The advocate for New Zealanders mental health
BY Kent Johns

What 53 days as National Party leader cost Todd Muller

• 1 min read
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What 53 days as National Party leader cost Todd Muller
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With the election on 7 November, we’re re-releasing two conversations that have nothing to do with how you vote, and everything to do with what politics asks of the people in it (Grant Robertson’s episode is back in your feed today too).

In May 2020, Todd Muller was elected leader of the National Party — one step from a boyhood dream of being Prime Minister. Within five days, panic attacks were so severe he could barely get through speeches, the words on the page moving and disappearing.

After 53 days, he stepped down. He spent three years rebuilding, made it back to the front bench, but couldn’t sustain it. In 2023, he walked away from Parliament.

Hit play to hear what hundreds of men have said back to him since.

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If you need support, here are helpful links, phone numbers and resources: https://ember.org.nz/resources/in-a-crisis

Kent Johns is a health coach, broadcaster and motivational speaker. Visit his website here. 

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