Matthew Hooton, former National and ACT advisor, appointed editor of Wellington newspaper The Post

Former advisor to National and ACT Matthew Hooton - who has not worked as a journalist - has been appointed editor of Wellington newspaper The Post.

The newspaper's politics, business and economics editor Luke Malpass will also move into a supporting role as associate editor.

The move was revealed by the publication and co-owned national news website Stuff on Monday morning.

Hooton was a press secretary in the Bolger government and a strategist for National under Don Brash - returning briefly when Todd Muller took over from Simon Bridges but resigning after Judith Collins became leader - has also advised for the ACT Party and Auckland mayor Wayne Brown.

As well as being a Wellington corporate and political lobbyist, he has been a notable political commentator including writing a blog and more recently a regular column for the NZ Herald, and despite his clear political alignment to the right of politics has been a frequent critic of National's current leader, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.

Hooton told Stuff reporter Lloyd Burr he was planning to put his connections to use.

"I'd hope that the powerful institutions of New Zealand - whether that's the government, the opposition, union bosses, business leaders, sports administrators, or arts administrators - are a little unsettled by the appointment," he told Stuff.

"Knowing how institutions like that tend to work, I think that's of enormous value to The Post and its team. Without betraying any long-term commercial secrets, I hope to add some value by saying, 'On this story, why not go a little more in this direction', because I suspect that's where the real story will be hiding."

Stuff owner Sinead Boucher told Burr that Hooton was approached just a month ago with the help of a mutual friend, and played down the potential that his connections could raise conflict of interest concerns, saying the "proof will be in the pudding".

"He really understands what the role of an editor is, as very different from the role of being a columnist. We have a really strong code of ethics and conduct that's core to everything we do and Matthew absolutely understands that and is committed to it," she said.

Hooton himself said he did not have plans for radical changes, saying it was not a "turnaround or fix it job" but an "acceleration job" and while the paper would not take a position on some things "we'll have broader, more rigorous, and challenging content".

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