Former National Party deputy leader Paula Bennett is embarking on a new career in commercial real estate when her time as an MP comes to an end in October.
Bennett, who is currently the MP for Upper Harbour, announced in June she wouldn't be standing in the general election.
Back in 2019, she said she had no intention to seek re-election for her seat because she wanted to focus on her then-new role as National's campaign chair. But she lost that role after a National Party leadership takeover in May when Todd Muller took the leadership from Simon Bridges and Auckland Central MP Nikki Kaye replaced Bennett as deputy leader.
Her 15 years in Parliament will come to an end at this year's election on October 17, and two days later she will begin at Bayleys Real Estate as the director of strategic advisory in its commercial division.
She told The Project on Thursday she believes there are many skills from politics she can bring to her new role.
"It's all about people. I'm going into commercial [where] it's about relationships, it's about listening, it's about talking, it's about seeing ahead," she said.
"What's commercial property going to look like after COVID and people wanting smaller premises, or different, and reconfiguring how they go to work and what work looks like. I'm just pretty excited to be part of that."
Her role will involve working with bigger projects and looking at overseas companies who want to come into New Zealand, she said.
"They're going to bring jobs, they're going to need somewhere to put those jobs and put those people, and so I can help bring those deals together, work across government, work across local, work across corporate, and just pull it all together I hope."
She said former Prime Minister John Key recommended her to Bayleys managing director Mike Bayley while they were at dinner one evening - without her knowing.
"John says you'll never have a job like you do as a senior minister, in particular, when you're making decisions and you're making big change, but then again, Bill English and all of them have said there is life after politics and if you embrace it - it's absolutely terrific."
The move to real estate surprised even Bennett, and she said if she was asked a year ago what she'd be doing now, she wouldn't have picked that she would be on that path.
"Isn't that kind of cool. It's the message that I've given teenagers and young people for the last 15 years when I've been privileged enough to talk to them," she said.
"I say be open to opportunities and you don't know what this great country's going to bring next. Part of that is being open, excited and ready to take on a challenge, and this is definitely one for me."
Watch her full interview on The Project above.
