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Paula Bennett 'confident' her leadership role is safe ahead of National's emergency caucus vote

May 21, 2020

The opposition has recalled its MPs to Wellington tomorrow for an emergency leadership meeting. (Source: Other)

National's Paula Bennett is confident she'll still be in the deputy leader hot seat following her party's emergency leadership vote tomorrow.

The Opposition has recalled its MPs to Wellington to hold the high-stakes meeting. It was revealed yesterday MPs Todd Muller and Nikki Kaye plan to contest the party's leadership, hoping to unseat Simon Bridges from the top spot.

Mr Muller yesterday emailed his fellow National MPs saying he wanted the top job. It's also understood wants Ms Kaye to be his deputy.

The emergency vote comes only days after a disastrous poll result was released with support for National dropping 12.7 percentage points to 30.6 per cent.

Despite the coup attempt, Ms Bennett remains confident in her spot as deputy leader.

Breakfast host John Campbell put the question to Ms Bennett on the programme's weekly political panel this morning, asking her if she will still be in the job come Friday.

"That's my plan, and I'm feeling good and I'm feeling confident. And I think we've got a message to get out there and get on track and just keep doing what we're doing because the country needs us," said Ms Bennett.

"I'm feeling really confident standing here this morning, John."

Ms Bennett described National as being like a "family", and she predicted that by Friday afternoon it would be back on track. But she said she also wishes they weren't doing the vote.

"We are where we are and we’re a big party that is actually a family, and sometimes that family has a bit of an argument amongst itself and then we pull ourselves together and we get back on with it.

"I rather we weren't where we are, but we will get through the next couple of days."

Appearing on the panel alongside Ms Bennett in his usual spot, New Zealand First's Shane Jones had the last word, contesting her family metaphor.

"You're not a family at the moment, Paula, you're the Fockers," he said, referring to the Meet the Fockers movies series.

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