New Zealand National Party

Media Release

12 December 2016

National selects new leadership team

The New Zealand National Party caucus today elected Bill English and Paula Bennett as its new Leader and Deputy Leader, Party President Peter Goodfellow says.

Mr English and Mrs Bennett will serve as National’s 12th leadership team in its 80 years, and will soon travel to Government House to be sworn in as New Zealand’s 39th Prime Minister and 18th Deputy Prime Minister.

“I am incredibly proud of the strength and unity displayed by the National caucus during the leadership transition over the last week,” Mr Goodfellow says.

“Bill and Paula are outstanding leaders who will provide a good mixture of experience and fresh thinking. Under their leadership, New Zealanders will continue to benefit from the stable government they expect, along with a dedicated focus on delivering results for families and businesses.

“We are incredibly grateful for John Key's remarkable leadership of National and as New Zealand's Prime Minister. He is widely admired here and abroad, and we wish him and his family well for life after politics.

“We are regarded as the best organised centre-right party in the world, and I know that this will continue under Bill and Paula’s leadership.

“National remains as committed as ever to providing strong leadership that is growing the economy, creating jobs, and allowing the Government to invest in world-class services like schools, healthcare and infrastructure.

“I know everyone in National and across the country will be wishing our new Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister the best and look forward to working with them to ensure New Zealand remains the fantastic little country it is today.

ends

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