Election 2023: Winston is in - National leader Christopher Luxon will pick up the phone to NZ First leader Winston Peters if he really needs to
National Party leader Christopher Luxon has made it clear that he will cut a deal with NZ First leader Winston Peters if he has to – ending months of refusing to say whether he will rule NZ First in or out.
Luxon set out his position on NZ First in a social media video in which he also makes a pitch for disillusioned Labour voters and urges voters not to assume it is a foregone conclusion National will be in government after election day.
Audrey Young: Luxon under pressure to state the obvious
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OPINION:
National leader Christopher Luxon had three realistic choices when it came to a pre-election position on Winston Peters and his New Zealand First Party, but he cornered himself.
First, Luxon could have ruled him out of a future National-led government.
Second, he could have continued what he was doing until today, which was implicitly ruling him in, by refusing to rule him out.
Or he could have ruled him in, reluctantly, which is what he did, with a preference to working in coalition with Act.
Read more here:
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National would be on 49 seats, Act would get 11. They would need NZ First's 6 seats to get over the line.
Labour would get 33 seats on those numbers, the Greens would get 18 MPs, a record caucus, and Te Pāti Māori would get 3 seats.
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In a dramatic reversal, National's Christopher Luxon has shot past Chris Hipkins in the preferred prime minister takes. He is on 24 percent, up 1.5 points. Hipkins has fallen 3.4 points to 19.1 per cent.
It is the first time since the government changed in 2017 that a National leader is ahead of Labour.
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In seat terms, that would give National and Act 60 seats, they would need NZ First to govern.
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Crucially, NZ First is up 1.9 points to 5.2 per cent - enough to enter Parliament.
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The Greens have risen 1.9 points to 14.2 per cent, one of their best poll performances.
Act has fallen 1.3 points to 8.8 per cent.
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National has fallen only slightly, down to 39.1 per cent, down 1.8 points.
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Labour's tumble has continued in the latest Newshub-Reid Research poll, it is down to 26.5 per cent, a tiny slide of 0.3 per cent.
Hipkins on China, Brexit and what Mark Mitchell got up to in Iraq
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Labour leader and Prime Minister Chris Hipkins was frank that New Zealand’s traditional security arrangements” put New Zealand “at odds with China on a pretty regular basis”.
Hipkins said stressed that New Zealand had a strong trade relationship with China and the best way to approach the complicated relationship was to “be predictable”.
He made the remarks to The Rest is Politics, a popular British political podcast hosted by Alastair Campbell, known for the variety of communications roles he held under former UK Labour leader and Prime Minister Tony Blair, and former MP Rory Stewart, who served as a Cabinet Minister under former Prime Minister Theresa May. Stewart later stood for the leadership of the Conservative Party, and therefore the role of Prime Minister, when May resigned, but lost to Boris Johnson.
Read more here:
On the Campaign: Why Luxon, Hipkins only have a few days left to win your vote
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The election campaign still has 20 days to go, but this week marks the “business end” of the campaign that could be the last chance to woo over voters.
Advanced voting for some disabled New Zealanders and those living overseas opens on Wednesday, before early voting kicks off from Monday.
NZ Herald deputy political editor Thomas Coughlan told On the Campaign, the Herald’s daily election podcast, that means this week is a big one for all parties.
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An amnesty for overstayers would be granted “in the first 100 days if we are re-elected”, said Labour’s Carmel Sepuloni.
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Heather du Plessis-Allan, Jordan Williams, Phil O’Reilly and Richard Hills thrash out the big political issues in the lead-up to the election.
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Labour's $1.1 billion election promise for a new hospital in Hawke's Bay is "desperate", says Catherine Wedd, the National Party's Tukituki candidate.
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Labour, the Green Party, NZ First and The Opportunities Party (TOP) have all pledged to fund free screening, while Act opposes the spending.
Hipkins with supporters in New Plymouth
Natasha Gordon
Hipkins at Len Lye art gallery, with supporters outside.
Labour climate 'manifesto'
Natasha Gordon
Labour has unveiled a “manifesto” for how the party plans to tackle climate change – including a new ministerial post, removing diesel generators from schools and pumping $300m more into NZ Green Investment Finance.
