Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is adamant his leadership is secure and he has the support of his caucus amid renewed leadership speculation.
He faced media questioning during a press conference in Pōkeno on Friday afternoon, but walked off after about six minutes.
Luxon repeatedly told reporters he had the full support of his caucus, but provided little information on why he was confident of that.
“I’m confident I have the numbers and I am confident I have the support of my caucus,” Luxon said.
Asked directly where that confidence came from, he responded: “Because I know”.
“I know that I have the support of my caucus. I talk to my caucus all the time. I’m very confident that I have the full support of my caucus.”
The Herald this morning reported National Party sources as saying Luxon will likely face the two most difficult weeks of his leadership when Parliament returns next week from its current recess.
It’s understood those within the party who believe Luxon should vacate the leadership will make a move against him in the coming fortnight, though that is unlikely to be a formal challenge or confidence vote in the first case.
Initially, MPs may present Luxon with evidence that his support within the National caucus is flagging. This could potentially trigger his resignation, and therefore, a change in leadership.
Should Luxon not resign, it is possible a challenge will occur.
As the Herald reported this morning, there is no current formal challenger but there is a group of MPs who no longer support Luxon as leader.
While they may be privately raising questions about Luxon’s leadership, they may not have the numbers to successfully roll him.
Asked about recent polls, some of which have National below 30%, Luxon said if an election was held today, the Government would be re-elected.
While recent polls show the centre-right bloc, consisting of National, Act and NZ First, have a majority of seats, National’s individual result has slumped. That could mean a substantial number of its MPs losing their jobs.
“National has work to do, no doubt about it, and we’re well aware of that, and that’s what we’re working hard to do,” Luxon said.
He said the party needed to “focus on the issues that are important to New Zealanders”.
“At the moment the only issue that’s important to them is the cost of living.
“That’s why actually repairing our economy and making sure we’re doing everything to get New Zealand through another crisis, with this fuel crisis, is so important.
“We know it will damage inflation and growth, but we want to be able to get through this crisis and pop up the other side incredibly well.”
The Herald also revealed this morning that National’s senior whip Stuart Smith, whose job it is to act as a conduit between the caucus and the leadership, tried to contact Luxon about ructions in caucus in the last week of the most recent sitting bloc.
Luxon could not be contacted by Smith, sources said. This meant Smith could not relay the information to Luxon, which may have triggered the process for his potential departure as leader, sources said.
Smith did get in touch with National deputy leader Nicola Willis, who is believed to still be in Luxon’s camp and does not favour change. One ally said that getting in touch with Willis was as good as contacting the Prime Minister.
Luxon on Friday said he was with Smith on Tuesday in north Canterbury and concerns were not raised. The meeting Smith sought was about two weeks before that visit.
A spokesperson for the Prime Minister earlier said: “The PM has a busy diary, but is always available to MPs. He spent the day with Stuart on Tuesday”.
The spokesperson would not address specific questions about the matters that sources discussed with the Herald.
Earlier, Chris Bishop, who has been rumoured as a potential leadership candidate, told Mike Hosking on Newstalk ZB he wouldn’t be the National leader before the election.
He described speculation as “untidy and unhelpful”.
Asked to rule out being involved in a coup or putting pressure on the Prime Minister to resign, he responded: “I am not trying to upend the party. That is not happening ... There is no coup happening. I am trying to fix the RMA”.
However, he also admitted, “everyone wants us to do better”.
“That is a statement of reality. People want us to do better and I know the Prime Minister wants us to do better as well.”
Other ministers came into bat for Luxon, including Mark Mitchell, Paul Goldsmith and Todd McClay.
Mitchell told Ryan Bridge on Herald NOW: “I am rock solid behind our leader, Chris Luxon. He is doing a bloody great job for us as a country”.
Goldsmith sent a message to nervous National MPs: “Hold your nerve, knuckle down and we are going to do well”.
McClay said Luxon had his “absolute undying support”.