Steven Joyce is to retire from Parliament.

"I have had a wonderful time in this place over the last nearly 10 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," the National MP said.

"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."

Simon Bridges' election as National leader had led to his decision to retire.

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Hi all. Today I have announced my retirement from Parliament. I have had a wonderful time in this place over nearly ten years, including nine as a Minister. My plan is to return to commercial life and to focus on being a good Dad for Tommy and Amelia. — Steven Joyce (@stevenljoyce) March 6, 2018

The 54-year-old will return to the commercial sector.

"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.

"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."

Joyce told reporters he had been lucky to have a busy nine years and hoped he had made a contribution to the development of the county.

He had taken time to think over the last few days and decided it was "a fork in the road."

Joyce said he met Bridges in Tauranga this morning to tell him of his decision.

He denied it was a response to Bridges saying he would not get the finance portfolio, saying it was a personal decision.

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Joyce said Bridges had not offered finance but had offered him a choice of other roles on the front bench.

He said he was not sure if he would have stayed even if he did retain the finance portfolio.

Joyce said believed Bridges would "acquit himself well" as National leader.

He said he had no regrets about standing for the leadership - and said he would offer whatever help Bridges asked for.

Joyce denied his decision to quit was a direct response to losing the leadership bid.

"I think if I was in a petulant mood I'd have gone to the backbenches and grown a beard," he said.

"The thing that made me stand for the leadership was I'm really passionate about helping New Zealanders work hard and get ahead."

Joyce said it was not easy to turn his back on that but at some point it had to be done.

He said his career had featured some interesting moments - including the sex toy thrown at him at Waitangi - but said it had been "a blast."

Asked if he regretted claiming Labour had an $11 billion hole in its numbers during last year's election campaign he said "absolutely not."

Asked for his parting words to Finance Minister Grant Robertson, Joyce said he would urge him not to forget the businesses working hard around the country.

Joyce said his crowning achievements included the national broadband rollout, saying it would help New Zealand businesses compete internationally.

His only regret was having Labour repeal National's tax cuts, saying it would mean workers on the average wage paying the top tax rate.

He did not expect he was irreplaceable, saying soon people would say "Steven who?".

Joyce would not list his mistakes: "There's actually lots of mistakes in politics and most of them never go seen."

Asked if he thought he might get a knighthood he said "Oh I don't think so."

Joyce's resignation opens the way for Nicola Willis to enter Parliament.

Today Steven Joyce announced his retirement from our Parliament. His resignation will create a vacancy for the next... Posted by Nicola Willis on Monday, 5 March 2018

Willis was briefly in Parliament late last year but lost her position after the special votes were counted.

She stood in Wellington Central and is highly regarded within National. Willis previously worked as a senior adviser in John Key's office.

A decade at Parliament

Joyce entered Parliament in 2008 and went straight into a role as Cabinet Minister under then Prime Minister John Key. He had offered to assist Bridges and National.

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

National MP @stevenljoyce has just announced his retirement from politics. Thank you for your immense contribution to our country and to the @NZNationalParty - you are a huge loss but we wish you all the best. — NZ National Party (@NZNationalParty) March 6, 2018

Joyce has led the party's general election campaigns since 2005.

"I have led the National Party's general election campaign five times as campaign chair and in four of those for John Key and Bill English, we achieved a party vote in excess of 44 per cent, the only time it has happened under MMP.

"And it was an honour to be Bill English's Associate Minister of Finance for eight years before presenting my own Budget in 2017, which continued building the platform for future economic growth and focused on boosting incomes for low- and middle-income earners.

"My plan now is to return to commercial life and seek new challenges and also to focus on being a good Dad to Tommy and Amelia."

Joyce was dubbed the "Minister of Everything" and "Super Minister" after he created the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. He was Minister of Economic Development before becoming Finance Minister in 2016 after Key left.

He also gained fame for more ridiculous elements. He featured on US-based John Oliver's talk show for his assessment of the Eminemesque soundtrack National used in its 2014 campaign as "pretty legal". He also featured on the show for having a novelty dildo thrown in his face at Waitangi.

Someone John Key and Bill English turned to

The man who beat Joyce to the National leadership, Simon Bridges, thanked the departing MP for his service to the party.

"Steven has made a huge contribution during his 15-year political career, including in the last decade in Parliament. In that time he has proven an exceptional minister, colleague, advisor and political strategist," Bridges said.

"As a minister, Steven has played a major role in helping create a stronger New Zealand, particularly in the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis."

Thank you @stevenljoyce for your service to NZ and the @NZNationalParty. You’ve made a huge contribution during your 15 year political career. I wish you all the best. — Simon Bridges (@simonjbridges) March 6, 2018

Bridges said Joyce had played a large part in rebuilding the National Party.

"He was someone John Key and Bill English turned to for advice and to get things done. That meant he was given tough tasks but he consistently rose to those challenges. And I will also continue to use him as a sounding board as the National Party looks to 2020.