Read the full story here:
Luxon brings up military boot camps
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Christopher Luxon’s next stop while visiting Huntly was a food shop that had had multiple ram raids in recent months.
He was told Huntly hadn’t seen much investment, and again more local police on the beat was a theme.
They had cameras and alarms set up that would go off at 3am.
“Most of the time we never heard back [from police],” one staffer said.
There had been a community meeting on a local marae that was helpful and tried to steer young people towards work.
Luxon talked about the military boot camps National wanted for recidivist young offenders.
Previous programmes under National have been criticised as having 80 per cent reoffending, but Luxon has said his programme would be better.
The side of the shop has a smashed glass window from a recent break-in.
Staff at the shop, the Fruit King, said it was young teenagers who had nothing better to do.
'There’s a sense of lawlessness in rural towns'
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Next was a clothing shop, where Christopher Luxon was told that business was slow as people tended to head to Hamilton.
“There’s a sense of lawlessness in rural towns,” the owner told Luxon.
He said a police station in town, or the presence of two cops on the local beat would make a difference.
“We used to have it.”
He had heard a lot of police time was taken up with domestic violence.
He said ram raiders couldn’t get into his shin because of the way the shop was designed. He hadn’t had anything taken in ram raids.
But his insurance premiums had gone up.
The owner of the clothing shop said there had been a catch and grab a few years ago and they told the police where the car was, and the perpetrators were wearing ankle bracelets, but nothing was done.
Mark Mitchell, National’s police and corrections spokesman, said there had been a lot of police time spent on other issues such as mental health.
The Labour Government has announced rolling out mental health responses with police where, for example, mental health professionals are in ambulances responding to call outs.
Luxon visits businesses in Huntly: 'Happy days are coming'
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National Party leader Christopher Luxon has arrived in Huntly to visit some businesses that have been targeted in ram raids and other crimes.
Mark Mitchell, National’s police and corrections spokesman, has joined him.
The owners of The Bookshop have had five or six ram raids and break-ins in recent years.
They didn’t carry much cash or cigarettes, so they didn’t know what the thieves were after - maybe instant kiwis.
“I don’t see anything like that,” the owner Soni said, when asked about consequences for crime.
He said they had anxiety at night.
“We are waiting for happy days,” his wife Kalpana said.
“Happy days are coming,” Luxon replied.
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Housing minister Megan Woods said Labour would build more public housing stock.
Chris Hipkins said next thing you know, Luxon would be touting his recycling as tackling climate change.
Hipkins said they had been "absolutely focused" on supporting farmers to be more sustainable.
He said Labour couldn't just back off that to give farmers a break.
This, he said, was "vitally important" to New Zealand's future and he also believed it was in farmers' best interest.
Hipkins on climate change
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Speaking from New Plymouth, Chris Hipkins said every Government portfolio has to have a climate change element.
This could include workplaces where jobs could disappear and looking into the future.
He said putting a climate change minister in cabinet would depend on party arrangements.
"I'd certainly like them to be."
Hipkins said he doesn't share their polling publicly, unless he wants to.
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Immigration minister Andrew Little said on their immigration policy that families who have settled here won't have to limit their children's opportunities due to their immigration status.
Winston Peters would be a 'handbrake' for climate action - Hipkins
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Speaking from New Plymouth, Chris Hipkins said the National Party has massive holes in their plans and budget when it comes to climate change.
He referenced proposals to dial back the clean car discount and their fund to de-carbonate industries.
"Any benefits they'll [Kiwis] get from tax cuts will well and truly disappear from the extra costs they'll face."
He said Winston Peters would be a "handbrake" for climate action.
Hipkins said there have been "challenges" to walkabouts they've done so far.
Hipkins: 'It's going to be a really close election'
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Speaking from New Plymouth, Chris Hipkins said New Zealand First's values don't align with a Labour Government led by him.
He said he was proud of their commitment to the Climate Emergency Response Fund and said National will raid this for tax cuts.
If New Zealanders want a stable Government with a proven track record he said New Zealanders should give their votes to Labour.
"It's going to be a really close election," he said.
He believed it would be a much closer election than people have anticipated.
Chris Hipkins speaks to media from New Plymouth
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Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said in Government Labour had been "absolutely committed" to tackling climate change and the science on it was "beyond doubt".
