Todd Muller

During his time in Parliament Muller has served as the chairperson of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee, and as the deputy chairperson of the Education and Science Select Committee. As of February 2020 he was the Opposition spokesperson for agriculture, biosecurity, food safety, and forestry, and sits on the Primary Production Select Committee.

In May 2020, a challenge to Simon Bridges' leadership of the National Party emerged, after he and the National Party polled poorly in a Newshub Reid Research Poll. Muller was touted as a replacement; he initially denied having leadership ambitions and publicly supported Bridges but the next day officially announced his bid for the leadership. Former Prime Minister Jim Bolger backed Muller as the next party leader.

On 22 May 2020, the National Party caucus voted for Muller to be the party leader with more than 29 votes but he has refused to confirm the exact number of votes cast for him. The party's caucus was said to be evenly divided over whether the leadership change was the correct course of action. Senior MP Anne Tolley spoke out in opposition to Muller's leadership challenge, calling it "nutty stuff". Another National MP, speaking to media on the condition of anonymity, described Muller in contrast to Bridges as a "pale stale male".

In November 2019, Muller heckled Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick during her speech on climate change. Swarbrick quickly retorted "OK Boomer". Although there was little reaction to her comment in Parliament, her two-word throwaway remark became a talking point in media around the world.

In December 2019, Muller criticised a Te Papa exhibition in which farm stream water was shown as brown, describing it as "part of the museum's continued attacks on New Zealand's farmers".

Muller became a Member of Parliament in 2014. He was selected to replace Tony Ryall in 2014 as National's candidate in the Bay of Plenty electorate, and won with 61% of the vote. He won the electorate again in 2017.

From August 2012 until June 2014, Muller served as a director Sustainable Business Council NZ, which is a CEO led group of companies that catalyses the New Zealand business community to have a leading role in creating a sustainable future for business, society and the environment.

He served as a director of Crown Research Institute, Plant and Food Research from June 2011 to June 2014. Plant and Food is a New Zealand-based science company providing research and development that adds value to fruit, vegetable, crop and food products.

Muller started his role at Fonterra as Manager of Local Government and Regional Relations from February 2011 through to May 2012. He then became Group Director of Co-operative Affairs from May 2012 until June 2014, when he left the dairy company in order to focus on campaigning for the 2014 general election after being selected as the National Party candidate for the Bay of Plenty electorate.

He served as a Waikato University councillor from October 2007 to June 2014.

Muller left his role at Zespri to take up the position of CEO at Apata Ltd in January 2006. Apata, a Bay of Plenty company specialising in post-harvest operations, was founded by his father and others in 1983.

Muller started his corporate career working for kiwifruit company Zespri as Industry Relations Manager from 2001 to 2003, then as GM Corporate and Grower Services from 2003 to 2006.

Muller joined the New Zealand National Party in 1989. From 1994 to 1997 he worked as a staffer for former Prime Minister Jim Bolger.

Todd Michael Muller (/ˈ m ʌ l ər / ; born 1968) is a New Zealand politician and is the current Leader of the New Zealand National Party and the Leader of the Opposition. He entered Parliament at the 2014 general election as the MP for Bay of Plenty.

Muller was born in Te Aroha in 1968, and was raised in Te Puna, where his parents started a kiwifruit orchard. He attended Te Puna Primary and Tauranga Boys' College.

On the 27th of May another leak against the leadership was made to Newshub claiming the campaign chair, Gerry Brownlee, had set up an "intelligence unit" to find negative information on political opponents. Brownlee said the leaks were "disappointing", untrue, and had come from "bitter backers" of former leader Simon Bridges. As a result of the leaks to media, inability to fend off criticism over his 'Make America Great Again' cap, and allegedly poor television interview performances, Muller received criticism from commentators traditionally supportive of the National Party including Mark Richardson. Fellow conservative commentator Mike Hosking opined in his New Zealand Herald column that "Todd Muller's first full day out including Parliament was little short of a disaster."

Muller announced his shadow cabinet on the 25th of May, with senior caucus member Amy Adams announcing she was reversing her previously announced decision to retire. Muller stated former leader Simon Bridges was offered a shadow ministerial role but declined, saying he was taking time to consider his future. Bridges quickly contradicted Muller and rejected this claim.National MP Jo Hayes criticised Muller for the lack of ethnic diversity present in the new frontbench, telling media "This is not good. We need to remedy this or you [the party leadership] need to front it and take it head on and say why. You need to give a better explanation." On the same day, Newshub reported that several National MPs were already leaking to media against Muller and his deputy Nikki Kaye, four days after the leadership change had occurred.