Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
The election process has officially come to an end with the return of the writ.
Issued by the governor-general on 10 September, the writ directs the Electoral Commission to conduct the election.
It shows the names of the successful electorate candidates, while successful list candidates have been published in the Gazette.
Parliament must be opened within six weeks of the return of the writ, with the governor-general summoning the MPs to the House to be sworn in and elect the speaker, known as the Commission Opening of Parliament.
The following day is the official State Opening of Parliament, when the governor-general delivers a Speech from the Throne. So far under MMP no Parliament has been without a government by the time of the speech.
Clerk of the House David Wilson said preparations were under way for the opening, and dates for the Commission and State Openings would be released when available.