Hipkins said renewable energy had been a big focus of his visit to New Plymouth.
He said their plan on climate change was comprehensive.
For "once in my life" Hipkins said he agreed with David Seymour on his opinion on a coalition Government with New Zealand First.
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“I represent the underdog and Kiwis love to support the underdog,” said Karuna Muthu.
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Finance Minister Grant Robertson and National’s finance spokeswoman Nicola Willis will go head-to-head tomorrow in a special debate.
Chris Hipkins visits Ara Ake
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Earlier today, Chris Hipkins visited a solar panel place called Ara Ake.
Luxon on raising the retirement age
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When asked whether he would walk back its plans to raise the retirement age if working with NZ First, Christopher Luxon said the plan is the right thing to do.
Luxon said, if in government, the party will look at making cervical cancer screening free.
Luxon: "Hipkins can't even run his own cabinet"
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Speaking to media from Matamata, Christopher Luxon said that there are no plans to tweak his tax system.
"I want people to get sober and say that Hipkins can't even run his own cabinet, so he won't be able to run a government with the other three leaders."
He said he's led large organisations and turned the National Party into an organised party.
He said he would make it work if he is forced to form a government with Winston Peters.
He said the parties would be aligned on creating a strong economy, restoring law and order, and improving the health and education systems.
"But our methods would be different."
Luxon said the circumstances of working with NZ First between the 2008 election and this election are different.
"New Zealand First and Labour had been in a coalition government prior to that, the Owen Glen scandal was different."
Luxon on a coalition with NZ First
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"If you want change, I said you have to vote for that change", said Christopher Luxon.
"My preference is to form a government with Act.
"If I am offered a choice on election night between the current government and change, I would pick up the phone and talk to Winston.
"We will sort out coalition agreements on the other side, but I will be PM and Nicola Willis will be finance minister.
"If the choice is between three more years of Labour and their partners, I will pick up the phone and talk to Winston Peters.
"If you want change, you have to vote it in.
"Three years of a coalition of chaos is a disaster, so faced with that choice, I will pick up the phone and make a deal with Winston Peters."
Luxon continued by saying "I don't know Peters well, but I have run into him a few times in the past."
Luxon: I prefer a National and Act government
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Luxon said his strong preference is a National and Act government.
He said it's going to be a tight election and he wants people to party vote National.
"I came out and said it today to make my pitch clear a week before early voting starts."
He said people have been coming up to him and saying it's a done deal, but he wants to emphasise the election is much closer than first thought.
Christopher Luxon speaks to media from Matamata
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Speaking from Matamata, Luxon said that "there is a huge amount at state. We have had a government who had an outright majority and has taken the country backwards.
"It's not a foregone conclusion there is a lot of work to do.
"My preference is strong two party government.
"I will pick up the phone to speak to Winston, it means change."
Rongotai candidates on Shelly Bay housing development
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Rongotai candidates Fleur Fitzsimons (Labour), Julie Anne Genter (Greens) and Karuna Muthu (National) discussed Wellington issues this morning on Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills. The trio are all contesting the Wellington electorate which has been held by Labour since 1995.
Questioned on the Shelly Bay housing development being scrapped, and the land being bought by Sir Peter Jackson, all three agreed again that Wellington needs more houses.
The development would have supplied Wellington with 350 more homes, but now Jackson has bought the land he and his wife Dame Fran Walsh will focus on restoring its natural beauty.
Fitzsimons said Wellington has “an unfortunate history of opposing things”.
“I am concerned we do need more houses and urgently.”
Genter said she was also disappointed, as the development would have also seen electric ferries from Miramar being used.
“I hope the Government steps up to build more homes and to repair the Miramar wharf for ferries to use.”
Muthu agreed Wellington “undoubtedly” needs more housing.
“While I was door knocking in Newtown I found quite a few council homes empty so the Government needs to step up and provide answers.”
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Gerard O’Neill spoke to Luxon and was sufficiently impressed on over to tell him he would vote National, having never voted for them before.
Luxon told him National’s law and order policies included social investment strategy to help society’s most vulnerable, and increasing police powers to disperse gangs.
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Three years after Jacinda Ardern won a resounding victory for her Labour Party, the nation will vote in a very different political landscape, writes Natasha Frost of The New York Times.
