David Seymour: ACT Party leader on former broadcaster Paul Henry confirming he'll run for the party in the 2026 election

ACT leader David Seymour is welcoming former broadcaster Paul Henry's expression of interest in joining up with the party.

Henry revealed this morning he'll be running as a list candidate for ACT, with Seymour promising he'll be placed at an electable position. 

Henry stood for National in 1999, but is best known for hosting TVNZ's Breakfast in the mid-2000's.

Seymour says Henry is a 'serious and thoughtful' person outside of his public image, with genuine concerns about the country.

"We're thrilled to have him on board, both for his presence, his energy, his communication, his infectious enthusiasm, all of those things are awesome." 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talk zed B.
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Speaker 2 (00:16):
Former broadcaster Paul Henry has been confirmed as act's newest
candidate ahead of this year's election. ACT lead to David
Seymour announced the move this morning. Saint Henry would be
a valuable addition to the party and David Seymour joins
us now afternoon, Minister, Good afternoon.

Speaker 3 (00:32):
So Paul Henry made a well received speech at the
twenty twenty four ACT Change Makers rally. If I remember correctly,
is that how he became involved with the party, David.

Speaker 4 (00:42):
Well, there was a step before that. He wrote a
column before the twenty twenty three elections saying he was
voting for ACT, and that's when we thought it might
be an idea to invite him to the rally. But
I think it's fair to say as part of organizing
that and since then, I've got to know him just
a little bit. And the biggest thing I would say
that I've noticed that people might not expect is that

(01:05):
behind the bombastic, larger than life character, he's actually a
very serious and very thoughtful person who is very genuine
in his concern for the country, so we're thrilled to
have him on board both for his presence. His energy
is communication as infectious enthusiasm. All those things are awesome,
but also quite a deep thinker too.

Speaker 3 (01:29):
Now being an MP as a grind as you know.
Can you imagine a man who's now synonymous with Palm
Spring's reality TV living on a yacht. Is he going
to be able to knuckle down and do the reading
and the hard yards that it takes to be a
politician day in and day out.

Speaker 4 (01:46):
Well, you know, in half of the labor and Green
parties have got away without doing that, so maybe not
as important as you think. Look, seriously, the first thing
I said to him, because he said, I really want
to do this, and I said, mate, let me just
give you a reality check. A lot of it as
being in Wellington on a dark August to noon with

(02:09):
the wind howling outside, and you're stuck in a civic
committee listening to submission number four hundred and sixty two
on the X.

Speaker 2 (02:17):
Y Z bill really selling it.

Speaker 4 (02:20):
You might start to regret your life choices at that time.
It will be quite different from the lifestyle you used
to And he went away, and he thought about that,
and he said, no, I do understand that, and he
mentioned that in the media conference today. So yep, he's
accepted that and he's.

Speaker 1 (02:37):
Up for it.

Speaker 3 (02:38):
Yeah, he brings star power, there's no doubt about it.
But he also brings a bit of baggage, doesn't there
Are you concerned about the the BSA baggage that comes
along with Paul Henry.

Speaker 4 (02:48):
No, because if we started applying that sort of standard,
we'd have an incredibly boring parliament and we also lack
the ability to disagree and debate things, which is the
whole point of our politics. So, as he said today,
he was on another radio station. It doesn't matter which one,

(03:08):
but let's just say I'm glad I'm on this one.

Speaker 3 (03:11):
There's another one.

Speaker 4 (03:13):
Well you no, no, no, no, don't worry, I forget
I said it. And you know, he said, look, you know,
literally thousands of hours of broadcasting on TV on the
edge and occasionally you step over it. But you know,
at the end of the day, if we if we
start putting purity tests on everyone, we'll lose the will

(03:33):
to live.

Speaker 1 (03:34):
Well.

Speaker 3 (03:35):
He stood for the National Party in Wyre Rapper and
he lost to Labors. Georgina Buyers by three thousand votes.
I understand. I mean, obviously that was a wee while ago.
But is he a stronger candidate now, David, Well, it.

Speaker 4 (03:48):
Was literally last century, and I think a couple of things,
I mean a couple a couple of things have changed.
One when Paul got asked this question, he said, look,
you know I've changed. I mean he's sixty five now.
He must have been thirty eight then, so you're a
different person at sixty five from thirty eighties. He's learned
a lot along the along the way. And second of all,

(04:09):
New Zealand's changed. I don't think the alarm bells were
on a light on the dashboard like they are now now.
Our position in terms of debt and economic growth, our
future is much less secure than it felt in the
nineteen nineties, which were quite an a brilliant time for

(04:31):
New Zealand. Now I'm not one of those people that
says we've got to go back. I believe that when
we face challenges like today, we need to go forward.
We can't go back, but we do need to make
sure that we bring some of the vibrancy and the
hope that is required because this country has got huge potential,
but we lock it down with restrictions we put on ourselves,

(04:53):
stupid rules from talk poppy syndrome. All the things that
Paul Henry's here are built to blow up.

Speaker 2 (04:58):
Do you expect him to rack it up on the
campaign trail, David? Do you think he will be the
Paul Henry looseness or is this a more moderate pool
that we're looking at.

Speaker 4 (05:07):
I think you'll be weapon I think he'll be effective.
But as I said at the upset of this interview,
I think some people may underestimate him because they think
he's just a shop shock. He's not. He's actually quite
a serious and thoughtful guy beneath it all.

Speaker 3 (05:23):
And where are you putting him on the list?

Speaker 4 (05:25):
Well, that's up to the ACT Party board, but you
know I've discussed it with the board and he will
be put in a respectable and electable position, no question
about that.

Speaker 2 (05:36):
David. Really appreciate your time this afternoon. It certainly get
getting a lot of reaction on our TEXS machine, which
is a good thing. But appreciate your time and we'll
catch up again soon.

Speaker 4 (05:44):
Legend can't wait.

Speaker 2 (05:45):
That is ACT Party leader David Seymour.

Speaker 1 (05:48):
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