National hopeful Mark Osborne (right) and Paula Bennett in Kerikeri.
National hopeful Mark Osborne (right) and Paula Bennett in Kerikeri.
Minister races home from campaign trail to help daughter give birth.
She's no stranger to encouraging one-liners in the House, but Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett did not offer the booster "zip it, sweetie," when she acted as birth coach in the hospital delivery room for her daughter on Thursday.
Ana Bennett, 26, gave birth to a little boy - her third child - with her mum by her side.
"I was the birth coach," a chuffed Bennett told The Diary proudly. "My daughter gave birth to a giant. He looks like a blimmin' 3-month-old."
Ana Bennett delivered a 5kg boy who she's named Hunter. She also has an 8-year-old daughter and a 13-month-old toddler.
"I've been there for the birth of all three children, but this one was quite special. I was thrilled to play grandma and coach."
Bennett - affectionately dubbed "Pushy Paula" for her opinionated views - raced home from Northland to take up the role she'd been prepping for for months.
"She was meant to have the baby on Tuesday, but didn't go into labour until Thursday. Meanwhile, I was in Northland on Wednesday campaigning with Mark Osborne.
"I had my pink shoes on and we went door-knocking in Kerikeri, and acting as human billboards.
"Let me tell you, there were some colourful phrases. Some people didn't quite know what to make of our human hoardings. But the language wasn't quite as colourful as I'd expect from my Westies," she laughed.
"It's Kerikeri," she said, implying a regional poshness.
Kate's effect on beauty
The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton.
Trilogy, a beauty label started by Kiwi sisters Catherine de Groot and Sarah Gibbs in their father's Upper Hutt shed, which they later sold to Ecoya for $20 million, has been hailed by
after their beauty products were given the tick of approval by the Duchess of Cambridge.
The certified organic rosehip oil is her fave, apparently. The Kate Effect has seen the product sold out online at Boots.com, with sales rocketing in the US and the share price soaring, the Daily Mail reported.
The soon-to-be-mother-of-two is said to love the product, which she discovered here on her trip last year.
Auckland-based Trilogy International announced this week annual profit will more than treble, with shares last trading at 82 cents and gaining 14 per cent this year. Is the Kate Effect an influencer?
Chiefs pals cool off after tough training
Liam Messam and Sonny Bill Williams brave chilly waters in a rock pool in South Africa.
It was a serious case of "brrrrrrrr" for Liam Messam and Sonny Bill Williams who huddled for warmth under a towel and a hoodie in Cape Town this week ahead of their clash against the Stormers tomorrow morning.
They jumped in to the cold waters of South Africa to reduce muscle pain and prompt a quicker recovery following an intense pre-game training session.
"That's one cold Atlantic Ocean," skipper Messam posted on Instagram with the hashtags "#capetown #recoverymode #over30s".
Messam is jumping the gun somewhat. SBW doesn't hit 30 until August. Messam turns 31 on March 25 - three days before the Chiefs play the Cheetahs at Waikato Stadium.
We only hope celebrations include a dip in the less icy local river.
