Perspective with Andrew Dickens: The story of the scapegoat

So it's the story that swamped the country this week. And since I have not been on the radio really until today, this is my first, but also my last word about it.

Despite Christopher Luxon's win, there is obviously a significant part of his team that have little confidence in him. It's strongest amongst the backbenchers who can see their list seats evaporating, but it's also present in the front bench no matter what they say. And that is on the Prime Minister. Because all coups happen when MPs lose confidence in their leaders' messaging.

Ryan Bridge: There's no golden outcome for Luxon's leadership contest

Here's how this morning is going to play out.

At 9:30am, any member of National's caucus can call a no-confidence vote in Luxon's leadership.

The party's constitution calls these guys the Parliamentary Section.

They vote. It's majority rules. If there's a vacancy, i.e. if Luxon is goneburger, then they elect a new leader or leaders.

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Things are not looking good for Chris Luxon

Well, as I warned you last night, they are coming for him again. The roll is on for Christopher Luxon.

I didn't think it was going to happen this fast, but I knew it was going to happen. After I got off the radio last night at 7 o'clock, it ramped up, Thomas Coughlan wrote a piece late in the evening for the Herald confirming that National MPs were again phoning each other about his leadership.

Ryan Bridge: Luxon's leadership is in question, yet again

Here we go again.

For the second time this year, there's a story in the media about National MPs doing the numbers on Luxon.

At least one of them is talking to Thomas Coughlan at the Herald.

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: No-one was asking for an MMP referendum

Yeah, well, if Chris Luxon's week wasn't already bad, it's not much better.

Not after he apparently announced off the cuff on ZB Mornings with Kerre that he's going to hold an MMP referendum if he wins the election.

Now, where do I start with the problems with him doing this?

Ryan Bridge: Luxon blindsiding his colleagues puts him in a tough position

Christopher Luxon's going rogue.

The risk when making constitutional policy pronouncements 92 days out from an election, blindsiding your colleagues and diverting attention from your key messaging, is that you look erratic.

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: We've got to stop nitpicking legitimate uses of Defence Force flights

Well, I've come back from holiday to find Christopher Luxon having the week from hell, haven't I? The small business comments, the Winston Peters "go back to where you came from" comments and now Choppergate.

The latest with Choppergate, by the way, is that the event Chris Luxon was telling Mike Hosking about on Monday, where he finished up in Whanganui at 10:30 and then had to get back to Auckland, was in fact a National Party fundraiser.

Ryan Bridge: Is it too late for the Nats to roll Luxon?

The battle for the right and centre-right vote is the most interesting thing about the election.

Because it's the battle that will determine who wears the pants in the next government.

I'm still of the view that the coalition will be re-elected. The make-up of the cabinet is what they're now fighting for.

Ryan Bridge: David Brent strikes again

Did you see the news Prime Minister's pep talk to business leaders on Friday?

The business chamber boss said Rotorua's had its sharpest fall in business confidence in a decade, and business are wondering how long they can actually stay in business.

Luxon's reply is what got people talking.

Ryan Bridge: My thoughts on Luxon's reshuffle

The American President's doing a live presser today on his war.

The Australian Prime Minister's just wrapped a live address to the nation on the oil shock.

And here, our Prime Minister is making his own announcement about a cabinet reshuffle.

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Should we be outraged at the dinner charging $10k to sit with Luxon?

Right, let’s talk about the National Party accidentally letting slip that they’re selling tables at a dinner with Christopher Luxon.

The story is that the Mainland Dinner will be held in Christchurch next month and if you have a few thousand dollars spare, you can go along.

Clive Bibby: Luxon’s last hurrah or a defining moment of his leadership

It is interesting to note how events in New Zealand politics over the years have either saved the bacon of a leader under pressure or simply added to the reason’s for his or her inevitable downfall.

For example, Muldoon was able to manipulate the 1981 Springbok Tour in a way that extended his administration’s time on the Treasury benches by another 3 years. 

Barrie Davis: The Leadership of President Trump

Donald Trump, now in his second presidency, is doing what he was elected to do by putting his country first. No longer prepared to be fettered by bureaucracy, he has already issued hundreds of executive orders which are intended to remove the waste and make America great again. While the contrary Supreme Court is trying to stop him and the subversive media is trying to vilify him, the erstwhile exploited Americans are liking Trump.

Heather du Plessis-Allan: Luxon has made the right call re Waitangi

Christopher Luxon’s made the right call not going to Waitangi next year. 

He's probably going to cop it from the press gallery for being a wuss but most of us have been around long enough to see the logic in this. 

We know by now that Waitangi is volatile and unpredictable at the best of times. You can cop a dildo in the face for doing nothing. 

Barry Soper: My politician of the year

THREE KEY FACTS

• Christopher Luxon became 42nd Prime Minister in November 2023.
• He was elected to Parliament in October 2020.
• Luxon was the CEO of Air NZ from 2012 to 2019.

As the year draws to an end spare a thought of what life must be like for Christopher Luxon.

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Luxon's corporate speak is not a big deal

The latest thing that isn't a big deal but will have a big deal made of it - because it's the Prime Minister - is that Chris Luxon has called us voters 'customers'.

He did it in a sit down interview where he was asked about being seen as out of touch, and he was saying he was because he talks to people all the time. He said -“It’s been a belief system of mine, talk to the customer, to the public, to the people and the voters."

Barry Soper: Luxon shouldn't be vilified for his wealth

The late Michael Cullen let the veil slip when he glared across Parliament's debating chamber in December 2007 and labelled the then Opposition leader John Key 'a rich prick,' adding 'scumbag,' as presumably he thought rich people were. As such, Key should never have been the Prime Minister.  

Well, that appears to be the feeling in this country - where wealth seems to be something to denigrate rather than being seen as something to aspire to and celebrate, and that's sad.

Heather du Plessis-Allan: Luxon is being treated unfairly

I’m loathe to keep talking about this, but I think Chris Luxon is being treated really unfairly on the sale of his apartment. 

And because he’s being treated so unfairly, it’s hard to avoid saying something. 

The latest instalment on this is a series of articles pointing out that Chris Luxon would’ve paid up to $70 thousand in tax on the sale of his apartment if it wasn’t for his government changing the bright-line test rules. 

Heather du Plessis-Allan: We have a fascination with prime ministers and their money

We've got a fascination with prime ministers and their money, it turns out.  

Last night 1News did the calculation that Christopher Luxon stands to make $480,000 off the sale of his apartment in Wellington —he's moving out because he's going over to Premier House— and also a rental property that he's selling in South Auckland.  

Now the implication of the story was that Christopher Luxon's making too much money off these properties, and he should be taxed.  

Barry Soper: Luxon needs to become more relatable

It's not much shy of a year ago that Chris Luxon signed the warrant to become New Zealand's 42nd Prime Minister.

Having been congratulated by the Governor General at Government House in Wellington, the gathered throng applauded.

That's when the show was over and the real work began.