July 14, 2026 • 9 mins
Paul Henry's promising his desire to instigate change is genuine, and he won't be wasting any time if he makes it into Parliament.
The former broadcaster's running as a list MP for the ACT party this election and has expressed his desire to become a minister.
Henry told Mike Hosking he knows the work is hard, and not always fun.
The 65-year-old says maybe he should have thought more about it, but he has considered the commitment overall.
Paul Henry says he'd like to give at least six years to his political career.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Very good day for actors. The Paul Henry announcement dominated
the news in the middle of a quiet cycle of
school holidays. He joins the doesn't have to but wants
to brigade in trying to drag this country by its bootstraps,
kicking and screaming back to a place of some real pride,
and Paul Henry's with It's good to see you. How
are you, Mike, I'm extremely well. I did ask before
the news whether we should be interviewing you, because I
(00:22):
didn't interview Tane Randall, I didn't interview Michael Laws. You're
just another celebrity on the train to Wellington, so why
am I interviewing you.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Well, for start, I won't be taking a train. I
don't think either of us are trained people. Are we?
I think because you appreciate that I am genuine, that
I really want to make a difference, and also you
appreciate how important it is that a difference has made.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Here are the concerns I have for you, having known
you for many, many years. Converting yourself into a public representative,
it's a different thing. Being entertaining and witty is one thing,
but being paid for by the public is different, and
they'll come for you.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
I've shaken three hands today I wouldn't normally have shaken.
You know, it changes you, You know it changes, and I've
changed already. This is my first full day as a
candidate for ACT. I mean, perhaps that's a bit of
a concern for me too, is it? Well, well it
should be. We are loners, aren't we. When I say
we you're moving.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
Well, don't drag me. I know it's comfortably, you know,
to me. To be fair to us, I said I
couldn't do. What I admire about what you've done is
I couldn't do it, and you and I are in
similar positions. We don't have to be here. We do
it for the love of it or whatever the thing is.
So so you you have gone a step further than
I could ever do, because one, I'm not interested in
(01:43):
Wellington and the crap that comes with it. The crep
to fund ratio is wildly one side.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Way out about it.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
You're you're aware of all of this, I'm assume.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
But yeah, but I haven't thought too much about it.
Maybe I should have thought more about it. I mean,
I have thought about the phenomenal comment of years of
life because when you get to our age and we're
ballpark the same age. You know, you do look at
your own expediency. You know, you do look at mortality.
And if I'm looking at this, I'm looking at six years,
you know, looking forward, I've got to be prepared. If
(02:18):
this goes well and I'm intended to, I've got to
be prepared to give up six years. Right.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
So what do you think you can do tangibly?
Speaker 2 (02:26):
I think with ACT I can tangibly affect change. I
think with ACT it is the only party that I
think can genuinely steer this country in the right direction.
By right direction, I mean create policies that inspire growth
of our economy, because our economy is perilously small, cut,
(02:47):
wasteful government spending in so many different ways, and hopefully
create an environment where by New Zealanders, I mean your
introduction was spot on. When New Zealanders aren't angsting, they're
not so suspicious of everything all the time. I mean
the thing that holds New Zealand back. Because both of
us travel a lot, we can both see New Zealand
with a bit of perspective from offshore. What a brilliant
(03:09):
country with extraordinary resources and potential it is, so why
is it not being realized? Do you reckon?
Speaker 1 (03:14):
You have to get to an agent stage to understand that.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
I think to a degree, I think that certainly helps.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
It's interesting, isn't it. Why not national? Because here's you're
on the problem. I know, why not national? But the
bigger party gives you the opportunity potentially to affect more change.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Well it should. The reason it doesn't is that they
are paralyzed with the fear that they will offside a
voter who may one day vote for them. They can't
accept that. Actually, you need to get empower and you
need to take that advantage to actually affect change, to
actually improve the country for the long term. I mean,
both of us think about our children and grandchildren. Do
(03:50):
you have grandchildren?
Speaker 1 (03:51):
No, it's because I'm younger than you.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Paul, perilously it's perilously small difference. But you will have
grandchildren for some reason, because you know you can protect
your children. You do think a little bit more about grandchildren.