Rongotai candidates contesting the Wellington electorate go head-to-head
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Rongotai candidates Fleur Fitzsimons (Labour), Julie Anne Genter (Greens) and Karuna Muthu (National) are going head-to-head this morning on Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills.
The trio are all contesting the Wellington electorate which has been held by Labour since 1995.
Muthu told Mills he thinks Rongotai is “turning blue”.
“I represent the underdog and Kiwis love to support the underdog,” he said.
Genter wasn’t so convinced, saying former National candidate Chris Finlayson always said if he won the electorate he would “immediately demand a recount”.
A second tunnel in Mount Vic and light-rail
The panel discussed Rongotai-specific issues, such as a second tunnel in Mount Vic and light-rail with Fitzsimons admitting that while the plan for Let’s Get Wellington Moving was solid “the execution has been poor”.
“We will bring the tunnel forward, we will bring mass transit forward, what people like about the things they find when they travel overseas are in the plans.”
Muthu said “ideological projects” have damaged Wellington, with little being achieved by Let's Get Wellington Moving aside from a pedestrian crossing on State Highway 1.
“We will start the new tunnel in our first term – rather than talking about shiny new light rail we should concentrate on the bus services – we used to have the best buses and they were devasted by an ideological project.
"People should be able to depend on reliable frequent buses to get where they need to be. I have a disabled child I can't take her on a bus – we need other options as well.”
Genter admitted the buses have been in a “dire state” but said it was due to the years of mismanagement by National.
“I’ve been advocating for better public transport for the entire time I have been in politics.”
Cost-of-living crisis
All three candidates agreed that the cost-of-living crisis was the biggest issue for constituents.
Fitzsimons said Labour as already introduced several measures to battle the rising prices including increasing benefits, removing prescription fees and giving half price or free public transport to younger New Zealanders.
“It's not perfect we have more to do, and we know going into this election we can't just defend everything we have done and that’s why we’re going to introduce free dental for those under 30s, remove GST from fresh fruit and vegetables.”
Muthu said he knew people were hurting.
“National has a plan to rebuild the economy. We will stop wasteful spending and get the books back in order....its hurting middle New Zealanders and everyone is paying the price.
Genter said the cost-of-living is tied in with climate change, and you can’t fight one without the other.
“That will continue to hammer us. The Greens have a plan that will really go to the heart of what is affecting pollution and climate change. We can stop out of control growth in house prices and especially rents – we want rent controls introduced immediately while we control the supply of housing.
“We have to fight cost of living in an equitable way.”
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Speaking in Matamata, Luxon told the story of meeting a couple in their 30s with a five year old who owned a dairy and whose business was ram-raided. Imagine their anxiety at 9pm every night, he said.
He went through National’s law and order policies including limiting the amount a judge can discount sentences and banning gang patches in public.
The crowd applauded when Luxon talked about creating a new medical school at Waikato University, a policy that Labour has criticised as too costly and too slow.
“We will collectively get the country we deserve,” he said.
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Housing is the flavour of the day for Chris Hipkins, who has just concluded a very brief visit to a public housing site in New Plymouth.
He spent all of 15 minutes at the site which is currently under construction through Devon Homes.
It’s expected the 15 homes will be completed by late next year.
A few questions at the end and then he’s off again.
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Luxon talked about parents who were skipping meals so they could buy vital things for their kids, and the increase in Government spending without a proportionate increase in delivery.
He said there were parallels today with the high inflation of the early 70s and early 80s
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Luxon traversed some familiar territory in his address to the crowd of about 100 people: “Pain and suffering for people up and down the country” due to “economic mismanagement” from a Government too focused on “identity politics”.
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Waikato MP Tim Van De Molen introduced Luxon to his “meet and greet”, saying that his constituents were worried about the cost of groceries and angry that dairies kept getting broken into.
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Matamata local Gerard O'Neill said he had never voted National in his life but he was prepared to vote National if the party was going to deal with crime.
He hadn't been a recent victim of crime but knew people who were.
"Gang crime in particular. The current government has given millions of dollars to gangs. I want to hear what National is going to do."
Labour has defended giving money to gang members for rehabilitation projects by saying the programmes are working.
Luxon told the Herald last week he supported programmes that work but not if they're run by gangs.
