Collins sets herself a sacking point of 35% in the polls

National Party leadership contender Judith Collins has set herself a performance threshold of 35 per cent in the polls if she wins the leadership.

And she has also promised a review of all National’s policies, including questioning one of its key promises of 2017: tax cuts.

National is still polling at about 44.5 per cent and a new leader’s job will be trying to hold that.

She said Labour had shown what the tipping point was before a leader ran into trouble. “Once things start getting under 35 per cent people start saying ‘can we win?’ And I know I am

He said he had strong support but it would be very competitive “and I’ll be working very hard to give colleagues my pitch and hear from them what they want and need”. Bridges said he offered the right blend of generational change, but also experience. putting a mark up there which at some stage in the future, if I am successful this time, that people will say ‘well, you set that mark’. “Yep, let me set that mark.” Collins said she did not necessarily believe tax cuts were a priority.

National had campaigned on its Family Incomes Package which included tax cuts from mid-2018 and signalled a further round in 2020.

“I think people want some very sensible expenditure — but better than that, outcomes in some of the areas they are missing out on.”

While her rivals Amy Adams and

“I’m 41. I have a young family. But I’ve held a raft of senior portfolios from energy, labour, transport and economic development, to communications and others besides. All of that gives me the experience, the acumen and the drive to do this job very well.” Simon Bridges declined to talk about policies or the direction National should go, Collins signalled she would review many of its policies. “I think it’s always good to review all policies when you become the leader.”

She said caucus unity under any new leader would depend on polling.

“If you can deliver in the polls, then you can deliver for that . . . caucus.”

Collins also believes she would be able to do better than Bill English would have done in 2020. He had good attributes and she did not want to denigrate his legacy. “But . . . I know how tough it is.”

Three other MPs are considering running: former Finance Minister Steven Joyce, former Health Minister Jonathan Coleman, and former Defence Minister Mark Mitchell.

Nats up for leadership dance A25 English can take a bow A36