And I seriously looked at the twins so two year
old birthday about a week ago, and I seriously looked
at them and I thought, you know, just the backdrop
to your upbringing. The country that you're being brought up
(04:15):
in is not championing your success. It is not providing
you with a platform on which you can easily succeed
and then congratulating you for success and the hope that
that will breed success in others.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
It's very true. Part of the problem I have with
act at the moment, and the reason I think they're
stuck a bit in the polls is that what they
do is indisputably effective, but it's in a niche area
that the wider world isn't interested in, a political environment
in which headlines grab the attention and potentially the botes.
You know what I mean? Seymour will tell you a well,
(04:47):
look I fixed regulation and people go who.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Key is as soon as you say regulation, audience is
just exactly you know what I'm saying?
Speaker 1 (04:55):
Is that acts problem?
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Do you think I think there is a perception problem?
I think Actors working very very hard in this coalition
and has achieved a huge amount, but they may be
spent a little bit more time working than actually crowing
about what they've achieved. And also I would agree with
you that a lot of the very important things that
they've achieved that have at least nudget us in the
(05:16):
right direction and convinced national they should actually do something.
I think they are things that perhaps are not uppermost
in people's minds.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
What's your rules of engagement with with Seymour and co?
And the party in general? Because you will do something
moderately insane, possibly idiotic.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
I don't know that they've thought that through.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Rome. So do you have a plan or do they
have a plan or planned? See how that goes.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Let's see how it goes. Do you think this is
everyone's along for this ride?
Speaker 1 (05:45):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (05:46):
But what I can tell you is like this is
this is my first full day as a candidate. I
am not fully o fay with every single policy ACT
has now has ever had. What I've brought into is
the philosophy. And the thing that I love about ACT
is that they have a very true philosophy that they
are rock solid and consistent with and have always been.
(06:09):
You know, I there is no divergence between my philosophy
and their philosophy politically, do you.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
Know the other players in the ACT party?
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Not really? No?
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Does that matter?
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Well, David, I know very well well of.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
Course, But I mean, do you know Karen Chldren, No,
does that matter? What do you think they'll make of you?
Speaker 2 (06:27):
I don't think well, I think they'll appreciate me.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
Is the now they won't to see the politics. The
politics of it is that you know you're walking into
a sniper's nest in Wellington, aren't you.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Well, but I just saw Chloe just a few moments ago.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
And she's nice to your face. She's welcome, nice to
she's nice to your face, welcome to.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
The circus team.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
Exactly what about your relationship with the media. Is the
media a problem.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
No more with me than they would be with In fact,
probably less with me than with other people, because I
do understand the media, and I.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Think they'll turn possibly possibly, I.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Mean, you know, I would hope not, because I am
beyond reproach. And the reason I am both of us
are now smiling. The reason I am beyond reproach is
that I'm doing it for all the right reasons. You know,
I know that I'm doing it for all the right reasons.
So if you want to have a go at me,
if you want to criticize me, you're criticizing all the
right reasons for me to be.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Doing And so in that see, I like people who
do it that don't have to joyce as a very
good example.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Yes, he did well.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
Luckson's another example you would argue not doing as well
as perhaps not doing as well.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
I think Luckson's a great guy. I think as a
person really like, really like him, he hasn't resonated as
much as he should. I mean the numbers that National
are on. I mean it's their first term. This is
totally unacceptable. The numbers.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
Well you say that, but I've got a thirty, ten
and ten thing. So in other words, to get to
the government, you need about fifty percent. So you guys
will be on ten thereabouts, Peters will be on about ten.
Nationals on thirty the numbers to them. So instead of
freaking out about National and thirty, that's probably in an
MMP environment where they should be because thirty, ten and
teen equals fifty.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
What I would not like to see is a really
strong New Zealand first in the coalition. You know, we
need some consistency, we need we really need to drive
home a change in direction. We've got to start, We've
got to start paying off debt. If this is a
vital Now every election is vital, but some are more
(08:28):
vital than others. We really cannot sustain this country, Our
economy cannot sustain another left leaning government because we know
it will be a tax government, it will be a
borrow government, it will be a separatist government, and we're
in shitter's ditch at the moment financially good.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
Always good to see you, great to see well.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
You say that we hardly ever see each other.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
No, we don't see each other, but I enjoy it well.
