Former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett has confirmed she's considering running for Auckland mayoralty in 2025.
Bennett confirmed to NZ Herald she's considering a tilt while two senior political sources said they had heard the former National MP is planning to run.
"I'm kind of keeping my powder dry, sure people are talking about it but I'm just saying 'I don't know'," Bennett said.
With the Auckland election still 18 months away, Bennett told NZ Herald: "I'm going, 'who knows what's going to happen in 12 months. I will enjoy the summer and I might have a think about it then'. So, I suppose that is considering it".
Bennett's position appears not to have changed since June last year when she was asked about it on AM.
"I can't say that I won't be going for it," Bennett said during AM's panel in June last year.
She also said she couldn't "definitely say I am" running.
"I don't know," the former National Party deputy leader said. "I'm angry with the city and where it's at and what we're doing, and I find myself more and more feeling like that."
Bennett has been vocal in her criticism of current Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown.
Over the weekend Bennett slammed Brown for his attacks on boards and public servants.
She did the same last year saying Aucklanders "got what you voted for" in Brown, amid heavy criticism of the Mayor's handling of the city's January flooding emergency.
Auckland Business Chamber chief executive Simon Bridges and councillor Josephine Bartley were asked about this when they joined AM on Monday morning.
Bartley warned whoever runs for mayor will have a tough ask on their hands.
"Whoever goes for it, man it's hard, it is hard," she said during AM's panel.
"It's not about popularity and being well-known out there, it's got to be someone who can put together everybody around that table to vote for things that are good for Auckland, that's hard."
Bridges added: "You're not sort of funded, the rules in local government somewhat broken... you're dealing with how many councillors? They all have different views."
Bartley said to Bridges "I thought you were going for the mayoralty", to which the former National Party leader said, "no way man, doesn't pay enough".
Watch the full video of AM's panel.