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Luxon is due to arrive at a public meeting at the public library in Matamata.
Winston Peters: 'Seymour might be a secret admirer of mine'
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New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said Christopher Luxon’s comments today that a National-led government would work with him took him by surprise.
But speaking to Canterbury Mornings with John Macdonald on Newstalk ZB, the experienced campaigner was typically keeping his political cards close to his chest.
He said nobody should be ruled in or out at this stage, but said New Zealanders deserved a “much better and stable government”.
Given Luxon’s inexperience in politics, he would need people with “experience and common sense” around him, Peters said.
The NZ First leader was also critical of National’s tax plans, citing “serious” economists who say the numbers don’t stack up.
He thinks Act leader David Seymour might also be a “secret admirer of mine”, given all the hoardings with his face plastered over them, saying it is “the best money I have never spent”.
Asked by radio host Macdonald to explain his campaign slogan of ‘Let’s take back our country’, Peters said it was about taking power away from “those select elites who want to rewrite history” and who “want to create separatism and division in our democracy”.
He railed against a “bloated bureaucracy”, “woke extremists” and "international influences”.
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Dairy farmer Lloyd Downing said his interest rate payments had jumped from 3.2 per cent to 8.4 per cent.
Over two farms he produces 300,000 of milk solids but they were currently losing $1000 a day.
He said his son, also a dairy farmer, was spending an hour a day filling out forms to meet regulatory requirements.
He supported National because it would slash the regulations.
Hipkins campaigning in Taranaki today
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Chris Hipkins has landed in Taranaki for a day likely to be filled with events where he can push Labour’s recently announced promise for more public housing.
Hipkins yesterday declared Labour would build a further 6000 public homes by 2027 if re-elected.
Alongside housing spokesperson Dr Megan Woods, local candidate Glen Bennett, Andrew Little and Angela Roberts, Hipkins visited the WISE charitable trust in Waitara, which aims to boost employment and provide warmer housing.
General manager Paul Scouller took the Labour leader and his crew through WISE’s activities, including a programme that addressed the homes of the 10 most ill children referred by local health authorities.
Scouller proudly stated that after improvements to the homes were completed, none of the children ended up in hospital the following year.
Since mid-2018, the trust - funded partly by Government and the local Toi foundation - had improved about 1400 homes in the region.
Hipkins was told education was the first building block in reducing power bills, which could be up to $950 in some cases.
Woods added that it was effective to educated families on “hour of power” opportunities, which included power companies offering subsidised or free power at a certain time.
Hipkins was prepared to do his bit for the cameras by loading some insulation into a van. The only consequence was a bit of dust on his otherwise spotless black jacket.
As always, a spread was provided but this one didn’t include sausage rolls - an option Hipkins was renowned for but was now quite sick of.
“We didn’t get any sausage rolls on purpose,” Scouller said.
Hipkins opted for a piece of bacon instead.
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"We need better ways of funding and financing infrastructure," Seymour said.
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"I grew up in Whangarei, I went to a decile 1 intermediate. I know how tough life can be to some kids.
"What we can do about that is instil the right values."
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On the topic of gangs, Seymour says that Labour's policy that "has been designed to protect those who misbehave" has to go.
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"The government does not focus on measuring the outcomes," Seymour says.
"The curriculum has been politicised and dumbed down," he added.
Seymour says he wants to stop the micromanaging and the "modern learning environments".
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On education, Seymour said "you've got to recognise that there is nothing more important in New Zealand today than how many kids go to school and how much they're taught".
"How much knowledge we transfer from one generation to the next is key."
'National's plan gives to some by taking from others' - Sepuloni
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Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni told the Herald National wants to take money out of the pockets of people who need it most.
“National's plan gives to some by taking from others. It's robbing from our poorest kids to help pay for their tax cuts.
"It pushes thousands of children back under the poverty line and is simply irresponsible and wrong.”
She said Labour’s changes had lifted an estimated 5000 children out of poverty last year.
“National’s cuts will force thousands of children back below the poverty line and balloon the inequality gap in New Zealand by taking from the lowest income household and putting them further behind.”
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Seymour believes New Zealand should have only two tax rates and says our tax system has "tall poppy syndrome".
