20 February 2018

Joyce to stand for National Party leadership

National Party List MP Steven Joyce has announced he will contest the National Party leadership following the retirement of former Prime Minister Bill English.

“I’m standing for the leadership because I believe passionately in New Zealand’s future, and I have the skills and experience to successfully lead our proud party and win the contest of ideas with the current government,” Mr Joyce says.

“New Zealand has shown in recent years that we can be hugely successful. We have grown faster than most in the developed world, added record numbers of jobs, lifted wages, and used the proceeds of growth to tackle long term issues like child poverty.

“Sadly the new Government’s mish-mash of policies will damage that progress and take us backwards.

“The 2020 election will be about whether we go forward strongly and confidently as a country or allow Labour and its coalition partners to hobble us with their defensive backward-looking 1970s view of the world.

“We have the capacity to be one of the leading small hi-tech nations that can engage positively and successfully with the world for the benefit of all our people. That is our path to future prosperity.”

Mr Joyce entered parliament in 2008 and has had nine years experience as a cabinet minister in portfolios including finance, economic development, science and innovation, tertiary education, skills and employment, transport and ICT.

He has led the party’s last five general election campaigns as campaign chair.

Prior to entering politics he was a successful radio entrepreneur, founding the Radioworks company and building it to be New Zealand’s second largest radio network.

He and his wife Suzanne live in Dairy Flat in Auckland with their children Amelia and Thomas and Gemma the retrodoodle.

“I have been humbled by the encouragement I have received to stand for this role from inside and outside parliament.

“I am greatly looking forward to talking with and debating the issues with colleagues and in the media over the next week as we discuss a future focused positive policy agenda for New Zealand.

“It is an absolute privilege to have the opportunity to stand.”

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