PM shows he's not afraid to make tough calls

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Opinion

There had been question marks revolving around Christopher Luxon’s style of leadership. Would he be like the CEO — which he was — answerable to a board and shareholders, or would he adopt a similar stance of former political leaders, who tended to shy away from making tough calls until they were backed into corners?

His demotion of two poor performers, National MPs Melissa Lee and Penny Simmonds, was quick and decisive and almost out of the blue.

It showed two things: Luxon has a tight inner circle who can keep their lips sealed, and he’s not afraid to make tough calls and front up to them.

Not many saw the demotions coming, just five months in to this coalition government’s reign. Luxon said he notified both MPs the morning of his press conference, along with Act leader David Seymour and NZ First’s Winston Peters as a matter of coalition courtesy. That’s clever management.

Lee’s loss of her Media and Communications portfolio — dropping her out of Cabinet — was almost self-inflicted. As the Newshub job losses and TVNZ cuts were unfolding, Lee was seemingly MIA. The country, and media, wanted a minister who was not only compassionate to the job losses — Lee is a former journalist — but also had a vision for the future of the industry. It was not all about bailouts.

Lee has been in Parliament for 16 years — six as National’s media and communications spokesperson — and should have known the portfolio inside out. In Opposition, she was instrumental in getting rid of Labour’s Claire Curran in 2018 from the very job she has now also been dumped from. Lee remains Minister of Economic Development and Ethnic Affairs.

The Media and Communications portfolio now sits with Paul Goldsmith, adding it to his Arts, Culture and Heritage, Justice, State Owned Enterprises and Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations jobs. Goldsmith is one of Luxon’s safe pairs of hands.

As for Simmonds, her loss is linked directly to her handling of changes to disability funding policies. She has been replaced as Disability Issues Minister by Louise Upston, whose Ministry for Social Development has oversight over the Ministry for Disabled People. Simmonds remains Minister for the Environment and Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills.

The two demotions show Luxon has an almost ruthless side and is not afraid to wave the big stick when warranted. There’s nothing wrong with being a ruthless leader, as long as you are fair and reasonable — and consistent.

Luxon also said he was not afraid to reshuffle his ministers if and when he saw the need. While that has put his National MPs on notice, how will he approach similar poor performance by ministers from his coalition partners?

Watch this space.