English, confirmed as PM, doesn't see Trump-like protest vote in NZ in 2017

Monday 12th December 2016

Bill English and Paula Bennett have been voted in as prime minister and deputy PM by the National Party's caucus ahead of their swearing-in by the governor general this afternoon.

Speaking to media at Parliament this morning, English didn't recommit to John Key's promise not to raise the superannuation age from 65, and said he will consider the date of the election early in the new year. He said he wasn't as concerned about an anti-establishment vote as seen in the UK's vote to leave the European Union, and the US election of Donald Trump as President.

"This is a government that has spent a lot of time engaging with a pretty wide range of people, " English said. "We're talking with voters about where those voters might be. Equally, the economy here has performed better than most others so we don't have that pool of people who feel like they're missing out."

Outgoing PM Key announced his surprise exit last week, ending 10 years as leader of the National Party, eight of which were as prime minister, while retaining a dominant position in public polling.

English said Key had given him and his caucus a "fantastic opportunity" but Key would be the first to say there was work left to be done. English's government will look to help families and communities improve themselves, he said.

"Under John Key, the government had supported the first increase in benefit levels in some years, a few pegs have been laid down and we're signalling that will continue," English said.

"The government isn't the answer to everything, this is a government that's going to be focused on understanding at a very individual level what's going to help people: what is it a 23-year-old with mental illness really wants, and what can we do to ensure they get it?"

English said he probably wouldn't move into Premier House, and was unsure who would live there once Key leaves.

The soon-to-be prime minister said he wasn't worried about public reaction to his socially conservative views, and he wouldn't seek to use the role to push those issues.

His newly elected deputy Bennett said she sees herself "very much in a support role to the prime minister".

"I think under Prime Minister Bill English we can really drive change for all New Zealanders," she said. "Our backbench are incredible as are all our caucus. We're going to be working with them really closely on our policy manifesto next year. There's a lot of opportunities and I'll play my part in making sure they do have them."

Bennett said she was "incredibly proud" of her Maori heritage and that she hopes she "can show the respect to the role and being a Maori woman that that brings."

BusinessDesk.co.nz

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