I think it's a quality over quantity experience. Anyway, Good
luck with it.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to
News Talk Said from six am weekdays, or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio.
Very good day for actors. The Paul Henry announcement dominated
the news in the middle of a quiet cycle of
school holidays. He joins the doesn't have to but wants
to brigade in trying to drag this country by its bootstraps,
kicking and screaming back to a place of some real pride,
and Paul Henry's with It's good to see you. How
are you, Mike, I'm extremely well. I did ask before
the news whether we should be interviewing you, because I
(00:22):
didn't interview Tane Randall, I didn't interview Michael Laws. You're
just another celebrity on the train to Wellington, so why
am I interviewing you.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Well, for start, I won't be taking a train. I
don't think either of us are trained people. Are we?
I think because you appreciate that I am genuine, that
I really want to make a difference, and also you
appreciate how important it is that a difference has made.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
Here are the concerns I have for you, having known
you for many, many years. Converting yourself into a public representative,
it's a different thing. Being entertaining and witty is one thing,
but being paid for by the public is different, and
they'll come for you.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
I've shaken three hands today I wouldn't normally have shaken.
You know, it changes you, You know it changes, and I've
changed already. This is my first full day as a
candidate for ACT. I mean, perhaps that's a bit of
a concern for me too, is it? Well, well it
should be. We are loners, aren't we. When I say
we you're moving.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
Well, don't drag me. I know it's comfortably, you know,
to me. To be fair to us, I said I
couldn't do. What I admire about what you've done is
I couldn't do it, and you and I are in
similar positions. We don't have to be here. We do
it for the love of it or whatever the thing is.
So so you you have gone a step further than
I could ever do, because one, I'm not interested in
(01:43):
Wellington and the crap that comes with it. The crep
to fund ratio is wildly one side.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Way out about it.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
You're you're aware of all of this, I'm assume.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
But yeah, but I haven't thought too much about it.
Maybe I should have thought more about it. I mean,
I have thought about the phenomenal comment of years of
life because when you get to our age and we're
ballpark the same age. You know, you do look at
your own expediency. You know, you do look at mortality.
And if I'm looking at this, I'm looking at six years,
you know, looking forward, I've got to be prepared. If
(02:18):
this goes well and I'm intended to, I've got to
be prepared to give up six years. Right.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
So what do you think you can do tangibly?
Speaker 2 (02:26):
I think with ACT I can tangibly affect change. I
think with ACT it is the only party that I
think can genuinely steer this country in the right direction.
By right direction, I mean create policies that inspire growth
of our economy, because our economy is perilously small, cut,
(02:47):
wasteful government spending in so many different ways, and hopefully
create an environment where by New Zealanders, I mean your
introduction was spot on. When New Zealanders aren't angsting, they're
not so suspicious of everything all the time. I mean
the thing that holds New Zealand back. Because both of
us travel a lot, we can both see New Zealand
with a bit of perspective from offshore. What a brilliant
(03:09):
country with extraordinary resources and potential it is, so why
is it not being realized? Do you reckon?
Speaker 1 (03:14):
You have to get to an agent stage to understand that.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
I think to a degree, I think that certainly helps.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
It's interesting, isn't it. Why not national? Because here's you're
on the problem. I know, why not national? But the
bigger party gives you the opportunity potentially to affect more change.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Well it should. The reason it doesn't is that they
are paralyzed with the fear that they will offside a
voter who may one day vote for them. They can't
accept that. Actually, you need to get empower and you
need to take that advantage to actually affect change, to
actually improve the country for the long term. I mean,
both of us think about our children and grandchildren. Do
(03:50):
you have grandchildren?
Speaker 1 (03:51):
No, it's because I'm younger than you.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Paul, perilously it's perilously small difference. But you will have
grandchildren for some reason, because you know you can protect
your children. You do think a little bit more about grandchildren.
