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Election 2026: Broadcaster Paul Henry and former All Black Taine Randell among new MPs

Caroline Williams

Join host Ryan Bridge and special guests for live, uninterrupted coverage of every result as it comes in. Get all the key moments, analysis & updates in our Election Night Special.

As the election results trickle in, we’re starting to get a picture of who will be representing New Zealanders in Parliament – including several new faces.

Already, some key upsets are starting to emerge, with several senior National ministers looking unlikely to return.

While it isn’t yet certain which parties will form the next Government, here are the new faces guaranteed a spot in Parliament due to their party ranking or likely electorate wins.

Paul Henry - Act

The former broadcaster has secured his spot in Parliament, sitting at number four on the Act Party list.

Long-time broadcaster, first-time MP Paul Henry. Photo / Mike Scott

Henry, 66, presented many shows during his TV career, including Breakfast, a self-named morning news show on TV3, The Traitors NZ and – just last year – The Chase NZ.

He resigned from the board of TVNZ in July to stand for the party.

In a Herald column explaining his decision to stand, the grandfather of 10 said he wanted to ensure them “the opportunities I had, in a country that champions success and, as a result, breeds it”.

Henry had been vying to become the next media and broadcasting minister. Whether he will get his wish is not yet clear, with Opportunity likely to hold the balance of power.

Taine Randell - NZ First

Former All Blacks captain Randell is trailing behind in his electorate of Tukituki, but is set to make his political debut as a list MP.

Former All Black Taine Randell will make his political debut as a list MP for NZ First. Photo / Jack Riddell

Speaking to the Herald at the Hastings Golf Club on election night, Randell said being named number nine on the NZ First party list felt similar to being called up for the All Blacks.

Randell played 61 games for the All Blacks between 1995 and 2002. After his retirement from sports, he worked in the oil industry in London before moving back to Hawke’s Bay to take on roles in governance.

The 52-year-old previously told the Herald he’d had a “fascination” with politics from a young age and that his values aligned with NZ First, including its stance on energy, water and immigration.

“I’ve always liked Winston Peters, [he’s] charismatic and all the rest of it.”

Mahesh Muralidhar - National

The Tāmaki electorate seat was long considered a safe blue seat before Brooke van Velden won it for Act in 2023.

Mahesh Muralidhar is the new MP for Tāmaki, his second time lucky after an unsuccessful bid for Auckland Central in 2023. Photo / Michael Craig

But the seat is set to turn blue again following her retirement from politics and Muralidhar set to take the win.

It is second time lucky for Muralidhar, who ran for Auckland Central in 2023 but was beaten by Chlöe Swarbrick.

Born in India, Muralidhar moved to New Zealand in the 1990s to attend high school and studied statistics, business and public policy.

He is currently the CEO of Phase One Ventures – a venture capital company – and was previously the head of people operations at Canva.

Antonia Modkova – Act

She hasn’t won the Auckland Central electorate, but Modkova has secured a spot in Parliament as an Act Party list MP.

Antonia Modkova has made it into Parliament on the Act Party list. Photo / Supplied

Modkova, 35, previously contested the Panmure-Ōtāhuhu seat in 2023, but was defeated by Labour’s Jenny Salesa.

An intellectual property lawyer and computer scientist, her work focuses on AI and innovation.

Modkova was born in Bulgaria and moved to New Zealand after the fall of communism, which she said taught her to value freedom and democracy.