The citizens of New Zealand elected two new openly gay men to its parliament during the national election held on Saturday.

Former New Zealand AIDS Foundation chief Kevin Hague (left) and former diplomat Grant Robertson (right) both won their elections, bringing the total number of openly LGBT MPs in the country to six.

The new openly LGBT MPs for this parliamentary term are Chris Carter (Labour Party), Charles Chauvel (Labour Party), Christopher Finlayson (National Party), Kevin Hague (Green Party), Grant Robertson (Labour Party) and Maryan Street (Labour Party).

Overall, though, GayNZ.com reports the mood among LGBT advocates was dampened by the overall political shift created by the election.

Initial response tonight from glbt political activists to tonight’s change of government is sombre, with concerns expressed for the future of initiatives to address equal rights and liberties for glbt people.

Tony Simpson, the chair of the Capital’s glbt lobby group Rainbow Wellington, and who has links to the Progressive party, says he’s pleased that Labour’s Grant Robertson has won Wellington Central and that Kevin Hague is in Parliament for the Greens. “They are two really good and strong gay candidates, so there are two pluses tonight,” he says. “But we’re sorry that National are taking power, since they are not notable for their support of gay and lesbian people.”

His concerns are echoed by Civil Unions campaigner Michael Wallmansberger, who has links to the Labour party. “I don’t have confidence that we won’t go backward now. Some of the National candidates have expressed very unfortunate attitudes to glbt people and issues.”

Wallmansberger says he is “proud of the things we have achieved with the Labour government, the past nine years have seen a great leap forward.” He is doubtful about how proposed political initiatives such as same sex adoption rights, transgender issues, and ‘gay panic’ defense will progress under the changed government. “I don’t think they will be a priority issue, they are likely to take a back seat.” Wallmansberger says the incoming government parties have signaled major policy shifts, “and seeing those through will take up much of their time and attention.”