Paula Bennett: Age, Husband, Career and What She Does Now
From New Zealand's Deputy Prime Minister to property, Pharmac, charity work and media, Paula Bennett has built a very different career since leaving Parliament.
Short Answer: Who Is Paula Bennett?
Paula Bennett is a former New Zealand National Party politician who served as Deputy Prime Minister from 12 December 2016 to 26 October 2017. She was an MP from 2005 to 2020 and spent nine years as a Cabinet minister. Today, she works at Bayleys Real Estate, chairs Pharmac, serves on the New Zealand Game Animal Council and is involved with Sea Cleaners.
She hasn’t returned to elected politics.
Instead, her work now stretches across property, public boards, charity and media.
Quick Facts About Paula Bennett
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Paula Lee Bennett |
| Date of birth | 9 April 1969 |
| Age | 57, as of September 2026 |
| Birthplace | Auckland, New Zealand |
| Nationality | New Zealander |
| Māori ancestry | Tainui |
| Education | Massey University |
| Political party | New Zealand National Party |
| Parliamentary service | 2005–2020 |
| Deputy Prime Minister | December 2016–October 2017 |
| Husband | Alan Philps |
| Daughter | Ana |
| Bayleys position | National Director – Customer Engagement and Advisory |
| Pharmac position | Board Chair |
| Game Animal Council | Member from July 2026 |
| Media work | Host of Ask Me Anything with Paula Bennett |
Bayleys also identifies Bennett as Māori with Tainui ancestry and lists her latest job title as National Director – Customer Engagement and Advisory.
What Is Paula Bennett Doing Now?
As of September 2026, Bennett has several public and business roles.
Her Bayleys profile lists her as National Director – Customer Engagement and Advisory. She joined the firm’s commercial division in November 2020 and now works with corporate clients, government clients, developers and private-wealth clients.
She is also Chair of Pharmac | Te Pātaka Whaioranga.
The New Zealand Gazette records her appointment as a Pharmac board member and chair for a three-year term beginning 13 May 2024. A Pharmac announcement from 31 July 2026 still identified her as chair.
And another public appointment came in 2026.
Hunting and Fishing Minister James Meager appointed Bennett to the New Zealand Game Animal Council for a three-year term beginning 1 July 2026.
She also has charity and media work.
So her post-Parliament schedule is still busy.
Why Is Paula Bennett Famous?
Bennett is best known for her long career in New Zealand politics.
She entered Parliament in 2005, became a Cabinet minister after National formed the government in 2008, and later rose to Deputy Prime Minister.
Her years in government included work across social development, employment, housing, local government, climate change, tourism, state services, police and women.
She also became deputy leader of the National Party.
Her rise was fast.
From first entering Parliament to becoming Deputy Prime Minister took about 11 years.
Early Life
Paula Bennett was born on 9 April 1969 and grew up in New Zealand.
Her younger years weren’t a straight path into politics.
She became a mother at 17, when her daughter Ana was born. Bennett has spoken publicly about being a young mother and the effect that period had on her life.
She worked before entering university.
One of those jobs was at a rest home in Auckland.
University came later.
And that changed things.
Paula Bennett’s Education
Bennett studied at Massey University’s Albany campus.
Her studies centred on social policy.
She also became involved in student representation. That gave her an early taste of politics before she ever stood for Parliament.
Bennett served as president of the Massey University at Albany Students’ Association in the 1990s.
The experience put her around debates about students, childcare, education and policy.
National politics followed years later.
How Paula Bennett Entered Politics
Bennett entered Parliament at the 2005 general election as a National Party list MP.
New Zealand Parliament records her parliamentary service from 17 September 2005 until 17 October 2020.
She then won the Waitakere electorate in 2008.
That election brought a second change.
National formed the government under John Key, and Bennett became a minister.
She took responsibility for Social Development and Employment and Youth Affairs.
It was only her second parliamentary term.
The Nine-Vote Waitakere Win
Politics can come down to tiny numbers.
Bennett knows that first-hand.
Her fight to retain Waitakere at the 2011 general election went to a judicial recount.
The result?
Nine votes.
Bennett kept the electorate by that margin.
It remains one of the most memorable election results associated with her political career.
Welfare Reform Years
Bennett became closely linked with the National government’s welfare policies.
As Social Development Minister, she was involved in changes to benefit categories, work expectations and assistance for younger beneficiaries.
The subject became heavily debated.
Bennett’s personal background also drew attention because she had herself been a young mother who received state assistance before later becoming the minister responsible for welfare policy.
Her government work wasn’t limited to welfare.
Her Cabinet responsibilities grew over time.
From Waitakere to Upper Harbour
Electoral boundary changes ended the Waitakere electorate.
Bennett then stood in Upper Harbour.
She represented the electorate from 2014 until her departure from Parliament in 2020.
During this period, she held jobs covering areas such as:
- Social housing
- State services
- Local government
- Tourism
- Climate change
- Police
- Women
Her standing inside National was also rising.
Then came 2016.
Signing the Paris Agreement for New Zealand
Bennett served as Minister for Climate Change Issues.
In April 2016, she represented New Zealand at the United Nations in New York and signed the Paris Agreement on the country’s behalf.
New Zealand later ratified the agreement in October 2016.
That event became one of her best-known international duties as a minister.
Paula Bennett as Deputy Prime Minister
John Key stepped down as Prime Minister in December 2016.
Bill English replaced him.
Bennett then became Deputy Prime Minister on 12 December 2016.
She was also deputy leader of the National Party.
Her time as Deputy Prime Minister ran until 26 October 2017, when a Labour-led government took office.
She stayed in Parliament.
And she stayed high in National’s ranks.
Years in Opposition
After National left government, Bennett became Deputy Leader of the Opposition.
