The Premium Debate: Subscriber views on the National Party leadership contest result

Christopher Luxon and Simon Bridges at the National Party retreat in Havelock North last year. Photo / Claire Trevett

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The best news of this episode is that a leader has been found without yet another National caucus knife fight. That's more important than who is the new leader.
- Christopher Tama M

Great, here we go with a person who has real experience in business, finance and treating the people of New Zealand with the respect and intelligence they deserve.
- Bruce M

I've seen him in person speak before. He knows what he's talking about, especially on how to improve things at the moment. He'd get my vote and support. All the very best to him.
- Francis W

The only choice they could have made. It had to be a clean slate. Sadly, Simon Bridges would have had sniping from the benches continuously and at least this shows unity within the party by not dragging it to a vote. We need a vocal and concentrated opposition. The Government has managed to get away with worse than mediocrity in the past year. Let's unite against a poor government.
- Neil B

Luxon is a good choice. The Labour Party will no doubt try and rubbish his appointment but in reality what has the Government achieved? Nothing. Luxon won't be short of opportunities to expose its continuous list of failures and be able to put up good constructive policies and options.
- Guy M

Luxon is the lesser of two evils. In my view, Bridges wasn't trusted by the electorate. At least they'll give Luxon a chance, unlike the press, who will try to crucify him. Hopefully, he's been given a lot of media training since he won Botany.
- John C

Chris Luxon's ability to bring this leadership contest to a negotiated outcome has stamped his mark on his caucus and party. It bodes well for the country. Great news.
- David P

Let's hope Luxon can achieve more than John Key did. I find it very difficult to come up with a top 20 list of Key's legacy achievements for NZ during his nine-year term, but I will put faith in Luxon to make a difference for NZ. Reporters should ask Luxon to set out his 20 goals for making NZ a better place and see if he can actually achieve them.
- Ross H

I think ACT will be in for a windfall.
- Terry O

A very good move by both Bridges and Luxon. It shows to the public that they will work together and hopefully create unity within the party to work towards a common goal.
- Steve J

Uncontested leadership team appointments bode well for a new era of unity. Full marks to Bridges and the other aspirants for taking the team approach. Let's move on and build a better New Zealand. The job now is to gain government, repair the significant damage caused by Labour and the Greens, and end the divisiveness swamping the country.
- Walter H

Bridges is a smart, educated man, he has made a great decision in the best interests of the party and the greater good of the country. He will have a lot of support and help from the rest of his party.
- Lucy S

Excellent, the healing can begin. Nice work, Simon B.
- Joanne W

Words like unity, pulling together, behind the leader etc, do little for me. We've heard it all before - from National's recent crop of crash-and-burn leaders to Labour going through its death throes during the Key years. Bridges may well get another shot, quite frankly, in my view - because, fairly or unfairly, rightly or wrongly, Luxon will also go the way of the dodo. And that will be telegraphed before it happens by the level of vocal support and arguments favouring how well Luxon is doing from Key and other past influential National parliamentarians. That said, by then Bridges' chances will be limited.
- Timothy T

- Republished comments may be edited at the editor's discretion.