Paula Bennett on being the only woman in John Key’s inner circle - Ask Me Anything

When John Key invited Paula Bennett into his tight-knit “kitchen cabinet” in 2013, she was the only woman at the table.

This rare glimpse behind the Beehive’s closed doors was revealed by Bennett in her podcast Ask Me Anything, as Heather du Plessis-Allan hijacked hosting duties for the show’s 100th episode special.

“I remember John saying to me, this is my kitchen cabinet … I don’t need quotas or anything, Paula. I want you there ‘cause we’ve been together so long. We need someone that tests our thinking.”

“Kitchen cabinet” is a term used to describe an unofficial group of advisers to a political leader. According to Bennett, Key’s elite circle also included Bill English, Steven Joyce, Murray McCully and Gerry Brownlee.

When Bennett entered the fold, it wasn’t easy to be heard in the “highly confidential” discussions.

“There wasn’t space for me” she admitted. “I tried, and then I actually got the help of John Key … he’d just go, hold on a minute, let Paula finish her sentence, because the man had complete mana.”

Bennett said Key appreciated her input because she didn’t think like his other advisers.

“The boys would sit around and analyse ... and then John would just look at me and go, what do you think Paula? And I’d go, no one in West Auckland gives a shit ... if this is something that we have to do, yeah, let’s do it. But I don’t think we need to spend 45 minutes talking about it.”

Listen to the full episode for more from Paula Bennett on:

• Motherhood
• The moments that shaped her life
• What she really thinks of Winston Peters and David Seymour

Ask Me Anything is an NZ Herald podcast hosted by former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett.

You can follow the podcast at iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.