Senior National Minister Judith Collins has announced her retirement from politics.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today confirmed that Collins, a King's Counsel, has been appointed President of the New Zealand Law Commission.
Collins would remain an MP and continue to hold her portfolios until she moves to her new job in the middle of this year, the Prime Minister's Office said.
First elected in 2002, Collins is the current longest continuously serving female MP, one of the most experienced politicians in the government and has a reputation for toughness.
Speaking to reporters today, Collins reflected on the eight elections she had been through.
"I am the mother of the House - I can say that's quite aging," she joked.
"... I've done my dash. It's time for someone else to step in and take over some of these roles and have an opportunity."
She said it had been a privilege to serve Papakura and New Zealand.
"The highs have been high, the lows have been very low, and through it all I have been able to do what I do because of the unwavering support of my husband David and my son James."
She preceded Luxon as National leader, taking the party to a resounding defeat in the 2020 election, which led to Labour taking enough seats to govern alone for the first time in MMP history.
The campaign was marked by accusations of racist separatism around the He Puapua report and increasing accusations of announcing policy on the hoof.
During an election debate with Labour's Dame Jacinda Ardern, she was asked by Aorere College head girl Aigagalefili Fepulea'i Tapua'i about students having to quit school and find employment to support their families, and began with "My husband is Samoan so, talofa".
She was replaced in November 2021 after suddenly demoting rival Simon Bridges in a late-night statement, accusing him of serious misconduct.
As Defence Minister this term, she has led a huge increase in spending and bolstered the Defence Force's equipment and property - and has fronted the handling of the Manawanui sinking off Samoa in October 2024.
She has also been minister for spy agencies the Government Communications Security Bureau and NZ Security Intelligence Service, the public service and digitising government, and in her former role as Science, Innovation and Technology Minister led large-scale reforms to the sector.
Collins is no stranger to controversy. In 2014, in Sir John Key's government, she was on her "final warning" after endorsing Oravida milk, which her husband is a director of.
She received her second final warning when her involvement in the Dirty Politics saga was revealed, and resigned her portfolios later in 2014 after accusations she undermined the head of the Serious Fraud Office as Police Minister, but returned to Cabinet in 2015.
"Yes, what a load of rubbish that was," she told reporters today. "Well, it was, and I was exonerated in the Chisholm inquiry".
She said she had acted ethically at that time, but was not in a position to say much then: "You know the rule, you never ever, ever disagree with the Prime Minister".
"That was actually a really hard time," she recalled.
"But my friends stuck with me and my electorate stuck with me. You don't get to be resilient if you don't have some scars on your back."
After claiming no prisoners had escaped while she was Corrections Minister - soon corrected to 20 escapees - she explained the quote away as a joke, saying people could tell she was joking when her eyebrows went up and urging reporters questioning her to "bone up on your comedy skills".
