National caucus meets to digest crushing electoral defeat, Gerry Brownlee talks about future as deputy leader

National leader Judith Collins says today’s caucus meeting will review portfolios and update MPs on the party’s review of the election campaign defeat.

The content of the review and the reviewers are yet to be determined by the party board.

Deputy Leader Gerry Brownlee said it was a matter for a caucus to decide whether to remain deputy leader.

He said he wanted the best for the party. He declined to answer whether he thought he was the right person for the deputy position, but said he had done well in the position before.

Today is the second time that the National Party meets after its devastating electoral defeat, where it lost 20 deputies.

National Party Chairman Peter Goodfellow said the terms of reference for the election campaign review were being drafted this week.

The review would be more comprehensive and robust than the party’s usual campaign reviews, he said.

Collins on Allocating Parallel Portfolios

The hidden wallets would be decided after the new government announces their wallets, Collins said.

One of the considerations was sometimes to test parliamentarians in areas where they had no prior experience.

Collins said Labor might need the Greens in government to “blame them.”

The National leader said she has not considered what portfolios she would like, aside from national security, as she wanted to know what roles her deputies were interested in.

Much of last week’s caucus meeting was about firing those who lost their seats or said they would retire after the election.

But today’s meeting is likely to be much more progressive, as National appears to be the “strong opposition” that Collins promised.

Speaking to Newstalk ZB last week, Collins said he would sit down with each of his MPs for an “honest” discussion where they can privately voice any concerns.

It will also be an opportunity for them to lean towards the alternative portfolios they want.

After Todd Muller resigned from leadership in July, Collins said that she and deputy leader Gerry Brownlee received “the hospital pass from hell.”

She has previously talked about how she reluctantly became the leader of National after being asked by the caucus.

“They threw it at us [the leadership] and we ran with him as far and as fast as we could. “

The National caucus meeting comes as Labor and the Greens try to reach an agreement to form a government this week.

Labor, which won 64 of the 120 seats in the House, does not need the Greens to govern.

But the two sides are holding talks every day this week to find out how the Greens can fit into the Labor government.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed that those talks are likely to conclude on Friday.