It’s a question on a lot of people’s tongues since this afternoon: Who is new National Party leader Todd Muller?
After the National caucus’ emergency meeting at noon today, Mr Muller emerged victorious over Simon Bridges as the party's leader. Meanwhile, colleague Nikki Kaye took over Paula Bennett as deputy leader.
While Mr Muller’s got a bit of a following in the regions, until up to about a week ago, he was relatively unknown among urban folk. In fact, when TVNZ reporter Benedict Collins went out to the streets on Wednesday, among people’s answers were "Simon Joyce" and "Chris whatever his name is from Air New Zealand".
Wannabe National Party leader Todd Muller isn’t a familiar face to many Kiwis, judging by these reactions.
So, TVNZ1’s Seven Sharp took him on a speed date of sorts.
Pronouncing the surname
Muller, like mullet - “it’ll help you remember it”, Mr Muller said.
Can you win?
“I think the National Party team absolutely can. We’ve come through a pretty extraordinary time in terms of the health crisis, and credit where credit’s due - I think the Government’s managed that pretty well,” Mr Muller said.
“But now that economic crisis sits right in front of us and we have to turn that around. The focus will come on who has the best economic plan.”
About his ex-boss Simon Bridges
“It’s been very respectful. We had our debate and discussion and vote and the caucus made its decision.
“Simon’s just been a consummate professional through it, very respectful. We had a quiet chat afterwards.”
What now?
“We’ll give it a few days and, absolutely, begin in earnest,” he said of his approach to being the Opposition leader and holding the Government to account.
Did he always want to become a politician?
Mr Muller said he caught the politics bug at university and worked for Jim Bolger while he was Prime Minister.
But he had very different plans before then, and was vying to be the President of the United States as a kid.
“It was slightly beyond me,” he joked.
In his maiden speech in the House in 2014, he said he wrote a book as a ten-year-old "that saw me elected Vice-President of the United States as a very young man in my 20s, becoming President upon the very unfortunate death of the then President, and then going on to serve 13 consecutive terms until, I think, I died of old age.
"My mum still has the story hidden away in our attic and I suspect it is best for it to remain there."
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