Christopher Luxon says he is ready for people to "have a go at everything" now that he is entering politics, but says there are no skeletons in his closet.
The ex-boss of Air New Zealand was on Tuesday selected as the National Party candidate for the Botany electorate.
- Christopher Luxon selected as National candidate for Botany
- Former Air NZ chief executive Christopher Luxon to contest Botany candidacy
- National MP Agnes Loheni takes on Christopher Luxon, throws hat in the ring for Botany
"It's a different game now," Luxon told The AM Show on Tuesday, when asked if he was ready for the shift from chief executive to politician.
"You don't come into this game unless you're aware you don't have any skeletons in your closet. But I'm sure people will have a go at everything."
Luxon said entering politics was something he had thought about for a long time.
"[It's] something that I've always wanted to do at some point in my life. I came to the conclusion I don't really want to get to my 80th birthday and look back and say I wish I'd tried it - and I'd sooner try it rather than not try at all."
Luxon will be competing for the east Auckland seat against independent MP Jami Lee-Ross, who resigned from National last year.
"It's a really great seat, it's a really important part of Auckland," says Luxon "It's been really neglected in terms of public transport, in terms of infrastructure."
When asked if he was eyeing up a potential leadership role in the party at some point in the future, Luxon declined to comment.
"You are getting a bit ahead of yourself," he told the AM Show.
"That's a big hypothetical and you're a long way down the road, because I just look at what I've got to master and learn," he said.
"I really just want to get in and actually be a great Botany MP, win Botany for National and make sure Simon Bridges becomes the next Prime Minister in 2020."
Luxon said he was focused on making whatever contribution he could to the party.
"The point is I've got to play a role in the team, and I want to be on Simon's team. I know from being a leader what you want is really great teammates.
"That's my job, I want to play the role in the team that everybody wants me to play."
Newshub.
