Bye bye Paula

Written By: - Date published: 11:36 am, June 29th, 2020 - 79 comments
Categories: national, paula bennett, politicans, same old national, uncategorized - Tags:

Paula Bennett has announced that she is standing down from politics and will not seek re-election on National’s list at this year’s election.

A month ago she was deputy leader and head of National’s campaign.

Now her career is no more.

Clearly the message has been given to her that she had no future.  And like Anne Tolley over the weekend she has announced her decision to move on and spend more time with her family.

She claims that she has improved people’s lives and livelihoods.  History would beg to disagree.

It was her attacks on ordinary people that really annoyed me about her.  She was steeped in dirty politics and used the power of the state to attack and embarrass individuals who stood up against her.

She had the nickname Paula Benefit which was hilarious given her disdain for those of us who have to from time to time rely on state support.

She also claimed to be a westie and thought that the wearing of fake leopard skin was a qualifying requirement.  Note to Paula, compassion and being down to earth and caring for the environment are much more important characteristics.

Later, Paula.

79 comments on “Bye bye Paula ”

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  1. bwaghorn 1
    29 June 2020 at 11:45 am

    Quite possibly the one and only great thing muller will do for this country is seeing booting this woman out of politics.

  2. te reo putake 2
    29 June 2020 at 11:45 am

    In some welcome news, one of National's most vicious, self serving and bullying MP's has announced she is not contesting the next election.

    Paula Bennett, or, as she's known by her Tory colleagues, Paula Benefit, took all the state could offer as a young and lefty solo mum, then whipped the ladder away from women in the same position when she rose to the role of Social development Minister under John Key.

    She'll probably best remembered for brutally bullying two beneficiaries in July 2009. Minister Bennett deliberately released the benefit details of two young women who had been critical of the Key Government's policy of abolishing the Training Initiative Allowance (TIA), an allowance Bennett herself had used to gain an education.

    In opposition, she helped lead National to historically low poll results as Deputy Leader under Simon Bridges, then got dumped.

    No surprise then that she would go.

    However, her claim that she is going to start a career in business is kinda odd. Like most of the National caucus, she has no significant experience in making money through hard work and enterprise.

    It'd be ironic if she ends up applying for a benefit.

    • RosieLee 2.1
      29 June 2020 at 11:50 am

      On the pension she'll have?

    • Ad 2.2
      29 June 2020 at 11:56 am

      +100

      My sentiments exactly.

    • mickysavage 2.3
      29 June 2020 at 11:57 am

      I see you and me had a race to put this post up TRP!

      Who could forget the terrorising of state home dwellers through bogus claims of methamphetamine contamination?

      Or the attacks on Te Puea Marae's Hurimoana Dennis after he had the temerity to show up National by housing the homeless?

      Or many more examples …

      • Chris 2.3.1
        29 June 2020 at 12:44 pm

        Or her refusal to reverse individual debts many people are repaying, often in the tens of thousands of dollars each, because of a need for emergency housing, most of which were wrongfully established. She's a total piece of work.

      • te reo putake 2.3.2
        29 June 2020 at 2:33 pm

        Hi, ms. I guess we both had our mornings brightened when the glad tidings came through!

        I'm looking forward to a whole bunch more Tory MP's being moved on by the voters in a couple of months but that's gonna require a lot of door knocking and phone calls.

        TS readers can play their part:

        https://www.labour.org.nz/volunteer

        https://action.greens.org.nz/volunteer

    • roblogic 2.4
      29 June 2020 at 12:24 pm

      "It'd be ironic if she ends up applying for a benefit."

      And then wondering what arsehole cancelled the TIA

    • Morrissey 2.5
      29 June 2020 at 5:19 pm

      Two and a half years ago, Penny Ashton executed a brilliant takedown of Paula Bennett's hypocrisy, after Bennett had a rush of blood to the head and strayed off message following her bariatric surgery…

      PENNY ASHTON: Yeah. And I’d just like to say that I think, you know, Paula Bennett is brave coming out and saying this and talking about it, and I think that’s fantastic. Obviously I’m a very staunch Labour supporter but, you know, anybody that’s fat-shaming her over this and making jokes about it is terrible. Um, she did say, however, she made this comment: “People treat you differently when you’re overweight and when you’re seriously overweight from when you’re not. People have this perception of people who are overweight, that it’s all in their own hands, and they’re just greedy people and they can’t control how they eat.” My husband made a little alteration to it and put it on Facebook, that said: “People, I think people have this perception of people who are POOR, — [orchestral music swells up from this point]—- and that it’s all in their own hands and that they’re just lazy people and they can’t control how they spend.” So I’m just putting that out there for a little alternative to her thing on her Ministry portfolio.

      https://morrisseybreen.blogspot.com/2018/11/stony-silence-from-jim-mora-as-penny.html

  3. weka 3
    29 June 2020 at 11:51 am

    Excellent news.

