Paula Bennett described Parliament as a “cesspit of bullying and nastiness” during her appearance on the NZ Herald podcast Ask Me Anything, expressing that she does not miss her time in the House. She also confirmed that she will not challenge Wayne Brown for the Auckland Mayor position, ending speculation about her candidacy after a year. Bennett credited Dame Jacinda Ardern for effecting significant change while discussing her experiences and the release of journalist Ali Mau’s memoir, No Words for This, which addresses her history of childhood sexual abuse.