She remained National’s deputy leader until May 2020.
That year brought the end of her parliamentary career.
Bennett decided not to seek another term.
Her 15 years in Parliament ended on 17 October 2020. New Zealand Parliament still records that date on its former-members register.
Then came a fairly sharp career switch.
Commercial property.
Paula Bennett’s Bayleys Career
Bennett joined Bayleys Real Estate in November 2020.
She entered the company’s commercial operation shortly after leaving politics.
Her role has since changed.
Bayleys now lists her as:
National Director – Customer Engagement and Advisory
Her work includes relationships with selected corporate and government clients, major developers and private-wealth clients.
Bayleys says she can also work on large property deals.
It’s a very different workplace from Parliament.
But relationship-building remains part of the job.
Paula Bennett as Pharmac Chair
Bennett returned to a government-linked role in 2024.
This time, she wasn’t an MP.
She became Chair of the Pharmac Board.
The official Gazette appointment gave her a three-year term starting on 13 May 2024.
Recent records show her still doing the job in 2026.
Pharmac’s February 2026 board minutes list Paula Bennett – Chair, while the agency’s July 2026 patient-advisory announcement quotes her in that position.
That makes the Pharmac chairmanship one of her clearest public jobs today.
New Zealand Game Animal Council
Bennett added another appointment in 2026.
On 12 June 2026, the government announced her appointment to the New Zealand Game Animal Council.
Her term started on 1 July 2026 and runs for three years.
The minister announcing the appointment referred to her past public-sector leadership and her Pharmac chair role.
Sea Cleaners Work
Bennett is also involved with Sea Cleaners, a New Zealand organisation that works to remove rubbish from waterways and coastal areas.
She has served in a governance role with the group.
The work fits one of her publicly discussed interests: being around the water.
Bennett has also spoken about fishing.
It’s a side of her life that sits far away from parliamentary debate.
Podcast and Television Work
Politics wasn’t Bennett’s last time in front of a microphone or camera.
She moved into media after Parliament.
Bennett hosted the New Zealand revival of the television game show Give Us a Clue.
She later became host of the NZME podcast Ask Me Anything with Paula Bennett.
The podcast centres on conversations with guests from public life, sport, entertainment, business and other fields.
Her media work continued after she took on her Pharmac job. A later NZ Herald interview described the podcast alongside her Bayleys and Pharmac work.
Who Is Paula Bennett’s Husband?
Paula Bennett’s husband is Alan Philps.
Their relationship has been discussed openly in New Zealand media.
The pair knew each other when they were younger, separated, then reconnected years later.
NZ Herald reported in April 2012 that Bennett and Philps had recently married after renewing their earlier relationship.
Bennett has continued mentioning Alan publicly since leaving Parliament.
A later interview described the pair travelling together and discussed the part he played in her adjustment to life after politics.
Paula Bennett’s Daughter
Bennett has one daughter, Ana.
She became a mother at 17.
The two have spoken publicly about their relationship and Bennett’s experience of becoming a teenage parent.
Bennett is also a grandmother.
Her family became easier to spend time with after her exit from Parliament, something she has discussed in interviews about life after politics.
Is Paula Bennett Still in Politics?
No.
Bennett hasn’t served as an MP since 17 October 2020.
She still works around public institutions.
That’s different.
Chairing Pharmac and sitting on the Game Animal Council are public appointments, but neither makes her an elected politician.
Her present work is split between business, governance, charity and media.
Paula Bennett’s Career at a Glance
2005: Entered Parliament as a National Party list MP.
2008: Won Waitakere and became a Cabinet minister.
2011: Retained Waitakere after a nine-vote result.
2014: Became MP for Upper Harbour.
2016: Signed the Paris Agreement for New Zealand.
December 2016: Became Deputy Prime Minister.
October 2017: Deputy Prime Minister term ended.
2017–2020: Served in opposition and remained National’s deputy leader.
2020: Left Parliament and joined Bayleys.
2024: Became Pharmac board chair.
2026: Joined the New Zealand Game Animal Council.
Final Thought
Paula Bennett’s working life has changed a lot since 2005.
She started in Parliament as a list MP. Then came an electorate seat, Cabinet, welfare policy, climate work and the Deputy Prime Minister’s office.
She left politics in 2020.
But she didn’t leave public life.
As of September 2026, Bennett works at Bayleys, chairs Pharmac, sits on the Game Animal Council, remains involved with Sea Cleaners and works in media.
Her political career still explains why most people know her.
Her work today tells the rest of the story.
FAQs
Who is Paula Bennett?
Paula Bennett is a former New Zealand National Party politician who served as Deputy Prime Minister from December 2016 to October 2017.
Why is Paula Bennett famous?
She is best known for her 15-year parliamentary career, nine years as a Cabinet minister and her term as New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister.
How old is Paula Bennett?
Paula Bennett was born on 9 April 1969 and is 57 years old as of September 2026.
Is Paula Bennett still an MP?
No. Her parliamentary service ended on 17 October 2020.
What does Paula Bennett do now?
She works at Bayleys, chairs Pharmac, serves on the New Zealand Game Animal Council and remains active in charity and media work.
Who is Paula Bennett’s husband?
Her husband is Alan Philps. Their marriage and relationship have been discussed publicly in New Zealand media.
Does Paula Bennett have children?
Yes. She has a daughter named Ana, whom she had when she was 17.
Where did Paula Bennett study?
She studied at Massey University’s Albany campus and became involved in student politics there.
When was Paula Bennett Deputy Prime Minister?
She served as Deputy Prime Minister from 12 December 2016 until 26 October 2017.
Is Paula Bennett Chair of Pharmac?
Yes. Her three-year appointment began on 13 May 2024, and Pharmac records from 2026 still identify her as chair.