"We think you should pay more tax [if you earn more], but not a higher rate."
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Asked about scrapping secondary income tax, Seymour says that "every time you make a little extra effort in New Zealand they whack you a bit harder [on tax]".
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"We don't celebrate business as a force for good, we don't celebrate success," Seymour said. "I don't think there's a vision for New Zealand, I don't think that's sustainable."
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Seymour said the Labour party got obsessed with just one thing - Covid. "They threw out social cohesion and wellbeing."
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"Once upon a time 65 was old, now they're off to Zumba class," Seymour said when asked about raising the retirement age.
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"Businesses and households have been doing more with less for years. Can't the government start doing that too?" Seymour asks.
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"Grant Robertson has spent it all," Seymour says.
"There is no question that there are serious problems. We have to be relentless on ending government waste."
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"It's about relentlessly improving productivity," Seymour says.
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"How does NZ attract, retain and train more medical professionals? There are a bunch of areas in which we need to do better," he says.
Fixing the economy is a big part of that, so we can increase productivity and raise wages, Seymour says.
There's too many people capable of doing the job, who are doing the job in other countries, and can't do it in NZ, he adds, calling for changes to medical licensing so we can increase the supply of medical professionals in the country.
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"Under Act's policy, you never end up with no money," he says, but adds that, if you don't meet your obligations, you can end up with electronic income management.
"That only happens if you have been abusing welfare for more than a year."
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Our strong preference is to work with National, the Act leader says, as he calls on voters to give their party vote to Act.
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Seymour says New Zealand is facing three main issues.
He says productivity in NZ is low.
He also mentions safety as one of the key issues. "This used to be a great place to bring up kids. Now it's not a safe place to run a dairy."
Seymour also points out "issues with the treaty" that are "making it hard to solve problems".
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Act leader David Seymour is now on Newstalk ZB with Kerre Woodham.
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Asked if it would make life harder for those already struggling, she repeated that it was right to use inflation for adjusting benefits because it was about coping with living costs.
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“What we want to see is more people off benefits and in jobs,” she said, even though it wasn’t always easy to find available jobs in the tight labour market.
“Businesses are looking for staff, and that is the opportunity to support people into work,” she said.
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Upston, National’s social development spokeswoman, told the Herald it was right to index benefit levels to inflation, not to wages, even if they received less money as wages are projected to rise faster than inflation.
Currently benefits are pegged to inflation or wage growth, whichever is higher.
Upston said benefit levels were about coping with the costs of living so it was more appropriate to peg them to inflation, even if that meant they would receive less than they otherwise would under the current scheme.
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Luxon gave a speech to the staff at Giltrap AgriZone saying “farmers are not villains”, though he said they had been treated as such.
“We need agriculture to be on fire," he said.
He went through some of National’s policies, such as looser biotech rules to help farmers lower their carbon emissions.
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Taupo MP Louise Upston and Waikato MP Tim Van De Molen are with Luxon in Cambridge.
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“He seems like an alright bloke,” said apprentice mechanic Riley Butler in Cambridge.
He said he would vote National as his family were dairy farmers.
“They support the farmers and businesses a lot more than Labour. Farmers are the backbone of the country.”
“It seems Labour just hates us.”
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Luxon laughed off a suggestion that the black parts of the blue vehicle was some kind of foreshadowing of New Zealand First’s involvement in any future National-led government.
Paul Henry - who gets my party vote? I don’t think National has the fortitude to turn our country around
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"While I’ve not yet locked in the party I will vote for, I do absolutely know the direction in which I will vote," writes Paul Henry.
Read the full piece below.
Luxon starts his campaign day in Cambridge
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National Party leader Christopher Luxon has arrived at Giltrap AgriZone on a rainy morning in Cambridge.
His visit started with a tour of the workshop and meeting staff.
“Can’t go wrong with blue,” he said as he passed some red and blue farm vehicles. He then jumped into the driver seat of an enormous blue tractor.
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Transport minister David Parker said National’s speed limit policy was “irresponsible populism”.
He told RNZ it was “bereft” of anything but populism and there was little difference between the parties road building policies.
Parker said arguments from Brown were “almost infantile” and he should be “called on them”.
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National Party transport spokesperson Simeon Brown told RNZ when it comes to road safety, Labour’s policy has been to “cancel” roads of national significance.
