NZ poll : Helen Clark concedes Defeat

The main opposition party in New Zealand looks set to end the Labour Party's nine years in power after a strong showing in the general election.

With 90% of the vote counted, officials say the centre-right National Party has 46% of the vote against 34% for Prime Minister Helen Clark's Labour Party.

Local media projections say it would give National 59 seats, just short of the 61 needed for a majority.

National could look to the Maori Party to form a government, they say.

The figures, as they stand, would give John Key's National Party 59 seats, Labour 43 and their allies the Greens, with 6% of the vote so far, eight, in the 120-seat parliament.