With National's potential partners ACT and NZ First finally getting together in Wellington this week, a sense of momentum is building for the trio to form a government.
Labour's Chris Hipkins meanwhile has survived a vote on his MPs' endorsement of him as leader with Carmel Sepuloni taking the deputy leadership as the party prepares for opposition.
In this week's Focus on Politics, Political Editor Jane Patterson examines politicians' progress towards the incoming government and opposition.