Exclusive poll: Majority of Kiwis want PM Christopher Luxon to buy a new plane

A majority of New Zealanders want the Government to buy new Defence Force planes, to replace the breakdown-prone Boeing 757s used to fly the Prime Minister overseas for official engagements.

That’s according to new Talbot Mills polling data, provided to Newstalk ZB, which shows 51.5% of those polled think new planes should be bought to replace the old ones.

That compares with 27.6% who said no and 20.9% who are unsure.

The poll was taken in the days after the Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s trip to Japan last month, where a 757′s breakdown left him temporarily grounded in Papua New Guinea.

That was the latest in a long string of breakdowns the plane has suffered recently; it’s the second time it’s happened this year alone.

Luxon said the most recent breakdown was frustrating; his Defence Minister Judith Collins said the situation was “embarrassing”.

“These are very old planes, they’re over 23 years old. These would normally not be used commercially now at this stage,” she told RNZ.

Newstalk ZB understands the Prime Minister’s office is keen to see the situation resolved as quickly as possible.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s international travel plans were waylaid after a minor breakdown of the NZDF 757 aircraft in Papua New Guinea.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Luxon told reporters a strategy is currently being worked through.

“We have new military leadership and a Defence capability review under way,” he said.

“The 757 replacement will be a component of that and the Defence Force is working on that and will continue to do so ... they’re working on that with pace.”

Luxon pointed the finger at the previous Government, saying it was at fault for deferring the maintenance of the aircraft – the Defence Force has two 757s which are used for ministers’ overseas trips.

But, in the vast majority of cases, the aircraft are used for military personnel transportation.

In the past, political perception has been an issue when discussing new planes.

Collins said the price tag would likely be “hundreds of millions of dollars” and Luxon has said Kiwis wouldn’t take well to the Government spending this much money on new aircraft during a cost-of-living crisis.

But the Talbot Mills poll appears to go against that narrative.

It also shows supporters of the coalition Government parties were the most enthusiastic about the idea of purchasing new planes.

Some 61% of those polled who said they supported National were in favour of new aircraft; that number is 60% for New Zealand First and 59% for Act.

Just under half – some 49% – of Labour supporters backed the idea. That number slides to 35% among Te Pāti Māori voters and 33% for the Greens.

In terms of the funding of any new aircraft, Luxon said that will be worked through “in due course”.

The new polling data comes as the Prime Minister and his officials prepare for a number of overseas trips this year.

Luxon has indicated he plans on visiting India in the coming months, as well as the Nato summit in Washington, DC, and Apec in Peru.

It’s believed he will be making his way to those summits via commercial airlines and it’s also understood the most recent breakdown of a 757 has the Prime Minister considering whether he restricts the usage of Defence Force planes on other trips scheduled this year.

Full poll question and response:

As you may be aware NZ’s defence planes are ageing and frequently in need of repair. This has been the cause of issues and delays, notably a few times when prime ministers have been travelling internationally on official business. However, replacing them would likely cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

Do you think NZ should buy new defence planes to replace the old ones?

Yes: 51.5%

No: 27.6%

Unsure: 20.9%

Jason Walls is Newstalk ZB’s Political Editor and has covered politics in the Press Gallery since 2017. He’s worked for ZB since 2021, and before that was a member of the Herald’s Press Gallery team.