Ohariu

Whale has blogged:

Hooton identifies that Joyce may have pushed close friend (and former Key deputy Chief of Staff) out into the real world so that he can seem like a man of the people… and can challenge Shanks (and perhaps Hekia) for the Ohariu seat.  

There is always speculation when a senior and successful staff member leaves Parliament, but it is totally astray in this case.

Phil DJ has done ten years in Parliament, and that is much longer than most. I did eight years in Parliament and that felt a lifetime. There are few work environments where leaving at 9 pm is regarded as going home early. Phil went in as a backbench MP’s secretary and ended up Deputy Chief of Staff, which speaks volumes about his ability.

Phil has absolutely no ambitions or intentions for Ohariu, or any other Wellington seat. He is very focused on his future corporate career – plus of course anything which involves guns, boats or aircraft 🙂