    There's some kind of symmetry to this announcement coming at the same time as the Greens release the most progressive social security policy we've seen in my lifetime. Let this be sign of better things to come.

  4. Chris 4
    29 June 2020 at 11:53 am

    If she had the foresight to understand Muller's leadership is temporary she may've stayed on. I'd prefer her to stay. There're plenty of potential numpty leaders who'd give her a high position. Heck, they may have even made her leader, which isn't that far-fetched given the depth of her party’s MPs. She may have even been more valuable as leader than Bridges, and that's extremely valuable.

  5. roblogic 5
    29 June 2020 at 11:57 am

    Good riddance to the main player in the meth testing scam that evicted hundreds of vulnerable HNZ tenants on false pretences, leaving tons of houses empty in the middle of a homeless crisis

  6. Grant Insley 6
    29 June 2020 at 12:09 pm

    Another rooster becomes a feather duster?

  7. mac1 7
    29 June 2020 at 12:14 pm

    How do you tell the difference between an anchor and a resigning National MP? When you throw them overboard, the anchor sinks and the MP ends up clinging onto some business board.

  8. Byd0nz 8
    29 June 2020 at 12:15 pm

    Glad to see the back of her,
    What a lovely gift,
    This can only deepen more,
    The Nat's supporters rift.
    Bring on September,
    Winston and Paula, bye bye,
    How good to think Mike Hoskingites,
    Will hold their heads and cry.
    How grand it will be,
    Getting rid of the rot and Covid too,
    The future looks more bright,
    Red being the colour with fuck-all blue.

  9. UncookedSelachimorpha 9
    29 June 2020 at 12:19 pm

    Good riddance to nasty.

    My bet is she will prove to be of limited use in an actual business. No sign of actual skill or talent in that one.

    • Anne 9.1
      29 June 2020 at 3:25 pm

      Well, she could always start up a second-hand boutique shop with all the clothes she acquired over the years. Never saw her in the same outfit twice. We could take it in turns to swan in and try them on. The TS men could pretend to be cross-dressers and report her reactions. 😮

  10. silvertuatara 10
    29 June 2020 at 12:24 pm

    I hope that Paula becomes involved in a career that is product centric focused as opposed to being person centric focused……surely their is some company out their which sells widgets or thingy-ma-bobs which the sale of, or lack there of, will have no adverse consequences to the general population base of NZ, and she and her pending business mates can make an ethical dollar on, at nobody else's expense.

    [Fixed error in e-mail address]

  11. Muttonbird 11
    29 June 2020 at 12:36 pm

    Sweetie zips it.

  12. roblogic 12
    29 June 2020 at 12:54 pm

    Insightful from @sarahhbickerton:

    Regardless of your feelings regarding Bennett, this is huge news, and doesn’t bode well for National, as it speaks to the fractures in the party currently. Also, even at her low demoted position, she was the highest ranked Māori MP in National.

  13. Incognito 13
    29 June 2020 at 1:17 pm

    A leopard doesn’t change her spots but she sure can run fast when the rats stormed and took over the sinking ship.

  14. francesca 14
    29 June 2020 at 1:19 pm

    I hope Bennett considers a tell all memoir of her time in parliament

    • Incognito 14.1
      29 June 2020 at 1:28 pm

      The Specials bin at the Warehouse will soon be overflowing with all those memoirs and other brain farts by National MPs.

    • Anne 14.2
      29 June 2020 at 3:30 pm

      God, not another one. We've just had one of those from JC.

      Mind you, fun to be had airing all the dirty laundry.

      • francesca 14.2.1
        29 June 2020 at 3:51 pm

        The only fun, but theres been a few gems from the JC one .Indicative of how the party’s run
        Lets face it, most of the books written by flash in the pan celebrities are stocking fillers

    • Stuart Munro 14.3
      29 June 2020 at 3:43 pm

      51 Shadz of Leppidskin, Sweetie.

      Daren’t read it.

