Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says he is "thinking about" contesting Chris Penk's Kaipara ki Mahurangi seat and will decide within days, four days after Penk was sacked for challenging the Prime Minister and quit politics.
The veteran National list MP's own position in Parliament is in doubt as his party's expected vote share falls to well below what it was three years ago.
Speaking to Q+A, Goldsmith said others had raised the Auckland electorate with him, though he noted he had long been based in Epsom, David Seymour's electorate.
"A couple of people have suggested it to me, and I'm thinking about it," he said.
"It's a beautiful seat. It's a lovely part of the country, but I've been based in Epsom for a long time."
The seat is widely considered to be a safe blue seat at November's election. Goldsmith said his position was tied to National's party vote rather than an electorate.
Christopher Luxon says dissident minister Chris Penk had to go but refuses to give caucus vote count. (Source: 1News)
"Most likely I'll stay where I am because my fate has been tied to the party vote," he said.
"We've got this funny system where everybody gets two votes, but only one really counts."
Goldsmith said he would decide "in the next few days".
The seat opened up this week, when the PM survived a confidence vote in his leadership and then stripped Penk of all his portfolios, revealing the MP had launched the challenge.
Goldsmith inherited Penk's defence, veterans, space, GCSB and SIS responsibilities, taking him to 11 portfolios. Penk announced hours later that he would not seek re-election.
Asked whether his own return to Parliament was in doubt on current polling, Goldsmith rejected the suggestion. "Yes, I will. We're going to do well," he said.
Kaipara ki Mahurangi is a suburban and rural seat stretching across the northern reaches of the Auckland region, from the Northland border down to northwestern satellite towns.
Did Penk act alone?
Pressed on whether Penk had "acted entirely alone", Goldsmith said he did not know.
Labour spokesperson Kieran McAnulty and National minister Chris Bishop react following the urgent National Party caucus meeting in Wellington yesterday. (Source: Breakfast)
"Well, he didn't talk to me," he said, before conceding: "To the best of my knowledge, he acted alone."
Goldsmith, who spoke in his capacity as one of multiple ministers, used the interview to defend Luxon against critical media coverage following the leadership drama.
"There's been endless columns by particularly journalists in the print media going on about the so-called failings of the prime minister," Goldsmith said.
"The point I'd make is that the caucus has consistently voted for him. That is because he is a good prime minister. Why? One, he's in politics for the right reasons. He wants New Zealand to succeed. Two, he's a reformer. He doesn't just stand around and just look after the status quo. Think of the RMA, think of the education reforms — big reforms.
"He's making a difference. Third, he's a hustler. He's out on the world stage. That deal that we did with India, no other PM would have pulled that off, and it's a huge opportunity for this country. He also manages complex issues well.
"He's a CEO who knows how to get performance out of the leaders, and he's a decent guy, decent New Zealander, family man. So that is why we support him.
"He's a strong leader, and he's a good prime minister. And if he gets two more terms, he'll be a great prime minister."
Q+A with Jack Tame is made with the support of New Zealand On Air
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