"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."

Former National leader Bill English said Joyce has been at the heart of the rebuild of National after 2002.

"He has made a massive contribution to his party and his country. I'm confident others will come forward to fill the huge gap he leaves in the National Party."

Labour MP and Finance Minister Grant Robertson tweeted his former rival: "All the best for the future Steven. It has been (mostly) fun sparring with you."

All the best for the future Steven. It has been (mostly) fun sparring with you😉 — Grant Robertson (@grantrobertson1) March 6, 2018

Robertson and Joyce had crossed swords during the last campaign over Joyce's claims of an $11 billion 'hole' in Labour's fiscal plan.

NZ First leader Winston Peters – an old nemesis of Joyce's – said Joyce's resignation was predictable.

"After all, he ran for the head job in the National Party, failed, and clearly has sought a high position even so and I don't think he's going to get it and I think this is the beginning of the in-fighting for the National Party."

He said Joyce would give the usual reasons such as family or a career for resigning "but basically this is political strife and it's shown itself and this is only the beginning of it."

He said Joyce had "certain serious qualities."

"There's no doubt about that. But being the micro-manager of a trickle down disaster is not the best legacy."

He said Joyce was "a black ops man." "And I don't like that sort of politics. We like it out front, face to face with people."

He said he would find out in the course of time whether Joyce was the leak of his super details, something Peters has said he will launch further legal action over soon.

He dismissed questions about whether he would be more open to working with National without Joyce, saying he was busy ensuring a new Government worked.

National Party President Peter Goodfellow has also acknowledged Joyce, saying he would miss his wit and leadership since Joyce became General Manager of the party in 2003.

"We are incredibly grateful for his service, knowledge, and experience over those years. National would not be as successful, united, and popular as we are today without the hard work that Steven has put in behind the scenes."</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.</s>A senior cabinet minister who was hit in the face by a flying dildo, sued by Eminem and ridiculed for an $11.7billion mistake has quit.

Steven Joyce announced on Tuesday he was stepping down as an MP in New Zealand.

Mr Joyce had served as Finance Minister and led the National Party's election campaign five times - but he is best known internationally as being on the receiving end of a flying dildo hurled by a protester.

Mr Joyce's resignation comes after he made a failed attempt at the leadership of the party, which was won by Simon Bridges.

'I have had a wonderful time in this place,' Mr Joyce said.

'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 said he was offered a place on the Opposition frontbench with a 'choice of portfolio' by Mr Bridges, but decided it was 'time for [Mr Bridges] to get a new team around him to take National forward'.

Mr Joyce, then the Economic Development Minister, copped a sex toy on the chin after it was thrown at him by Christchurch nurse Josie Butler at Waitangi on February 5, 2016.

Ms Butler was protesting New Zealand's involvement in the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, which was due to be signed in Wellington.

She said the dildo toss was for a 'really good cause, and a good way of getting the community involved'.

Mr Joyce has been a frequent target for ridicule from Last Week Tonight host John Oliver.

Rapper Eminem had sued the National Party claiming they stole his song 'Lose Yourself' for a television advertisement during the 2014 election.

Asked how confident he was about the use of the song, campaign leader Mr Joyce said he felt it was 'pretty legal, I think these guys are just having a crack'.

The response drew bewilderment from Oliver, who said 'pretty legal' was 'not a concept that exists'.

'That is like being sort of dead. I want to see that man [Mr Joyce] as a defence lawyer.'

After Mr Joyce was hit in the face with the dildo, Oliver dedicated a whole segment on his show to the incident.

The clip climaxed with Lord of the Rings director Sir Peter Jackson flying a redesigned New Zealand flag featuring Mr Joyce being hit in the face by a dildo.

Ahead of the 2017 election Mr Joyce claimed the Labour party had a '$11.7billion hole' in their budget.

The claim was widely debunked, and Labour went on to form a government after the election.</s>Steven Joyce has revealed he was offered his choice of shadow portfolios, except finance, by new National leader Simon Bridges, but says those options didn't pose a satisfactory challenge.

Mr Joyce said even if he had been offered his desired finance portfolio, which he served as the National's Minister for during their last year in government, he would likely have departed before the next election.

"Well actually I was given my choice of portfolios, not finance but pretty much everything else," he told TVNZ 1's Breakfast show.

"That's what Simon said, I didn't test it and ask for one but he did say that he really wanted me as part of the team, front bench, and any portfolio as long as it wasn't finance.

'I said thank you, because I think it is a generous offer, but just decided there was a fork in the road and, you know, just a few things signaling to me I'd had my time and had some other things to look forward to."

Mr Joyce denied his decision to leave politics was due to the recent attrition in the National caucus, and that he was running out of allies within the party.

"No not at all, in fact one of the best things about standing for the leadership is a lot of people, and don't necessarily believe all the sprucing from all the sides on how brilliantly they did, but a lot of people were very supportive and spoke well and voted for me as well."

