Luxon‘s strategy is to let his ministers do the talking.
He says his strength is picking his team.
And there's good reason. He has competent ministers. Finance, justice, police, education, Chris Bishop. Todd McLay on trade.
Nicola Willis has taken control of the fuel crisis, which is his Covid.
But as a voter, this leaves a power of vacuum at the top.
Luxon has been cutting back media appearances. And when he does appear, performances the haven’t been great, by his own omission.
If Winston polls at 12% on election day, or higher, New Zealand First MP could make up a quarter of the cabinet.
That’s why we met Alfred Ngaro yesterday, because he was a minister. That’s also why Winston was looking at Stuart Nash, although that looks to be a dead duck after the unfortunate comments about women's genitalia.
The most powerful part of Winston's pitch to voters yesterday was not so much the policies, which we knew about, as it was experience.
In a time of crisis, as we battle international headwinds, experience matters.
It didn’t hurt did it came from a foreign minister who's been round since Moses was a linebacker.
Now, if you're voter, and you think the National leader is a a bit too much MIA. Or NA.
Then you're left thinking about picking a cabinet, not necessarily the one man or woman to lead them all .
And if Winston wields the power, and Luxon knows his failure in leadership is communication, what would be the harm in a year of two, during the next term of this coalition, of Winston Peters as Prime minister.
Luxon political strategy creates a certain power of vacuum, and Winston would, I'm sure, be more than happy to fill it.
Ryan Bridge is a New Zealand broadcaster who has worked on many current affairs television and radio shows. He currently hosts Newstalk ZB's Early Edition - where this article was sourced.
2 comments:
2026 is NZ's most serious election ever. The 3 Right parties must find accommodation early to win another mandate. Other plans are evident already: a Nat/Lab. grand alliance?
Greens somewhere in the mix ( with their horror tax policy as a bargaining chip)? Voters must follow developments closely.
Something must happen fast if NZ is to survive. 2 major messages: 1.one democratic nation based on citizen equality ( = not an 2-tier ethnocracy); 2. a dynamic NZ economy based on expertise, innovation and work (= not a declining state - low birth rate, excessive immigration to fill the basic work force and fund the unsustainable benefits bill and automatic premature superannnuation cost .)
Huge agenda - must be tackled. Otherwise NZ will be a failed 3rd world state at the end of the world.
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