Napoleon's campaigning days are over

Roger Sowry (right) with the then leader Jenny Shipley and the Brat Pack, from the left, Nick Smith, Bill English and Tony Ryall.

When and how were you introduced to the National Party?

I joined through the old Pol-link branch run by Julian Watts in 1978.

How different is the party?

The party has maintained it emphasis on membership so that has stayed the same. What has changed is that it has become much more professional in the way it is organised and structured.

What is the toughest campaign you can recall?

The last one. It didn't matter whether you walked on water, people were not going to vote for National. When the tide's out, it's out, and it was well and truly out last time. The phone was off the hook.

Are there any stand-out leaders or presidents?

George Chapman stands out as a president who always put the interests of the National Party first and so does the leadership of Jim Bolger. Jim Bolger gave me the break to be in Cabinet. I learned an extraordinary amount from him.

Did you mind having the nick-name Napoleon when you were whip?

No. I always thought it was one of the nicest things people said about me.

What is the best job you had in Parliament?

Minister of Social Welfare.

What was the hardest decision you made in that time?

There was some very difficult times around CYF's cases not being dealt with in the proper time frame, and getting that sorted out, particularly in Auckland. What the worst job you've had in Parliament.

Being an Opposition MP, because you've got the least say.

You are part of the famous Brat Pack [with cohorts Bill English, Tony Ryall and Nick Smith]. Who gave it to you and do you mind?

I've never minded the name and I don't know who gave it to us. I've heard several people claim they gave it to us, including Michael Laws.

You entered Parliament with a swag of new MPs in 1990 [including Michael Laws] who then became rebellious against Ruth Richardson's Mother of All Budgets. How can Don Brash, if he is PM, learn from that?

I think it is not so much an issue of management. It is an issue of the sort of people who were selected, and quite frankly in 1990 many people came to Parliament who the party thought were never going to get here when they selected them. This year is quite different. The party has got the most outstanding list of candidates that I have seen.

Do you hope Act disappears altogether or wins enough to be a coalition partner?

I'm not going to comment on that.

What was it like being a minister in a coalition with New Zealand First?

It was fine. Being Minister of Social Welfare and fighting a Budget with your own, in my case Bill Birch, can be challenging. I had to work closely with Peter McCardle and Tau Henare and I enjoyed it.

Why are you leaving?

It's time for me to move into new challenges. I started when I was 31 and I'm 46. I'm young enough to build another career.

Would you be leaving if Bill English had stayed the leader?

Probably, because my answer has nothing to do with the leadership.

What are you going to do?

I'm going to be chief executive for Arthritis New Zealand, managing 100 staff.