In With The Bold

As audacious in her style choices as in her political career, National deputy leader Paula Bennett is loving her new look. She talks to NEXT about her eating regime, the importance of making mistakes, and how she thinks Jacinda is doing

- Phoebe Watt

Let’s just get straight to it – Paula Bennett looks incredible. Bursting through the doors of White Studios in central Auckland on the morning of our cover shoot, the first thing you notice is her size (tiny), and her energy (overflowing). The second thing you notice is the flash of hot pink peeking out of the garment bag she has slung over her shoulder. It’s a fuchsia pantsuit by Australian fashion designer Carla Zampatti, picked up at David Jones in Melbourne while on a shopping trip, which she and two female friends were awarded for winning the Women’s Marlin Fishing competition in Paihia in February 2018.

“We were out at sea for two days and in that time we hooked four, and landed two – including mine which was around 120kg,” says the keen fisher. Among the fellow competitors was celebrity cook Jo Seagar, “who did catch a marlin but we caught more, and sooner. So that’s been my claim to fame all year.”

Back to the pantsuit, which she purchased after being plied with champagne by the David Jones sales staff. Putting it on and parading it in the studio, she recounts how, high on bubbles and a shopping-induced surge of dopamine, she then promptly tripped over and broke her finger – the middle one, which she cheekily extends to show off the tape holding it straight.

“That’s probably not appropriate for a woman my age,” she says with a wink.

MP since 2008 for western Auckland electorates WaitaÌ„kere and, more recently, Upper Harbour, Taupo-born Paula, whose phone ringtone used to be AC/DC’s Thunderstruck, is ever the honorary Westie. As such, no one present is shocked by the middle-finger salute, nor by the magnetic pull a leopard-print Zara maxi dress has on her. Picking it off the rack of outfit options, she talks excitedly about another recent pantsuit purchase, this one from chain store, Forever New.