DHAKA: New Zealand’s conservative prime minister John Key swept to a historic election victory on Saturday, securing a third term as voters ignored campaign allegations of dirty tricks and mass spying.

The resounding win makes Key the first New Zealand leader able to govern in his own right since proportional voting was introduced in 1996 and means his centre-right National Party has increased its vote in all three elections he has contested, reports the yahoo news in the evening.

"I'm ecstatic, it's a great night," the 53-year-old former currency trader said after a result that confounded opinion poll predictions of a tight race, the report added.

"It was a tough campaign but I think that people could see the country was on the right direction and they rewarded us. I'm just very grateful," he said, referring to the claims of underhand tactics that dominated campaigning.

However, National won 61 of 121 parliamentary seats, up from 59 at the last election in 2011, while the main opposition Labour Party managed only 32, down two, after its worst performance since the 1920s.

BDST: 2023 HRS, SEP 20, 2014