In the wake of the not-so-great polls that came out yesterday, there is a column by Andrea Vance - who I am name-checking because she's good and credible, and not just some junior reporter with an opinion.
In her column, she predicts that Luxon is in trouble, that his caucus is getting impatient, that speculation about his leadership has reached fever pitch - and that if it doesn't improve, she is not sure that he's going to be the one leading the National Party at election time this time next year.
Now, if this is really what National MPs are considering, they should ditch that idea immediately because Luxon's not their problem.
I mean, he is a problem. There's no debate that with personal popularity sitting at about 20 percent, he is a drag on the National Party - but he is not their actual problem.
Their actual problem is that the economy is stuffed and that they haven't yet figured out what to do to fix it, even though they've had 18 months.
And it really doesn't matter who the leader is, whether it's Nicola or Chris Bishop, or Erica, or Mark Mitchell or Golden Balls, it doesn't matter. They still will not have a plan for the economy.
Now, if they're worried about their polling right now, they should try playing the game of musical leadership chairs and see what happens to their polling then, because they're still not going to have a plan for the economy - but then they'll also have voters feeling like it's a shambles up the top in the Beehive and not sure what's going on there.
Yes, they have a problem and yes, you can see it in the polls. So fix it. Come up with a solution. Come up with a credible plan for fixing the economy now and into the future.
That is where the Nats should be directing their energy, not into undermining Chris Luxon.
Heather du Plessis-Allan is a journalist and commentator who hosts Newstalk ZB's Drive show HERE - where this article was sourced.
17 comments:
And fix the continuing introduction and promised removal of legislation by ethnicity. There’s many waiting to see which way Luxon goes. At this stage he seems to think all NZ’ers need to be indoctrinated in Māori spiritual tribal ways.
Give us a break! If he wants to pursue that line personally, that’s his decision but leave the rest of us alone.
Luxon won't be rolled, who would want his job?
Every week he answers the same mindless questions from a press corp which (with a few exceptions) couldn't run a party in a brewery.
Luxon has repeated his plan for the economy, a plan so simple that anyone with a smidgen of economic nous (and bravery) could have written for them. A plan which will set nz up for a prosperous future.
Why Simple? Because after 100 years of modern economic management, there is nothing new.
Just as we knew the Clark advised Arderns self enrichment scheme would kill hundreds of thousands of Kiwis (I saw a headline this morning about nzs underfunded heart health capability), we also know Lyxons plan will, after the necessary pain, fix the economy.
Why is it so difficult to find NZ reporters capable of more fhan unintelligent gossip?
Rhat said, Ryan Bridge wrote a good article today on newstalk, one worth reading.
Andrea Vance is good and credible? Seriously? Vance is a nasty, potty mouthed ex News of the World "journalist", whose stories/opinions are as reliable as listening to Hamas talk about Israel or Jerry Adam's talk about Northern Ireland.
I am trying to find where National promised to fix the economy in 18 months. Heather keeps on repeating it so perhaps she can help?
Just a little point, Heather:- In my opinion, Andrea Vance is not good and not credible. Her track record is that she is waspish and biased.
national have two problems
1. a bald white guy as leader - the media like bald brown guys with 6 packs
2. a finance minister who isnt on target
maybe they should swap roles - then the sisters would have less to hate in the PM and her red herrings, and ignore the finance minister because, well, its math
David Seymour for prime minister!
Heather dear, you mean you need to "check" Andrea Vance? Nasty little Ardern fan. First, public is always impatient of planned legislation and think the worst. Things take t i m e .... And second.... its easy to assume MPs are unaware of rising anger [like Maori issues] and do not see a strategy behind apparent indifference.
The Bills being put through Parliament regularly are so insipid they do not break through to the voters .NZ need the issues we care about debated into law . 1. MACA Seabed and Foreshore put back into the Crown forever. 2) Removal of the Maori Seats ,
3) Ministeries of Auckland, South Island , Women , Pacific Islands , Numerous Maori ministeries for starters. 4) Remove NZ from the Paris Accord. 5) Scrap Zero Carbon .
National and the coalition would romp in with a majority in the next 2026 election it is so simple .
Problem is National are wanting the centre and unfortunately NZ is skewed left, which results in what would ordinarily be the unfathomable: that Labour has gained support, yet done nothing, and who are responsible for hobbling NZ, and will continue to roll out the same poor policies that will eventually fully divide and cripple NZ.
Lemmings.
Basil you have said it.!
Well said, Basil !!
The role of PM also has an international dimension as really NZ's "Head of State". I think Luxon has been comfortable in this role and I have doubts that National has someone else who looks ready to represent the country on the World stage. Chris Hipkins as PM was munching on sausage rolls and going on about being working class which by all accounts was a mighty stretching of facts.
Basil is pretty close. The economy is an issue but it cannot be fixed because the limits to growth have come to the fore. Balanced is totally wrong as the old economic models are passing into irrelevance as a result. The new game will be survival as this World is becoming a hard place to do this. Immediate tough love on the racist, Marxist separatists is needed and equality for all not equity is needed. Luxon will never understand this in a fit but he is not alone, so I just hope someone who understands what real leadership consists of is lurking in the wings.
Lack of improvement of economy is one reason, but another bigger reason is too slow roll back of racist policies.
We are all New Zealanders, getting in a separatist huff about some % of your genetic makeup while ignoring the rest is mad 🤦♂️
The 2011 MACA Amendment Bill will pass in October. Wait for the Maori protest over this - maybe much more than a mere hikoi.
We need so many things done to set NZ on the right track. The social order is under attack on too many fronts, all the way from gender issues, crime issues to racial issues, health issues, education issues, infrastructure and so on. I may have missed some items? The NZ economy has been in a deep freeze for how many years? And all parties have done damage, again on too many fronts. Our energy systems are skating on really thin ice – otherwise why has the Huntly power station been extended for another 10 years or so, to stabilise the electricity system. The leadership in all parties cannot get to grips with the need to act on a bipartisan basis for the most pressing needs.
While all of our news today focuses on the Green party leader who has spat the dummy. All to make her own headlines.
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