Asked two questions about Premier House and whether he would be living there (he won't), he quipped it must be the issue every New Zealander was thinking about.
He didn't exactly put his stamp on the Government in the press conference.
After all, he is not yet Prime Minister until later today, and his reshuffle of Cabinet will better reflect that.
But he gave a flavour of what is to come which clearly includes a greater emphasis on social inclusion and a smaller role for Government.
He talked about spreading the benefits of economic growth to everyone, about leading a country where he hoped everyone could flourish, and about maintaining his social investment approach, which involves using new tools to identify the people who need Government support and then funding programmes which are proven to work.
One of the biggest surprises was a reference to supporting unions in his prepared statement - perhaps a first for a leader of the National Party which has traditionally been the party of bosses.
"By supporting families, businesses, volunteers, parents, iwi, unions and churches Government can do a better job of changing lives," he said.
Aptly, for a major in English literature, he chose to end his prepared statement with a line from a poem he heard last Thursday by Selina Tusitala Marsh: "Lead by digging up the diamonds in those around you."
English did not commit to holding weekly post-Cabinet press conferences as Helen Clark and John Key both did with accomplishment as Prime Ministers.
Going by today's performance, there is no reason not to.
