AAP
November 9, 2008

The former New Zealand government's strong policy on climate change was a driving factor behind the Labour party's loss, the federal opposition says.

The coalition has also warned the federal government to take note of the election result and introduce a more "measured" approach to an emissions trading scheme.

New Zealand National Party leader John Key will start forming a centre-right government this week after winning Saturday's general election, ending the nine-year reign of Prime Minister Helen Clark.

The final results gave National 59 seats and its partner ACT five.

Labour has 43 seats, the Greens eight, and they are joined by Progressive Party leader Jim Anderton for a total of 52.

The Maori Party holds five of the seven Maori seats but does not hold the balance of power in parliament.

The former government's policy to introduce an emissions trading scheme sooner than other countries around the world was "clearly" an issue in the New Zealand campaign, opposition infrastructure spokesman Andrew Robb told Network Ten.

"There was a political agenda to rush a scheme in by the New Zealand Labour party, Labour government, it's done in a way which will possibly lead to jobs and emissions being exported overseas."

New Zealand had moved too far ahead of the rest of the world, too quickly, he said.

"It'll be instructive, I think, in terms of how the Rudd government has got to wind back the sort of unnecessary haste and take a measured approach to this so that we get the right scheme in place and not some politically inspired scheme."

National leader John Key's business background was also a significant part of the election campaign as New Zealand was currently in a recession, he said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has congratulated Mr Key on his election victory and invited him for a state visit.

Mr Rudd said he telephoned Mr Key on Saturday night to congratulate him on "a fine win for himself and his party".

"I've also invited John to visit Australia at the earliest opportunity for him to undertake an official state visit," Mr Rudd told reporters in Canberra.

"I think that would be a great opportunity to begin this new period in the relationship."

The trans-Tasman leaders took a fresh commitment to work together, Mr Rudd said.

He did not appear to lament the loss by the NZ Labour party, saying the relationship between Australia and New Zealand was strong and beyond party politics.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull says he is confident Mr Key will get the country's ailing economy back on track.

"John Key will bring not just political change to New Zealand, but also his considerable experience in the international financial markets, a background he will put to great use in these current challenging times," Mr Turnbull said.

"Although the challenges ahead will be demanding, I am confident John Key will prove as good as his word in getting the New Zealand economy back onto a strong growth path," Mr Turnbull said.

He said New Zealand and Australia were "as close as two friends can be", and it was vital the relationship stayed strong.

The NZ National Party held the same values as the Liberal Party of Australia, Mr Turnbull said.

Both were committed to the importance of personal freedom, the spirit of enterprise and responsible economic management by government, he said.

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