Audrey Young: Pals until the election - but for how long after?

John Banks. Photo / Janna Dixon

In a musty cramped little room at Act HQ in Newmarket, a couple of legends in New Zealand politics, John Banks and Don Brash, joined Act president Chris Simmons on Saturday to declare Banks the party's candidate for Epsom.

Within a few minutes, one thing became clear: Banks' larger-than-life personality filled the room.

It wasn't deliberate by Banks, it's just the way he is.

In fact, he stressed he had no God-given right to the Epsom seat, it wouldn't be a doddle and any prospect of his becoming a Cabinet minister again was in the hands of the Act leader, Brash.

Despite Banks drawing on his inner humility, there was little room for Brash.

Banks' bent for the superlative, his purple turn of phrase, his constant wise-cracking and political dexterity were no contest for Brash, a relative amateur.

It won't be a problem for Act in Epsom in the short term.

The Banks selection will make it easier for National voters who had had a gutsful of current Epsom MP Rodney Hide to vote for the Act candidate in the interests of National.

But Banks will be a problem for the Act brand, if not for Brash, in the longer term.

Banks has looked and sounded like a National Party member for 39 years, because he has been one, and that can't change overnight without his damaging his credibility.

Banks is National at heart, in Act clothing.

Brash is Act at heart, but the ruthless way he got rid of Hide has damaged him.

They might both end up in the Cabinet if National and Act form a coalition after the election. John Key will not be able to dismiss Brash in the way he ruled out Sir Roger Douglas from serving in his Cabinet.

Brash's musings about Act's supporting National on confidence and supply but sitting on the cross benches lasted five seconds once Banks got on board.

As Banks said on Saturday, he is not going back to Wellington "to watch dead cats bounce".

The word at the National Party northern regional conference at the weekend was that Banks is motivated by wanting to help out National - to ensure it has a coalition partner. Brash could have done that without Banks but it would have meant Brash himself standing in Epsom.

And that is a step too far for Brash.

Brash wants to stand in a seat but he doesn't want to win it, preferring to be list leader.

If Act manages to poll over 5 per cent, the question will be: Was it down to Brash or Banks?

If Act polls under 5 per cent, and Brash ends up in Parliament on Banks' probable win in Epsom, Brash by his own measure would have failed and he could be expected to hand over the leadership to Banks.

Brash and Banks, who worked well in business together, hatched a clever plan to rescue Act, give National options, and occupy themselves in their advancing years.

In doing so, they have unintentionally set themselves up in what promises to be a fascinating competition with each other.