Are we in hot water? National took the lead right from the starting gun tonight and showed no signs of slowing, and now the election results are in we are set for three years only the best euphemist could describe as "interesting". The nation spoke today and almost half of it said National, while there were also enough voices to drag Winston Peters back from the afterlife with seven other MPs in tow. While most of the New Zealand First newcomers are unknown quantities, one man who our communities know all too well, John Banks, is also back, something which is sending shivers down the spines of anyone who remembers the bitter and hateful rhetoric of the "waste of good barbed wire" homophobe. He will lend his support to John Key and National will form a government, with the added help of United Future's Peter Dunne, who managed to ward off a strong challenge in Ohariu from out Labour MP Charles Chauvel. So what can we expect from this government over the next three years? Not a lot according to out Labour MP Grant Robertson, who points out we "haven't seen any progress on our issues such as adoption under the National government and I can't see a John Key-led government making any progress in the next Parliamentary term." The shiniest part of the silver lining is surely in the form of Jan Logie, a clearly self-assured, well-spoken and intelligent woman who will be the country's third-ever openly lesbian MP (well, fourth if you count the one who was outed). The incoming Green MP is not afraid to speak her mind and told GayNZ.com tonight she will definitely stand up to John Banks and those of his ilk: "I am really passionate about the importance of standing up and speaking out. And I'm really looking forward to being a voice that can add to that chorus against those voices", she said. We also have friends in National, like Nikki Kaye who managed to hold onto her Auckland Central seat, and has made it clear she believes the more advocates on glbti issues we have from across the house the better. Is she right? We have a feeling the next three years will be telling, as we continue to ask questions on adoption law, marriage, implementation of To Be Who I Am and the safety of our kids in our schools. Watch this space. Jacqui Stanford - 27th November 2011