Prime Minister survives second attempted ‘spill ‘in four months

Neil Sands

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on Wednesday survived his second confidence vote in four months, insisting he still has the National Party caucus’ full support as an election loom on November 7.

Luxon forced the vote, calling an urgent in-person caucus meeting at the Beehive for Wednesday morning after acknowledging “increased speculation about my leadership”. The move followed poor polling and a string of gaffes from the former Air New Zealand chief executive, including flagging potential new taxes, ruling out a potential coalition with the Opportunity Party and committing on-the-fly to a referendum about whether to retain MMP.

After more than three hours, Luxon emerged from the showdown victorious, addressing reporters flanked by key National figures including party president Sylvia Wood, Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith. The coterie around the podium also included Education Minister Erica Standford and Attorney-General Chris Bishop, who before the meeting were both rumoured to be part of the group looking to replace Luxon.

The Prime Minister followed the same strategy employed after the last confidence vote in April, making a short statement to media, then abruptly turning his back and departing without taking questions or revealing how the numbers played out, leaving the public in the dark about how fulsome Luxon’s support among his caucus colleagues really is.

Here is the Prime Minister’s statement in full:

“We are going into this election with some very serious issues at stake for New Zealand. We think we have made tremendous progress as a government, rebuilding economic growth, financial discipline, restoring law and order, and certainly strengthening education and healthcare. But we also acknowledge that we have a lot more to do. Our plan to fix the basics and to build the future is a positive plan, a very positive plan to help New Zealand realise the innate potential that it has.

“There was a confidence vote in my leadership this morning at our caucus meeting, and I have the full support of our caucus. Our caucus is united and it is determined to win this election.

Our focus is on National’s positive plan to fix the basics and to build the future, so that we realise the incredible potential that sits in this country and that we set it up for our kids and our grandkids, so they can do better than we can.

“It’s also an opportunity to frame the choice for voters, which is crystal clear on November 7 – an Opposition that wants to take New Zealand backwards, or a National government that wants to fix the basics and build the future with a plan that takes New Zealand forward.

“With that, I want to say, ‘thanks, everyone, we’re going back to work and we’re moving on’.”