NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

National leader Simon Bridges answers Herald readers questions in live Q and A

NZ Herald
28 Feb, 2018 12:04 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Bridges answered Herald readers' questions live in a Q and A session. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Bridges answered Herald readers' questions live in a Q and A session. Photo / Mark Mitchell

National's new leader Simon Bridges has come out swinging against the Government in a question-and-answer session with the Herald.

Readers asked Bridges a range of questions including a light-hearted jab at the Minister's perceived love of hair gel.

Bridges swore he doesn't use Brylcreem and said in fact he hadn't used anything in his hair for a while now - when pressed he said he was telling the truth as he was not allowed to lie to the public.

• WATCH: Simon Bridges answers your questions live.

When asked, Bridges said he'd never "willingly" lied to the public before correcting himself, saying "knowingly".

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He also refused to comment on whether he had ever done an Elvis impersonation, though did admit he was partial to a bit of Tom Jones on karaoke.

Despite saying he'd collaborate with the Labour and New Zealand First on matters of national interest, such as the CPTTPA, Bridges didn't miss a chance to criticise the coalition Government as "muddling along".

"I think this is a 'don't frighten the horses' attitude. This is a Government which is fundamentally weak and muddling along. They're not doing much but that isn't good enough for New Zealanders."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
New National Party leader Simon Bridges leaving his media conference with his wife, Natalie, and deputy leader Paula Bennett, after Tuesday's caucus vote. Photo / Mark Mitchell
New National Party leader Simon Bridges leaving his media conference with his wife, Natalie, and deputy leader Paula Bennett, after Tuesday's caucus vote. Photo / Mark Mitchell

He saw areas like law and order and environmental protection as examples of those which National could align with New Zealand First and the Greens on, but added that he thought Andrew Little's recent comments about a "tough on crime" attitude to law and order needed a rethink and that he was concerned how Shane Jones would spend his $3 billion regional development fund.

When it came to child poverty, Bridges said National supported the Government to the select committee stage, but wanted to see more substance in the legislation.

"We want it to be about more than good intentions … we want to see meaningful difference."

Bridges, who voted against marriage equality in 2013, said he accepted the country had moved on and the new law was working well.

Discover more

New Zealand|politics

What should Bridges tackle first?

28 Feb 11:00 PM
Opinion

Who gets to decide if Simon Bridges is 'Maori enough?'

28 Feb 04:22 AM
New Zealand|politics

Bridges leaves MPs in suspense

28 Feb 04:00 PM
New Zealand|politics

Prime Minister beside herself: Ardern's puppet unveiled

28 Feb 06:00 AM

He'd be happy to attend a Pride festival as leader, he said.

When it came to decriminalising cannabis, the former Crown prosecutor said he was not in favour, though he did support access for medicinal use.

"I'm very reluctant to see decriminalisation because I suppose my background as a prosecutor doing a lot of drugs trials in the Eastern Bay of Plenty I've seen the effects it has on communities."

• READ MORE: Audrey Young: New National leader Simon Bridges brings out mongrel in Jacinda Ardern

Criticising the Government for what he perceived as "sucking funding" into one or two signature projects, Bridges said scrapping roads of national significance plans would come at the expense of the regions.

If he were to become Prime Minister in the 2020 election, Bridges said he'd offer "a much more upbeat" leadership.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"I'm worried what we've got at the moment is a Government that's muddling through, that's not really going anywhere, and, as I said, that's not good enough."

Bridges said he supported raising the retirement age to 67.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New Zealand

MetService concedes Cyclone Gabrielle red weather warning could've come sooner

01 Jul 06:21 AM
New Zealand|crime

'Quite a mess': Man who rammed cop car in stolen vehicle given jail and a $10k bill

01 Jul 06:00 AM
New Zealand

Watch: The moment a young family loses new home in swollen raging river

01 Jul 06:00 AM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

MetService concedes Cyclone Gabrielle red weather warning could've come sooner

MetService concedes Cyclone Gabrielle red weather warning could've come sooner

01 Jul 06:21 AM

The decision was influenced by Hawke’s Bay hydrologists, who opposed the warning.

'Quite a mess': Man who rammed cop car in stolen vehicle given jail and a $10k bill

'Quite a mess': Man who rammed cop car in stolen vehicle given jail and a $10k bill

01 Jul 06:00 AM
Watch: The moment a young family loses new home in swollen raging river

Watch: The moment a young family loses new home in swollen raging river

01 Jul 06:00 AM
How two child sex abuse survivors brought 'monster' to justice

How two child sex abuse survivors brought 'monster' to justice

01 Jul 05:06 AM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP