Dr Bryce Edwards: Democracy Briefing - Luxon Vs the rebel MPs

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon goes into his weekly National Party Caucus meeting tomorrow to try to put an end to the insurgent rebellion against his leadership. He will walk out either still leader, or not. There is no longer a third option where everyone pretends nothing is happening.

It’s become clearer that there is now a rebel group of National MPs pushing for a change of leadership, and they’re clearly willing to keep leaking to the media about Luxon. It’s therefore ceased being credible for Luxon and his supporters to pretend the caucus is rock solidly behind him or that leadership speculation is a media invention.

Mike's Minute: National's internal stirrers need to quieten down

You know exactly how today is going to go.

The Prime Minister does the media rounds this morning. There will be no shortage of cortisol spiked journalists hanging off every word, double dissecting every pause and utterance—many of them desperate to write something disparaging about a man they’ve already decided they dislike.

I wouldn’t be Luxon for quids. He’s been dealt a sh*t hand.

Dr Bryce Edwards: Democracy Briefing - Luxon in limbo

Another month, another round of coup talk, another testy press conference in which Prime Minister Christopher Luxon assures the country he has “the full support of my caucus.” He managed to state the line nine times yesterday in a chaotic six-minute press conference, Stuff political editor Jenna Lynch noted. Her observation was dry: “Those are words a politician always tries to say confidently, but if they’re having to say them it’s often not true.”

Cam Slater: The Coming National Coup

Like most National leaders, no one could ever accuse Luxon of having convictions or believing in anything other than he should be running things.

Christopher Luxon’s continued bad numbers mean the National Party is now seriously talking about replacing him as leader. Sources inside caucus say that Luxon has three months to turn around his numbers, connect with the public and save his career.

John Porter: A Coup by Stealth

Were you worried about 3 Waters?

Were you worried about a separate Maori health authority?

Were you worried about The Canterbury Regional Council (Ngai Tahu Representation) Bill?

Were you deeply worried about Co-Governance?

I have good news for you!

NZCPR Newsletter: Coup in New Zealand

Finally, the mainstream media is reporting that a coup is underway in New Zealand - by the Maori tribal elite.

Admittedly that observation was penned by former Labour Minister and ACT Party leader Richard Prebble in an opinion piece for the Herald - but the newspaper published it and RadioNZ reported it.

The on-line Herald headline read, “Three Waters is a coup — an attack on democracy”.

That bold and compelling headline, however, didn’t last. It was changed to remove the words “a coup” and now reads: “Three Waters is an attack on democracy”.

Point of Order: Govt gives each council another $350,000 (of our money) to get Three Waters flowing – and win their support for its coup

Three Waters reforms – the subject of widespread disquiet around the country – was among the issues tackled by Ministers with new initiatives over the past 24 hours.

So too was the vexed issue of housing.

Hundreds of millions of dollars are being pumped into both problems. Or should that be “challenges”?