The center-right New Zealand National Party, which governed the country between 2008 and 2017, elected 41-year-old Simon Bridges as its new leader on Tuesday, the party announced on Twitter.

Bridges is a former minister for transport and for economic development. </s> LIVE: Simon Bridges calls Government 'weak and experimental' in first address as National Party leader

The 56-member caucus met for a secret ballot to decide which of the five candidates would be elected as leader this morning. </s> Tauranga MP Simon Bridges (Ngāti Maniapoto) has been announced the new leader of the National Party.

Bridges is joined by Paula Bennett (Tainui), who remains in the role of Deputy Leader.

A total of 56 National MPs gathered this morning in a caucus meeting to cast their votes on the party leadership.

The five contenders included Bridges, Judith Collins, Steven Joyce, Mark Mitchell and Amy Adams.

Earlier today, Bridges told Te Kāea he was a “proud Māori” and if he was to be made the leader, he hoped it would inspire other Māori.

“I think it’s definitely a part of who I am. It’s a part of what makes me and I hope Māori New Zealanders see that and are excited about that. It shows them that actually they can achieve and they can do interesting things with their lives and there’s a lot of opportunity in this country.”

In the last National-led Government, Bridges held several ministerial portfolios including Labour, Energy, Transport, Communications, Economic Development and Leader of the House. </s> Mr Joyce was first elected as an MP in 2008. He's leaving after missing out on National's leadership race last month to Simon Bridges.

"I have had a wonderful time in this place over the last nearly ten years including nine years as a Minister, and have been privileged to be able to make a real contribution to the development of our country," Mr Joyce said in a statement released this afternoon.

"With the recent change of National Party leadership I have had the opportunity to consider again what I would like to do over the next several years."

Mr Joyce also revealed that he had been offered a senior role under the new leadership of Mr Bridges.

"Simon has made a very positive proposal to me to stay and contribute as a senior member of the team on the front bench with a choice of portfolio.

"However I feel that it is time for him to get a new team around him to take National forward and win in 2020 and then govern again for the benefit of all New Zealanders.

"I have offered to assist in any way I can from outside parliament and will remain a staunch supporter of the Party."

Mr Joyce said personal highlights of his political career were "setting up major infrastructure projects like ultrafast broadband, the major motorway and expressway projects now coming on stream, and the electrification of Auckland’s commuter rail network".

New National Party leader Simon Bridges was quick to thank Mr Joyce for his service to New Zealand and the National Party.

"He played a major role in rebuilding the National Party, leading the past five elections and helping turn National into New Zealand's largest and most popular political party.

"Steven is a huge loss to Parliament and to the National Party and I want to thank him for his immense contribution to New Zealand, and his wife Suzanne and their children for sharing them with us. We wish him all the best." </s> Live stream: Simon Bridges and every MP who contested National’s leadership quiz government during Question Time

In an interesting move, every single person who went for the National Party leadership will ask questions in the House today. </s> Questioning Simon Bridges' 'Maoriness' will 'backfire' and he's the 'right choice' to lead National Party, says political commentator

Bryce Edwards says while there would always be tension in a party between different politicians, Mr Bridges and deputy Paula Bennett "do get on". </s> After two ballot rounds, Ngati Maniapoto's Simon Bridges was elected as leader of the National Party and Tainui's Paula Bennett, who had one opponent contesting her position who Bridges would not name, was elected as deputy.

Bridges is the 12th leader of the party but is the first Māori to take the role. It will be the first time two Māori will be at National's helm leading the charge into the next election.

Bridges says "I'm really excited about the opportunity I've got ahead, I hope Māori are proud of me, that the National Party has elected its first Māori leader."

Bennett retains the deputy role, the duo creating a first for Māori and the party leadership, a Tainui-Maniapoto combo.

Bridges says "I hope that Māori who have traditionally been with New Zealand First at times and Labour will give us a second look, will think about us and what we mean and the opportunities we present for Māori.

“I don't think Māori are the same today as they have been in the past. Clearly we are seeing Māori succeed in business both small and large and they are as aspirational as every other New Zealander."

The government have their own thoughts about Bridges and his stance among Māori.

Minister for Forestry Shane Jones says "I don't think they will like him when it comes to the 2020 election."

Minister for Whānau Ora Peeni Henare says, "Māori want to be better off but I'll tell you from what I can see Māori will not make gains with him taking this role."

Minister of Employment Willie Jackson says, "Māori are looking at this very closely, and are suprised- but it is a big honour for him and for Ngāti Maniapoto."

More than 11,500 voters on the Māori Roll gave their party vote to National at last year's election, beating the Greens, but nearly half gave their candidate vote to the Māori Party. Bridges was not yet sure how he would approach this moving forward.

He says "I think it's too early to get into that I couldn't give you a strong answer in terms of how we'd approach that. I'd probably go back to the comments I've made. But we've got two and a half years to think through some of those things.

The party will have a reshuffle of its members over the next fortnight which will combine good strong experience with new talent.

As well as National announcing its new leadership, New Zealand First has elected new Deputy Leader Fletcher Tabuteau who hails from Ngāti Ngararanui, Ngāti Rangiwewehi and Ngāti Whakaue. </s> Simon Bridges has been announced as the new leader of the National Party.

Mark Mitchell withdrew from the race earler in the day.

The National Party caucus met behind closed doors to elect a new leader with the race between Amy Adams and Simon Bridges said to have been on a knife edge.

