The Labour Party's loss of two Māori electorate seats wasn't expected by some within the party, according to MP Willie Jackson, but there's optimism for those stepping up to claim the mantle. 

When it came to the Māori seats, Te Pāti Māori managed to storm ahead to ahead in Hauraki-Waikato, Te Tai Hauāuru, Waiāriki and Te Tai Tonga - ousting several Labour MPs in the process. 

Among those who lost their electorate seat to new Māori representatives included Nania Mahuta, the party's former Minister of Foreign Affairs. 

Jackson spoke to The Sunday Session sitting next to Mahuta, who he said wouldn't be keen to talk to media at this stage but spoke of it being a "sad time" for the party. 

"She had twenty-seven years as a member of parliament, so you want to honour that at the right time," he said. 

"It's a sad time for our Māori caucus and all our Māori MPs, and lots of colleagues around the house - I'm sure they'll congratulate her for her time in caucus."

Jackson said the Hauraki-Waikato seat, which Mahuta had defended in the election, was one of two seats he didn't expect his party to lose.

The other, Te Tai Hauāuru, was won by Te Pati Māori candidate Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. 

"I wasn't shocked or anything because I saw the strategy from Te Pati Māori, they ran a real youth strategy, they activated those young ones and good on them," said Jackson. 

The Labour MP credited the election of Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, New Zealand's youngest elected MP who was voted in as representative of Hauraki-Waikato at the age of just 21. 

He was also glad to see the new young talent of Tākuta Ferris, who won the Te Tai Tonga seat over another Labour candidate. 

"We all still work together, [Labour] will still have the biggest Māori caucus in parliament...you don't win everything," said Jackson. 

"We got wiped out in terms of the national vote, I congratulate Mr Luxon and Mr Seymour reluctantly but that's the game, you just have to accept it on the chin and compliment the other side so I wish them all the best."