The move is a reversal of a previous regulation brought in by the former Labour-led Government which stopped “no-cause” evictions.
This morning, Luxon started by saying said his thoughts are with the people who have lost their jobs, especially in the media, in what has been a tumultuous week for the industry.
He is not thinking about taking Melissa Lee’s portfolio off her at this stage, he said.
Luxon said he is making sure the government is working towards solutions to help the companies. He would not divulge the details of his talks with Lee but denied stopping her from speaking out.
“What we are focusing on is what we can do to help media companies navigating a [difficult media landscape]”.
And he said his upcoming trip to meet with south-east Asian leaders is “really important”.
On Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters in the US, he said he was impressed on his drive to “deepen the relationship” with the United States, a key ally for New Zealand.
“We need to say New Zealand is open for business,” Luxon said.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon addresses media in Auckland today. Photo / NZME
He said there is a large opportunity for New Zealand to strengthen its relationship with the rest of the world. The visits ongoing and about to happen is a branch of this.
The Prime Minister was also very vocal about strengthening the relationship with India as it is the most populous country in the world.
The joint declaration with the US that will be released today, Luxon said he was not worried about offending China.
Luxon also spoke on AUCUS pillar two, he said it will be an ongoing discussion. Todd McClay has told media outlets they are interested in joining, but Luxon argued they’re position is the same as the last governments.
“It’s important we deepen and broaden all relationships with all countries [in the Indo-Pacific],” Luxon said.
Luxon also said he had been talking to Australian investors about using the private sector to advance investments in New Zealand.
He disputed claims Auckland water rates will rise after the scrapping Three Waters.
On the weather in the South Island, he said his teams are monitoring it “very closely”.
“The minister is all over it,” Luxon said.
He was asked questions about the Waitangi tribunal and Oranga Tamariki, and he said the children’s safety was above everything else. This was in response to questions about 7AA, which says the Treaty of Waitangi should always be tied to how Oranga Tamariki operates and a Maori child should also be tied to its heritage. “It does not matter about the race of the child,” Luxon claimed.
On puberty blockers, he said the Ministry of Health will be looking at the implications of other country’s decisions on our country.
When Luxon was asked if he had lost control of his coalition he said “no not at all” before leaving the press conference abruptly.
Legislation is expected to be passed by the end of the year to strip back many of the tenancy changes that had been made.
Housing Minister Chris Bishop has said this Government’s changes were “pro-tenant” as it would make landlords more likely to invest in the sector, and create more rental supply. This, in turn, would help reign in rising rents.
“The previous Government waged a war on landlords. Many landlords told us this caused them to exit the rental market altogether,” Bishop said earlier.
His visit to Thailand will be the first dedicated visit by a New Zealand Prime Minister since 2013, while the visit to the Philippines will be the first in 14 years.
“Southeast Asia is a region that is more crucial than ever to our prosperity and our security. I look forward to meeting my counterparts and seeing firsthand what more we can do to deepen our relationships,” Luxon said last week.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will soon be heading to Southeast Asia. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Luxon said 10 per cent of New Zealand exports went to SE Asia, valued at $9.1b, and the region’s economy was increasing faster than just about anywhere in the world.
The Prime Minister’s trip will start in Singapore, which he called “one of our largest sources of foreign investment”, before continuing to Thailand, then on to the Philippines.
“New Zealand is home to over 100,000 Filipinos. This will be the first dedicated visit by a New Zealand Prime Minister to the Philippines in the past 14 years,” he said earlier.
“Continuing to foster our global relationships can only benefit the New Zealand economy and I intend to pursue these relationships in Southeast Asia and around the world. This Government is determined to deliver on our plan to rebuild the economy so Kiwis can get ahead again and strengthening our trade and business connections with the world is an important part of that.”
