Election 2023: Christopher Luxon grilled by Northland residents on National working with Winston Peters

Labour has come out swinging on the back of National fearing a second election may be required if it couldn’t reach a deal with New Zealand First.

“National’s campaign is falling apart and Christopher Luxon’s bad judgment has been sorely exposed,” Labour’s Grant Robertson said.

“They have introduced chaos into the last week of the campaign by saying they could force a second election rather than work with NZ First - after saying for weeks they would work with NZ First,” Robertson said.

“A second election or a chaotic government relying on Winston Peters would be another knock to our economy, just when it’s turning a corner and inflation is coming down.”

On the campaign trail in Northland, Luxon has fielded questions from people concerned about NZ First’s Peters.

Starting his day at a Kerikeri retirement village, Luxon was asked by resident Rhonda Blackie about how he would cope with Peters.

The National leader immediately trotted out his usual comments - his preference for a National/Act government, how he’ll call Peters if he has to - so much so that he talked over Blackie a few times.

Once able to speak, Blackie asked how would he cope if he was unable to avoid working with Peters.

“I’ll make it work,” Luxon replied.

Blackie later told reporters she felt a bit “over-talked”.

National leader Christopher Luxon talks to residents at a Kerikeri retirement village about his party working with NZ First. Photo / Adam Pearse

“I just feel like it’s going to be a problem,” she said of Peters possibly returning to government.

She was more worried about National’s chances in the 2026 election, if Peters was involved in the next term.

Polls show it is increasingly likely National will need both NZ First and Act to form a government, despite National leader Luxon’s pleas to voters to deliver a clear two-party hand to him.

National’s campaign chair Chris Bishop said there was a scenario in which the left and right blocs got 60 seats all - “that chance is a real one and growing”.

“The second scenario is when there is essentially a hung Parliament and NZ First is in the middle, but it is just impossible to do a deal between National, Act and NZ First. That is a very real and growing possibility and that would necessitate, essentially, a second election,” Bishop said.

“We are concerned there would be an inability to strike a deal in the interests of the country.

“We will pick up the phone if we have to and try to make it work. But there is a real possibility of the necessity of a second election and it’s a growing one, unless people cast a strong vote for change.”

Kerikeri residents Linda Geor and Nigel Edmiston asked similar questions.

They later told the Herald they were not fans of Peters.

“I think he just looks after himself,” Geor said.

Edmonton didn’t believe Labour leader Chris Hipkins or Peters when they said they wouldn’t work with each other.

Asked about the potential of a second election, Edmiston said it was concerning.

“That wouldn’t be good for [National], I think Labour will get some votes from that.”

Former National MP and former Far North mayor John Carter joined Luxon and Northland candidate Grant McCallum on the visit.

Carter proved very helpful, bringing Luxon a glass of water as he talked with residents.

Former Far North mayor John Carter gets a glass of water for National's Christopher Luxon. Photo / Adam Pearse

Luxon remarked how he’d make a good Air New Zealand flight attendant.

In Auckland, Labour leader Hipkins has been serving ice creams out of a Mr Whippy truck.

In the Herald’s Poll of Polls, there is currently a 60 per cent probability National and Act will have to come to an agreement with NZ First to get the 61 seats needed to govern.

There is a 26 per cent chance of a hung Parliament, in which National and Act have 60 seats, and the remaining parties also have 60 seats. If National could not do a deal and Labour and NZ First refused to negotiate in that scenario, neither side could govern and a second election would be required.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins serves ice cream from a Mr Whippy truck in Takapuna. Photo / Alex Burton

NZ First leader Peters said such comments amounted to treating voters with contempt and there was no need for such “scaremongering.”

“These very concerning comments must be an unfortunate misunderstanding because suggesting the National Party would start scaremongering and threatening to ignore the will of the people on election day and ignore the need of our country to form a stable government would be highly troubling to voters,” Peters said.

“It is telling voters National would instead enforce another costly election on the nation purely because of their own political expediency.”

He said Bishop was clearly realising a “surge” was on for NZ First.

“Mr Bishop don’t panic, help is on its way.”

Yesterday, Labour leader Chris Hipkins repeated his vow that he would not form a government with NZ First. “The country is fed up by being held to ransom by Winston Peters, so if you don’t want that to happen, give your vote to Labour.”

Peters has also repeated his promise that NZ First will not work with Labour after the election.

Claire Trevett is the NZ Herald’s political editor, based at Parliament in Wellington. She started at the Herald in 2003 and joined the Press Gallery team in 2007. She is a life member of the Parliamentary Press Gallery.