The party's caucus of 56 MPs met this morning to elect a new leader from four contenders: Amy Adams, Simon Bridges, Judith Collins and Steven Joyce. Mark Mitchell dropped out this morning.

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The MPs spent yesterday and last night in last-minute lobbying – including of each other – and will each get five minutes to make a pitch to caucus this morning.

Adams and Bridges are expected to be the frontrunners, although Steven Joyce claims he has a chance.

But neither have claimed to have the 29 votes needed in the bag – and sources within their camps are expecting the contest to be extremely close.

It will likely come down to the second choices of the supporters of Joyce and Collins.

The vote will be done in progressive rounds, with the bottom-polling candidate knocked out on each round and their supporters casting their votes for another.

The Adams' camp in particular had assiduously courted the "second" votes of supporters of Mitchell, Joyce and Collins.

However, with some MPs yet to make up their mind things could hinge on the last-ditch speeches the contenders will deliver to caucus this morning - a strong performance could shift the "soft" vote.

The deputy leadership contest is also in the air. While all have said they have made no firm commitments on positions, the leadership contenders are understood to have sounded each other out to assess the appetite for being deputy.

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The most likely combination is Simon Bridges with Paula Bennett as deputy, or Amy Adams with Steven Joyce as deputy.

While it is likely the loser of Bridges and Adams will be offered the deputy role if the vote is close, both are likely to prefer the finance portfolio.

Collins has also said she would consider deputy and she as well as Jonathan Coleman also want finance.

Whatever the outcome, today's vote spells the end of the John Key and Bill English era – an era of unprecedented high popularity for National.

In the pitches today, Joyce is likely to warn National not to put all that at risk by going for a major change. Bridges and Adams too have been cautious about promising a wide-scale shakeup while Collins will be pushing for a more aggressive line in Opposition.

The new leader will be expected to keep polling high and discipline tight – which is not an easy task in Opposition.

None would commit to putting all of their rivals on the front bench but the front-bench posts and plum portfolios will be critical to try to prevent divisions in caucus – MPs such as Collins have made it clear they expect to be on the front bench.

Collins said if she was unsuccessful it would be up to whoever was leader whether she was put on the front bench. "But I would have thought it would be a bit of a waste of my skills.

"Bill English brought me back on to the front bench for a reason and it's been made pretty plain to me by others that we all think very highly of each other's abilities."

While some believed a negotiated outcome would have been tidier, MPs spoken to said they were glad it was going to the full vote, for it meant the leader would be caucus' choice.

Joyce said losing English would be a major change and the focus for the new leader would be ensuring the right combination was in place.

"Irrespective of who wins, one of the challenges for the new leader is to draw the team together and make sure the change is a positive change. The one or two at the top, they carry a lot of the workload."

He would not rule out going for deputy if he was unsuccessful in the leadership.

"Should that not come to pass - and I'm still confident it could - I'm prepared to serve in terms of what the caucus wants."

All candidates have ruled out promising positions for votes in the lead-up to the election – but said they had talked to others about what shape a leadership team might take.

While it is likely they will offer some of their rivals front-bench positions, none would commit to it in advance.

Adams said they were talented and she would use all in the best way possible

Adams said they had been talking to each other but had not made any "deals" or promises in return for votes.

"It's quite natural we are having conversations, as we are with the core people in other peoples' teams because we are all after their first and second preferences and we are talking about how it might shape up. That's a pretty normal and healthy part of what's happening. But it's certainly not at the point of lockdown arrangements in place."

Mark Mitchell, the rookie of the pack, is unlikely to make the leadership team but the contest will have done him no harm. It was a good profile-raising exercise for him and leaves him well-placed for another tilt should today's choice be unsuccessful.

How it works

• National MPs will meet at 10.30 this morning to elect a new leader and deputy leader.

• Four contenders are Amy Adams, Simon Bridges, Judith Collins, Steven Joyce.

• New leader needs support from at least 29 of the 56 MPs.

• Lowest candidate is knocked out in each round of voting.

• MPs vote again until one candidate has at least 29 votes.

• Numbers are not revealed to caucus. </s> Steven Joyce, National's finance spokesman, has resigned from Parliament.

The resignation comes after his failed leadership contest, which saw Simon Bridges selected as leader.

In a statement, Mr Joyce said he's had a "wonderful" time in Parliament.

There has been some speculation Mr Joyce was about to lose his role as finance spokesperson in Mr Bridges' reshuffle.

Mr Joyce says Mr Bridges offered up a high-ranking portfolio.

"Simon has made a very positive proposal to me to stay and contribute as a senior member of the team on the front bench with a choice of portfolio.

"However I feel that it is time for him to get a new team around him to take National forward and win in 2020 and then govern again for the benefit of all New Zealanders."

Newshub understands Mr Joyce stayed with family in Tauranga last night and met with Mr Bridges this morning to inform him he would be stepping down.

In a statement, Mr Joyce said he will remain a supporter of the National Party.

"Personal highlights of my time in office include setting up major infrastructure projects like ultrafast broadband, the major motorway and expressway projects now coming on stream, and the electrification of Auckland's commuter rail network."

His resignation comes after he sent a letter described as 'threatening' to the NBR on Friday, after it published a Matthew Hooton column that was heavily critical of Mr Joyce.
Simon Bridges is elected as leader of the National Party, becoming the first Māori on that position.