Mr Joyce would, however, not reveal how many of the 56 National MPs voted for him, citing it as a "sate secret".

He did say that he definitely would have entered the leadership race if he'd had his time again.

Mr Bridges assumed the National leadership last week, and said it only took two rounds of voting for him to receive the majority of votes required to defeat the other four leadership candidates.</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>Waitangi Day in 2016 was marked with a moment that went global, taken in good spirits by then-Minister for Economic Development Steven Joyce.

Mr Joyce announced today he would be retiring from politics.

That moment was when thrower Josie Butler hurled a pink dildo at Mr Joyce, hitting him in the face.

The nurse told Mana News she was concerned of TPP effects on her patients.

"In any campaign where protest has become inevitable, you have to grab your moments," she told Mana News.

US' Last Week Tonight poked fun at the incident, after Steven Joyce, who knew he would enviably by on the receiving end of incoming jokes, tweeted: "Someone send the gif over to John Oliver so we can get it over with".

"Step aside Citizen Kane, there is a new greatest film in town," host John Oliver said.

Mr Joyce, who took the incident in good faith, told NZ Herald at the time he hoped he would not be remembered as 'Dildo Baggins'.</s>More members of National's "old guard" will be contemplating their futures as party heavyweight Steven Joyce retires, says 1 NEWS political reporter Katie Bradford.

Former finance minister Joyce is quitting politics, his announcement today coming just a week after losing a leadership bid.

"I think there'll be a few more of this old guard contemplating their futures as well. [I'm] talking there about Chris Finlayson, David Carter, possibly Gerry Brownlee and Nick Smith as well," Bradford said tonight.

Mr Joyce had been told he would retain a front bench position in new leader Simon Bridges' reshuffle, but wouldn't be getting the plum finance portfolio.

But Mr Joyce said he's not sure he would have stayed the full two-and-a-half year term even if he had been offered the finance role, and insists he has confidence in Mr Bridges as National leader.

Mr Bridges told reporters he thinks that "over time you will see retirements".

"But I don't think there'll be a lot. And I think in terms of this reshuffle, I don't think that you'll see that."

Bradford says Mr Joyce's departure means Mr Bridges "has a clear deck and there's space there for his reshuffle".

"It means he can put his feet under his desk and think about how he wants National to go forward," she said.</s>"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."

"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".

"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."

When asked who he would like to be offered the National Party finance portfolio, Mr Joyce said it wasn't his place to answer.

2:52pm: Mr Joyce says his family has been very supportive of his decision and will be expecting more vegetables out of the garden now.

2:43pm: His retirement from Parliament will take place after the next session in the House where he will give a valedictory speech.

"I have been very lucky to have nine and a bit year in this Parliament and hopefully make a contribution to this country."</s>"Steven has made a huge contribution during his 15 year political career, including in the last decade in Parliament. In that time he has proven an exceptional minister, colleague, advisor and political strategist," Mr Bridges said.

"As a minister, Steven has played a major role in helping create a stronger New Zealand, particularly in the aftermath of the global financial crisis," he said.

Mr Bridges said among Mr Joyce's many successes, he oversaw the rollout of the ultra-fast broadband programme.

As Science and Innovation Minister he worked with the private sector to substantially lift investment in R and D, and as Transport Minister helped make New Zealand's roads safer and more resilient, through initiatives like the Roads of National Significance.

Mr Bridges said Mr Joyce was someone both John Key and Bill English turned to for advice and to get things done.

"That meant he was given some tough tasks but he consistently rose to those challenges. And I will also continue to use him as a sounding board as the National Party looks to 2020.

"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," he said.

"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."

Mr Joyce had been told he would retain a front bench position in Mr Bridges' reshuffle, but wouldn't be getting the plum finance portfolio.

"No he didn't offer me finance, and that's alright. And I'm not even sure if I had been offered it I would have stayed the full two-and-a-half years," Mr Joyce said.

And he insists he has confidence in Mr Bridges as National's new leader.

"I think if I was in a petulant mood, I'd probably go to the backbenches, grow a beard and sit their fuming for a while," Mr Joyce said.</s>The highly-prized role of National Party finance spokesperson is expected to be announced today, with rumours swirling after Steven Joyce said he was not offered the role.

Mr Joyce announced his resignation from parliament yesterday, after running for the National Party leadership last week.

On TVNZ1's Breakfast this morning, Labour MP Kieran McAnulty and National's Chris Bishop were asked by host Jack Tame who they thought would be given the role of finance.

"There's a few murmurs... It could be anyone, there's a few people that have obviously put their hand up," Mr McAnulty said.

"I'd say whoever got Simon Bridges the most votes."

When asked who he thought that could be, Mr McAnulty guessed Jonathan Coleman.

"We'll have to wait an see won't we. I haven't seen the odds."

Mr Bishop kept quiet on the issue, even when Mr McAnulty suggested he could be in the running.
National Party politician and former Minister of Finance Steven Joyce resigns from parliament.