Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Chris Hipkins is still the leader of the Labour Party, following meeting with his new caucus which ran for nearly two hours.
He says the caucus needs to take time to reflect properly on the election result.
"I still have a bit of fight left in me," Hipkins said. "The leader is the leader until they're not, and I'm certainly still the leader of the Labour Party.
"I think right at the moment, the Labour Party need some stability and some continuity as we transition out of government and into opposition ... I want to take some time to reflect with the team on what the best way is forward for the Labour Party."
The news followed senior minister Andrew Little's announcement he intended not to rejoin the party in opposition, and would be giving up his list placing.
Another senior minister - Grant Robertson - seemed unlikely to follow - for now, at least.
"I think my job at the moment is to be part of turning us into a really high-quality opposition. Obviously I've got all too much experience in that particular part of the Parliamentary process, so my commitment is to do that and then I'll make assessments as I go, through the term.
"But right now I think I've got a job to do to get us ship-shape."
He said that process would likely take months.
"I think it'll be months for sure, I mean we've gotta do a really important job today and thank and farewell some people, then we've got to see what the final election result actually is, and then sit down and work out how to be a good opposition."
He said he was "incredibly supportive" of Hipkins.
"I think he's done a really good job ... it's a relatively recent phenomenon in New Zealand politics to believe that if someone loses an election they need to go, as a leader.
"I mean, my prediction is we'll end up around 28 percent-ish after the special votes are counted, that's the same percentage Helen Clark got in 1996 and she won the 1999 election. So, you know, I think Chippie's a good person, he certainly has my support."
Earlier on Tuesday Hipkins said he would remain an MP for the full three-year term.
He told reporters at Parliament on Tuesday he intended to continue representing Remutaka.
"I'm not done with politics yet," he said. "I've made the commitment to the people of my electorate each three years when I put my name forward that I'm committing to three years, and regardless of what role I play during that time, I owe that to my constituents who place their faith in me to be their local MP."
Following this afternoon's meeting, he again signalled he would serve the party as needed.
"I'm absolutely committed to supporting Labour into opposition and we have a job that we will need to do in opposition.
"As a Parliamentarian I passionately believe in the role of the opposition, you know - for good governance, good democracy requires a vigorous opposition and we will be one."
Hipkins said the afternooon meeting ran "on schedule".
"The second party of the meeting was really just an opportunity for those who are returning, or potentially returning, to have a bit of a conversation about the next steps, to reflect a little bit on what's happened."
He said there were a number of people in the party he could easily see leading it in future.
Labour's constitution requires the party to vote on a leader within three months of an election loss, but Hipkins said that would not be scheduled until after the caucus was finalised.
"I indicated on Saturday that I was certainly not going to rush any decisions, and I don't expect the caucus to rush any decisions on the future either. I think we do need to take some time to make sure that we reflect properly on the election result, bearing in mind that we don't actually have the caucus confirmed."
He said Kelvin Davis was still the deputy leader of the party.