And I seriously looked at the twins so two year
old birthday about a week ago, and I seriously looked
at them and I thought, you know, just the backdrop
to your upbringing. The country that you're being brought up
(04:15):
in is not championing your success. It is not providing
you with a platform on which you can easily succeed
and then congratulating you for success and the hope that
that will breed success in others.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
It's very true. Part of the problem I have with
act at the moment, and the reason I think they're
stuck a bit in the polls is that what they
do is indisputably effective, but it's in a niche area
that the wider world isn't interested in, a political environment
in which headlines grab the attention and potentially the botes.
You know what I mean? Seymour will tell you a well,
(04:47):
look I fixed regulation and people go who.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Key is as soon as you say regulation, audience is
just exactly you know what I'm saying?
Speaker 1 (04:55):
Is that acts problem?
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Do you think I think there is a perception problem?
I think Actors working very very hard in this coalition
and has achieved a huge amount, but they may be
spent a little bit more time working than actually crowing
about what they've achieved. And also I would agree with
you that a lot of the very important things that
they've achieved that have at least nudget us in the
(05:16):
right direction and convinced national they should actually do something.
I think they are things that perhaps are not uppermost
in people's minds.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
What's your rules of engagement with with Seymour and co?
And the party in general? Because you will do something
moderately insane, possibly idiotic.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
I don't know that they've thought that through.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Rome. So do you have a plan or do they
have a plan or planned? See how that goes.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Let's see how it goes. Do you think this is
everyone's along for this ride?
Speaker 1 (05:45):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (05:46):
But what I can tell you is like this is
this is my first full day as a candidate. I
am not fully o fay with every single policy ACT
has now has ever had. What I've brought into is
the philosophy. And the thing that I love about ACT
is that they have a very true philosophy that they
are rock solid and consistent with and have always been.
(06:09):
You know, I there is no divergence between my philosophy
and their philosophy politically, do you.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
Know the other players in the ACT party?
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Not really? No?
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Does that matter?
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Well, David, I know very well well of.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
Course, But I mean, do you know Karen Chldren, No,
does that matter? What do you think they'll make of you?
Speaker 2 (06:27):
I don't think well, I think they'll appreciate me.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
Is the now they won't to see the politics. The
politics of it is that you know you're walking into
a sniper's nest in Wellington, aren't you.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Well, but I just saw Chloe just a few moments ago.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
And she's nice to your face. She's welcome, nice to
she's nice to your face, welcome to.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
The circus team.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
Exactly what about your relationship with the media. Is the
media a problem.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
No more with me than they would be with In fact,
probably less with me than with other people, because I
do understand the media, and I.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Think they'll turn possibly possibly, I.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Mean, you know, I would hope not, because I am
beyond reproach. And the reason I am both of us
are now smiling. The reason I am beyond reproach is
that I'm doing it for all the right reasons. You know,
I know that I'm doing it for all the right reasons.
So if you want to have a go at me,
if you want to criticize me, you're criticizing all the
right reasons for me to be.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Doing And so in that see, I like people who
do it that don't have to joyce as a very
good example.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Yes, he did well.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
Luckson's another example you would argue not doing as well
as perhaps not doing as well.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
I think Luckson's a great guy. I think as a
person really like, really like him, he hasn't resonated as
much as he should. I mean the numbers that National
are on. I mean it's their first term. This is
totally unacceptable. The numbers.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
Well you say that, but I've got a thirty, ten
and ten thing. So in other words, to get to
the government, you need about fifty percent. So you guys
will be on ten thereabouts, Peters will be on about ten.
Nationals on thirty the numbers to them. So instead of
freaking out about National and thirty, that's probably in an
MMP environment where they should be because thirty, ten and
teen equals fifty.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
What I would not like to see is a really
strong New Zealand first in the coalition. You know, we
need some consistency, we need we really need to drive
home a change in direction. We've got to start, We've
got to start paying off debt. If this is a
vital Now every election is vital, but some are more
(08:28):
vital than others. We really cannot sustain this country, Our
economy cannot sustain another left leaning government because we know
it will be a tax government, it will be a
borrow government, it will be a separatist government, and we're
in shitter's ditch at the moment financially good.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
Always good to see you, great to see well.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
You say that we hardly ever see each other.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
No, we don't see each other, but I enjoy it well.
I think it's a quality over quantity experience. Anyway, Good
luck with it.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to
News Talk Said from six am weekdays, or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio.
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