Audrey Young: Bill English - an accomplished performance by incoming PM

Incoming Prime Minister Bill English and deputy Paula Bennett today at a press conference at Parliament. Photo / Getty Images

John? John Who?

Bill English gave a hugely impressive performance in his first press conference as newly elected National Party leader, with deputy leader Paula Bennett alongside.

The 10 years he spent in his so-called masterclass of leadership under John Key were evident.

So too was the 54 years English has been exercising his own natural intelligence and tinder dry sense of humour.

Asked if he would be giving Key a knighthood, he joked: "Well, it's not as if he has never asked."

Asked two questions about Premier House and whether he would be living there (he won't), he quipped it must be the issue every New Zealander was thinking about.

He didn't exactly put his stamp on the Government in the press conference.

After all, he is not yet Prime Minister until later today, and his reshuffle of Cabinet will better reflect that.

But he gave a flavour of what is to come which clearly includes a greater emphasis on social inclusion and a smaller role for Government.

He talked about spreading the benefits of economic growth to everyone, about leading a country where he hoped everyone could flourish, and about maintaining his social investment approach, which involves using new tools to identify the people who need Government support and then funding programmes which are proven to work.

One of the biggest surprises was a reference to supporting unions in his prepared statement - perhaps a first for a leader of the National Party which has traditionally been the party of bosses.

"By supporting families, businesses, volunteers, parents, iwi, unions and churches Government can do a better job of changing lives," he said.

Aptly, for a major in English literature, he chose to end his prepared statement with a line from a poem he heard last Thursday by Selina Tusitala Marsh: "Lead by digging up the diamonds in those around you."

English did not commit to holding weekly post-Cabinet press conferences as Helen Clark and John Key both did with accomplishment as Prime Ministers.

Going by today's performance, there is no reason not to.​