    • tc 14.4
      29 June 2020 at 4:05 pm

      It'd be full of gem's like;

      Big night out, hangover not helping as Bill had marked my home work with a 'see me' again.

    • Gabby 14.5
      29 June 2020 at 5:35 pm

      I suspect she'd sue anyone who told all.

  15. OnceWasTim 15
    29 June 2020 at 1:29 pm

    She wants the challenge of a new career. No doubt Harcourts Real Estate are competing with the Caci Clunuk for her buzzniss ekyamun and as an example of how you too can pull yasef up by the bootstraps and make something of yasef.

    Ploise, Paula, close the door on your way out. In many ways ear Paula is worse then the Crusher.

    Just one question: who's gunna write your loif story? There'll be story tellers from the Granny the Herald, to documentary makers from arsehole to breakfast, to advertising igzekatuvs lining up for a piece of the ekshun. Be woise though Paula: unless ya wanna come across as real tacky, seek advice from the Anne Tolley Finishing School for Ladies before you fall for any of it, and make sure you stay in polite company at all toimes.

    • AB 15.1
      29 June 2020 at 1:38 pm

      " buzzniss ekyamun"

      Ouch!. A dead cliche mispronounced – like a dagger in the eye.

    • Incognito 15.2
      29 June 2020 at 1:44 pm

      I’ll make an unkind comment: Bennett was good at getting up people’s noses so maybe she could help out at the borders.

      • OnceWasTim 15.2.1
        29 June 2020 at 2:02 pm

        I'm afraid I've disobeyed my dear ole mum who once said if you can't say something kind, don't say anything.

        I have no problem saying unkind things to people who are unkind to others – especially when their motivation is about themselves (often dressed up as 'personal responsibility). Fuk 'em! Goose and Gander sauces and drizzles of Olive Oil.

        And although Paula is a bit 'coy' about her future when confronting media clamouring for a response, there'll be a heap of tunities for her to continue along the route of doing something personally challenging and inspiring that she'll be equally proud of in future. Promoting Bryan and Hannah and little Jevon might be one of them, or even as a spokesperson for the petrochemical industry specialising in plastics.

      • ianmac 15.2.2
        29 June 2020 at 3:31 pm

        Up their noses indeed though PB would probably use barbed wire.

  16. ianmac 16
    29 June 2020 at 1:35 pm

    Yeah good riddance! Anyone got the total of Nats abandoning Ship?

    • mac1 16.1
      29 June 2020 at 1:48 pm

      15 announced since 2017 as far as I can see, one resiled; 55 National MPs so 25% turnover in three years…. so far!

      Sarah Dowie, David Carter; Ann Tolley, Paula Bennett, Nicky Wagner, Amy Adams (but resiled);Alastair Scott; Maggie Barry; Jonathan Coleman; Steven Joyce; Bill English; Chris Finlayson; Jami-Lee Ross; Nuk Korako; and Nathan Guy.

  17. taxicab 17
    29 June 2020 at 1:39 pm

    This is more likely a demand from Winston that Bennett along with Tolley walk the plank so NZ first can at least discuss a coalition with National , he's as thin skinned as Trump when it comes to retribution and National doesn't stand a chance without NZ first .

    • roblogic 17.1
      29 June 2020 at 5:24 pm

      Good conspiracy theory. Another is that the Nats are trying to clear out the dead wood before their impending election defeat makes it look even worse.

  18. ScottGN 18
    29 June 2020 at 2:12 pm

    It’s going to take forever to get through the Nats valedictorys before parliament rises for the election.

  19. mary_a 19
    29 June 2020 at 2:51 pm

    From what I know of Paula Bennett's adult life, with perhaps one maybe two exceptions, she has been a state dependent right up until the present time! So can't see her making too much of an effort in the private world of business!

    Good riddance to PB, a rotten, vile piece of work if ever there was!

  20. Robert Guyton 20
    29 June 2020 at 2:56 pm

    Todd Muller "singled out her work on the Paris climate change agreement as Climate Change Minister" … as a particularly noteworthy achievement.

    Ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffs!

  21. RedBaronCV 21
    29 June 2020 at 3:11 pm

    Made my day.. Now how to "persuade" Judith Collins to do the same

    Frankly I wouldn't touch any business Paula was involved in with a barge pole.

