Contest opens for New Zealand deputy prime minister post

Two senior cabinet ministers put themselves forward Wednesday to be New Zealand's next deputy prime minister, as the government scrambles to fill the holes left by Prime Minister John Key's shock resignation.

Associate Finance Minister and Climate Change Issues Minister Paula Bennet and Transport Minister Simon Bridges will compete for the deputy leadership, which will be decided by the ruling center-right National Party Parliamentary caucus on Dec. 12.

Bennet and Bridges ranked fifth and ninth respectively in the current cabinet both endorsed current Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bill English for the prime minister's post to be decided the same day.

Bennett told Radio New Zealand she had worked with English for many years, had great respect for him and would vote for him as leader.

Bridges said in the report that he was confident English would win the leadership contest and would become prime minister.

English, who was endorsed by Key in his resignation announcement Monday, will contest the leadership with Health Minister Jonathan Coleman and Judith Collins, who holds the Police and Corrections portfolios.

Other members of the National Party caucus could yet put their names forward for the two leadership positions.

Key shocked the nation and his cabinet colleagues with his surprise announcement that he was relinquishing the leadership after eight years in power. Endit