Wellington: New Zealand Prime Minister John Key Saturday promised to lead a government that governs for all New Zealanders after winning a historic third term.
Key and his National party also achieved the unique third term feat of increasing its vote, rising to 48.06 percent of the total vote from 47.31 percent in 2011, Xinhua reported.
The party won 61 seats out of 121 in New Zealand's parliament, up from 59 in 2011.
Key told party supporters at a gathering in Auckland that the win was "a victory for the faithful".
"This is a victory for those who refused to be distracted," said Key, referring to allegations of the National party's smear tactics and the government's mass surveillance of the public.
Key promised everything would "continue ticking over as usual".
The National party was likely to enter into agreements with the Libertarian Act party and the United Future party, which each have one member in parliament and have supported the National since it first came to power in 2008.
The future of National party's other minor partner, the Maori Party, looked much less certain after it dropped from three to two MPs.
The main opposition Labour Party had 24.52 percent and its Green Party allies 10.02 percent, giving them a total of 44 seats.
The New Zealand First party was in fourth place on 8.87 percent, giving it a possible 11 seats.
David Cunliffe, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, conceded defeat in a televised address to his party, and acknowledged perceived disarray in his party by saying Labour would Sunday begin a three-year campaign to win government benches in parliament in 2017.
The campaign had been unique in New Zealand's history, "beset by dirty politics and sideshows that will take months and months to unravel", he said.
About 2.07 million of the 3.1 million registered voters cast their ballots, according to the Electoral Commission.
Since coming to power in 2008, Key has been remembered for providing a sympathetic and responsive government face during the Pike River Mine disaster, when 29 men died in November 2010, and the Christchurch earthquake that left 185 people dead in February 2011.
However, the record commodity values of New Zealand's pillar agriculture sector that saw the country through those times have since slipped.
While economic growth of 3.5 percent is forecast this year, the longer term outlook is for slowing growth and the unemployment rate at 5.6 percent has been stubborn.
Voters are also facing rising interest rates as the Reserve Bank of New Zealand attempts to control record house prices and an unsustainably high exchange rate, which it says threaten financial stability.
Key has successfully shrugged off claims published in a book last month that the government used underhand tactics and worked with right wing "attack bloggers" to smear and embarrass opponents.
The fallout claimed the resignation of Justice Minister Judith Collins and minor parties on the right seem to have picked up support from disaffected National voters.
Last week, he also had to hedge around his previously steadfast position that New Zealanders were not being subject to mass surveillance by the country's electronic spy agency, the Government Communications Security Bureau.
American whistleblower Edward Snowden gave a compelling argument, via video link from Russia, at a live broadcast public meeting in Auckland Monday that the US National Security Agency was already capable of reading New Zealanders' e-mails, a point on which Key conceded that Snowden "might well be right".
On the campaign trail, Key made a vaguer promise of tax cuts, when conditions permit, but voters will be looking to see that he fulfills his promise to govern for all the people in navigating the turbulent times ahead.
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