this week, when we said goodbye to some giants of the National Party,” National Party leader Christopher Luxon wrote on Instagram, 1News reported.
The party secured 42 electorate seats with 29.21% of the party vote under preliminary results. Because National won more electorate seats than its proportional share, it created a six-seat overhang that left no room for list-only members like Nicola Willis and Gerry Brownlee.
Senior figures Chris Bishop and Paul Goldsmith also face exits after losing their respective electorate contests on election night. Official results are scheduled for release on November 27, which will confirm the final composition of Parliament.
Loss of Senior Ministers
Luxon singled out Nicola Willis for praise following her time in government. Willis held the number two spot on the party list.
“Nicola, we started out as two newcomers with a big job to do, and she’s been beside me every step of the way,” Luxon wrote.
“As Finance Minister she took on the toughest job in government at one of the toughest times. She’s super smart and hardworking, and she never stopped caring about the people behind the numbers. I couldn’t have asked for a better deputy or a more loyal friend,” he told 1News.
Luxon also praised Chris Bishop as an absolute powerhouse who ran the successful 2023 election campaign. He described Paul Goldsmith as the ultimate team player, noting that as Justice Minister, Goldsmith focused on victims of serious violent crime.
“As Justice Minister he kept his focus on victims, and today there are 37,000 fewer victims of serious violent crime. Those are real people in real communities who are safer because of his work,” Luxon wrote in comments reported by the NZ Herald.
Three Decades of Service
Gerry Brownlee departs Parliament after 30 years of public service, concluding a tenure that included serving as Speaker of the House. Luxon said that he and Brownlee both started their schooling at Loreto College, a Catholic boys’ primary boarding school in Papanui that closed in December 1978.
“Speaker Brownlee’s wisdom and wit were legendary, and the House was better for it,” Luxon said, while highlighting Brownlee’s work as Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister following the earthquakes.
Luxon also recognized the service of Melissa Lee, Vanessa Weenink, and Nancy Lu. Weenink won the Banks Peninsula seat in 2023 but lost it to Labour’s Dr. Tracey McLellan, while Lee served as a former minister before losing her cabinet positions in a 2024 reshuffle.
Parliamentary Majority Status
National’s preliminary total of 42 seats combines with ACT’s 13 seats and New Zealand First’s 12 seats to provide a narrow majority of 67 seats in the 131-seat Parliament. Approximately 399,000 special votes remain to be counted before the final outcome is declared.
Questions About National's Seat Count and Departing Members
Why did National lose list MPs despite winning 42 electorate seats?
National won 42 electorate seats under preliminary results, which exceeded its proportional share of the 29.21% party vote. This discrepancy created a six-seat overhang in Parliament, leaving no room for list-only candidates.
When will the final election results be released?
Official results are scheduled for release on November 27, once approximately 399,000 special votes are processed.
Which prominent National Party members are departing?
Outgoing senior figures include Nicola Willis, Chris Bishop, Paul Goldsmith, and Gerry Brownlee, alongside Melissa Lee, Vanessa Weenink, and Nancy Lu.
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