    But the nats seem to have 5 women out of 15 retirements. How pale male stale is the next potential nat caucus going to look?

  22. Enough is Enough 22
    29 June 2020 at 3:17 pm

    Thank you Paula

    I never agreed with your politics or much that ever came out of your mouth. But I'm one who believes everyone in Parliament deserves a certain degree of thanks.

    • Anne 22.1
      29 June 2020 at 3:39 pm

      Hey E is E. it’s just a bit of fun.

      From me to the participants: thanks for the chuckles – especially Incognito @ 15.2

    • tc 22.2
      29 June 2020 at 4:09 pm

      It also deserves to be respected, she failed it on that count many times over.
      She’ll trouser the pension and sinecures to ensure it stays zipped sweetie.

  23. Nick 23
    29 June 2020 at 3:41 pm

    [deleted] off [deleted]

    [Succinct but please tone down your language because it is crossing the line of acceptable, thanks – Incognito]

  24. Dean Reynolds 24
    29 June 2020 at 3:49 pm

    Thank god that vile creature is buggering off – what a trougher!

  25. McFlock 25
    29 June 2020 at 3:53 pm

    The end of another error.

    • Halfcrown 25.1
      29 June 2020 at 6:39 pm

      Ha ha. I like it. Just brilliant. I always like reading your posts McFlock, but that one is a classic.

  26. Cinny 26
    29 June 2020 at 4:24 pm

    News worth celebrating 🙂

    Last time I checked at least a third of current nat MP's aren't seeking re-election.

    It must be getting close to half now.

    I'd like the media to start asking national questions about why so many of their MP's are leaving. Because the 'family reasons' line is wearing a bit thin.

    • Patricia Bremner 26.1
      29 June 2020 at 5:15 pm

      Musical chairs anyone? or Pass the Parcel.

    • Drowsy M. Kram 26.2
      29 June 2020 at 6:00 pm

      Nat MPs know their new captain is still steering towards a general election 'iceberg'. That sinking feeling and a shortage of 'list seat lifeboats' is causing some 'recalculations'.

  27. NZJester 27
    29 June 2020 at 4:58 pm

    "She had the nickname Paula Benefit"

    Her nickname among people I know was "Pullya Benefit" for her habit of doing everything she could to get benefits canceled.

  28. gsays 28
    29 June 2020 at 6:00 pm

    Something about doors not hitting an arse on the way out.

  29. Ken 29
    29 June 2020 at 7:13 pm

    Well I'm torn…..

    On one hand, I'm very happy to see the back of her.

    On the other, I was keen to see how many votes someone as toxic as Paula would have lost National come September.

  30. Just Is 30
    29 June 2020 at 10:17 pm

    Interesting really, Nats have fallen over themselves attempting to achieve a Labour scalp (Clark) in collusion with the msm yet the success alone of the Coalition Govt has seen 15 Nat MPs resign/retire.

    The Coalition, the quiet achievers, working for NZers to rid the country of undesirables.

  31. Ed1 31
    29 June 2020 at 10:55 pm

    Newsroom at least appears to have some balance in its reporting:

    https://www.newsroom.co.nz/1278081/anne-salmond-on-clickbait

    https://www.newsroom.co.nz/1281130/judith-joylessly

    https://www.newsroom.co.nz/1255825/in-the-absence-of-calm

    And I saw somewhere that we are up to 61 days without community transmission!

    • Paddington 31.1
      30 June 2020 at 6:54 pm

      Newsroom is one of the very few sources actually doing quality journalism. Perhaps the only source.

  32. Craig H 32
    30 June 2020 at 12:41 am

    The National Party and Paula Bennett have come to terms of agreement for her release. Best wishes in her future endeavours…

  33. mosa 33
    30 June 2020 at 10:13 am

    Well this a non event. Whats next.

  34. Treetop 34
    30 June 2020 at 10:24 pm

    First time I have agreed 100% with anything that Bennett has said.

  35. millsy 35
    30 June 2020 at 10:34 pm

    She was a nasty piece of work.

    Though we haven't seen the last of her. The non profit-industrial complex and various iwi trusts and organisations that get fat from government contracts await. That other Westie pariah, JT might give her a job in his empire.

    Dont let the door hit you on the way out, sweetie.