Christopher Luxon is facing declining popularity and challenges within his party as National’s polling drops.
TVNZ’s poll showed Luxon is the least popular PM since Jim Bolger 30 years ago.
National Party president Sylvia Wood said voters aren’t seeing Luxon’s “humanity”.
Let’s not beat about the bush: things aren’t looking good for Christopher Luxon.
Never a particularly popular Leader of the Opposition, he was not elected on a wave of personal and party popularity like Sir John Key in 2008 or Dame Jacinda Ardern in 2017. He was alwaysthe only other option for an electorate that wanted a change from a tired Labour Government.
But things have turned worse in the last few months. In TVNZ’s poll, Luxon is the least popular Prime Minister since Jim Bolger 30 years ago. Plenty of National MPs could be looking for a job in a little more than a year’s time, as National’s polling falls and Labour rises.
Luxon spent enough time in corporate management to know that a CEO delivering numbers like that is in danger of getting the chop. He also likes to boast of his credentials in doing “turnaround jobs”.
Well, he needs one now. So, how can Luxon get his Prime Ministership “back on track”?
It’s the economy, stupid
New Zealand’s economy isn’t just bad – it’s one of the worst in the developed world. We had a deep recession last year; other countries did not. And we’re looking at round two. Partly, that’s due to the Government suddenly cancelling, delaying or scaling back a bunch of infrastructure work, which contributed to the large loss of construction jobs. Partially, it’s soaring energy prices killing our manufacturing sector.
You can launch all the policies with energetic names like Investment Boost and Going for Growth you like; it doesn’t matter if none of them move the needle. You spend your time trying to blame Labour for spending during a pandemic, while borrowing even more yourself for tax cuts; it doesn’t create a single job.
You can’t spin away a crisis. It’s time to take this seriously. Increase government investment and fix the energy shortage.
Talk to us like adults
You can practically hear the groans across the suburbs each Monday morning as Luxon whines “well, what I would just say to you is” before repeating the same old talking points on his weekly media round.
You’re not trying to sell us soap, Mr Luxon. Show us you have a brain and treat us like we have brains, too. Give us genuine, considered thoughts and answers on the issues facing New Zealand.
Is Christopher Luxon looking likely to be the first National Prime Minister to last only one term? Photo / Mark Mitchell
Have a heart
Before the National Party conference, party president Sylvia Wood said the problem is voters aren’t seeing Luxon’s “humanity”. I agree.
It’s hard to see the humanity when he labels poor New Zealanders as “bottom-feeders”, scraps the pay equity process for 180,000 low-income workers and restricts access to emergency housing.
If he is a humane guy, it’s time to show it. As a Christian, Luxon must know Matthew 7:16: “By their deeds you will know them.”
Spend more time at home
When Luxon said he was going to be a Prime Minister who didn’t spend a lot of time inside the Wellington beltway, I don’t think many of us realised just how far away he planned to be.
I’m a man who likes to travel, but Luxon is taking it too far. At least one overseas trip a month, often on some pretty thin premises (what was he doing in Papua New Guinea the other week?) and with very little to show for it in diplomatic outcomes.
Spend less time in the Koru Club and more time at the desk.
Don’t be afraid to change direction
No one could accuse Luxon and his ministers of lacking self-confidence. They’ve ripped up ferry contracts, water reforms, light rail plans, the state house building programme, the RMA Act, the NCEA and more – all with the blithe assumption that they’ll come up with something better.
It’s not exactly working out great, eh?
Maybe it’s time to revisit some of those impulsive decisions. Maybe it wasn’t a great idea to borrow $14 billion for tax cuts and increase the Government’s debt. Maybe, it’s time to have the humility to adopt some of the Opposition’s ideas, rather than reflexively scoffing at them.
Pull the minor parties into line
Luxon failed from the start to exert any authority over Act and New Zealand First’s ministers. Casey Costello’s dealings with tobacco companies should’ve seen her sacked. Karen Chhour’s bootcamps disgrace would normally see the portfolio taken off her. Luxon’s done nothing.
Yeah, Winston Peters and David Seymour can threaten to pull down the Government if Luxon disciplines their ministers. But would they? It would cost them more than him. Have some guts – look them in the eye and see who blinks first.
All is not lost for Luxon. But he’s looking more and more likely to be the first National PM to last only one term, or less, unless he changes his ways.
