Paula Bennett says she put her hand up to become Minister for Women.

And she's thrilled Prime Minister Bill English has given her the job.

Her predecessor Louise Upston incensed many by saying she wasn't a feminist.

Ms Bennett said she's more of a feminist some days than others but said it's always within her.

"I grew up with older brothers who I felt were treated far better than I was and purely because I was a woman, so I had this real innate sense of unfairness as a child."

Ms Bennett said she took that into her teenage years and twenties with a vengeance but has more constructive ways of making change these days.

The Deputy Prime Minister holds on to State Services and Climate Change Issues portfolios, and picks up Police, Tourism, and Women.

Ms Bennett told Rachel Smalley she feels good about the workload, on top of the Deputy Prime Minister's role.

She said she's very familiar with three of them.

"As for the two new ones, Police and Women, I'm pretty confident in the Women's portfolio and I've probably got a lot to get up to speed on with Police."