a little loose conversation - Clark at her HQ now

Very cheery crowd, but she doesn't look overly happy - Apathy Jack reckons it's cos she's thinking about the phone calls she has to make tomorrow (Winston, Tariana, Peter, and Jeanette).

Clark says she is humble that they have the opportunity to start talks to form a new Govt.

Lots of pauses for applause.

Gosh she looks tired - points out that going in they had 51 MPs and now they have 50. Shaggy Karl said hours ago (it feels like last week) that this is pretty good for a third term Govt, and he's right (or Apathy Jack is, he may have said it even earlier).

Apathy Jack suggests Clark emails everyone in her inbox first thing tomorrow morning to see if they're keen on a bit of coalition chat action.

She really does seem humbled, which I think is a good thing. She also looks exhausted. Even forgetting about the campaign, tonight's adrenalin ride must have really taken it out of her (and many others, I'm certainly feeling it!).

Clark says she will be talking to other leaders in the next two days - "in a spirit of optimisim."

They're chanting "Three More Years" again, but Shaggy reckons it should be "More Free Beers." ;-)