'A good thumping helps change attitudes': ex-PM Bill English at Hawke's Bay show

Former National party leader Bill English addressed a crowd at the A&P Show on Friday. Photo / Warren Buckland

Former Prime Minister Sir Bill English has made one of few public appearances since leaving Parliament 2-1/2 years ago by saying a "good thumping is a good way to change things" and the National Party "just has to settle down".

He was speaking at the Hawke's Bay A&P Show in Hastings, an event usually reserved for such people as a current Prime Minister or Minister of Agriculture.

He said his speaking engagement, about 30 minutes at a Members Marquee lunch, was one of only a few since his retirement in 2018, following the Party's ousting from Government in the 2017 General Election

It was also just six days after most of his remaining colleagues departed as the result of the history-making 2020 vote, in which an estimated 250,000 2017 voters changed sides.

He discussed mainly the economy and life experiences, interposing after less than four minutes what most would have been awaiting: "I suppose I'll have refer to the election."

"I was looking around the crowd here thinking some of you must have voted Labour because this is more than the total people in Hawke's Bay who voted National," he said.

Some laughed, some oohed, but he continued.

"Whatever else is going on, it's pretty hard to beat two things," he said. One is a daily press conference with a very good communicating Prime Minister – for six months. That's never happened before."

The other, he said, the "economic indicator that most people see, and that is house prices going up".

The speech was made as the downsized show continued outside, with the last stages of the major rural events such as equestrian sports, farm-fencing, sheep dog trials and shearing sports.

But there was huge interest in the Mega carnival, the start of a four-day event continuing till Monday, with queues throughout most of the day on most rides.