He said they had tried to slow people down and Kiwis needed a more balanced approach when it comes to road safety.
Brown said they will be requiring Waka Kotahi NZTA to review the limits they’ve recently changed.
On the road toll, he said alcohol and drugs were by far the biggest contributing factors to deaths on New Zealand roads.
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"Christopher Luxon doesn't have the political experience to manage both Winston Peters and David Seymour," Chris Hipkins said, when asked about the latest announcement that Luxon would be willing to work with both Act and NZ First.
Seymour not thrilled at prospect of working with Peters
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Act Party leader David Seymour told Mike Hosking it was "extremely unlikely" that he would sit around a Cabinet table with Winston Peters.
"For the simple reason that you'd have somebody effectively saying, if I've got far less than half the vote of Act, I've got a tiny fraction of the National vote, making huge demands... and using the leverage that he might otherwise go with Labour."
Asked if he believed Peters' claim he would not work with Labour, Seymours said "Of course not".
"You'd have to be unbelievably gullible to think the least trustworthy person in politics would do that."
But he also did not believe Peters would make it into Parliament.
Speaking to Hosking earlier today, Luxon did not rule out a Deputy Prime Minister position for Peters.
Seymour said that was "a case of Chris Luxon trying not to talk about the person he doesn't want to talk about".
When Luxon called him late last night regarding working with Peters, it was "not really" a surprise.
It was "exactly what I've been saying for weeks if not months now".
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When asked whether he can be trusted to do what he says he will do, considering he went with Labour last time, Peters said such a statement is deceitful.
"Ask Helen Clark, Jim Bolger, or Michael Cullen."
"The Herald admitted that no third party had done as much for voters and kept to its manifesto as New Zealand First has done."
Winston Peters on whether he'd want a cabinet position
Vera Alves
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters told the AM Show he hasn’t spoken to Christopher Luxon since the National Party leader made the announcement.
“It’s been disappointing that the media scrum has been trying to get politicians on the campaign trail to rule out working with each other.”
“We’re going to keep campaigning and and talking to New Zealanders, not political commentators, right up until the eve of the election.”
When asked whether he would like Deputy PM or Foreign Minister, Peters said anyone who wants to advance themselves before an agreement has been made, doesn’t know what negotiations are about.
“They don’t know how serious social and economic circumstances are at the moment, and I wish that there was more coverage of these issues rather tham who will be working with whom.”
When asked to respond to David Seymour saying Luxon should push back if Peters wants a cabinet position, Peters said Seymour should pay attention to our economic forecasts and put their egos behind them.
“It will take people being adults in the room, putting their egos to the side and work with each other to sort our problems out.”
Peters said his priority would be to “restore the fundamental principles of our democracy where each voter is equal.”
“If we don’t do that, we won’t be able to fix the other issues.”
Act and National 'on the same page' on coalition plans
Vera Alves
The Act Party has issued a release on potential coalition news.
“Act and National are on the same page about a future coalition Government, with both parties working together in a strong coalition to overcome the significant challenges New Zealand faces,” says Act Leader David Seymour.
“Christopher Luxon confirmed this morning that National wants to create a strong and stable two-party coalition government with Act. This is what Act has been saying for weeks now.
“New Zealand needs a government that takes the country in a better direction. In the end, it comes down to a simple question for voters - ‘Who do you trust?’
“If you want to see change you’ve got to come out and vote for it. If you want to see real change, with more Act MPs around the Cabinet table influencing the direction of government, you need to party vote Act.”
Luxon takes leaf out of Wayne Brown’s book, declares war on road cones and speed limits
Vera Alves
That announcement met with short shrift from Labour leader Chris Hipkins, who said it was similar to what Labour was already doing. Hipkins had backtracked on the speed limit reductions on all but the most unsafe roads as part of his bonfire of policies early in the year.
“[National is] packaging up stuff that’s already happening now and trying to make it look like it’s their own.”
Vera Alves
National Party leader Chris Luxon told Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking this morning it's not his first preference to work with NZ First but he will if he has to to keep another Labour-led government out of power.
Luxon confirmed in a video posted to social media this morning that while his preference was for a two-party government, he would work with Peters and NZ First if necessary.
He spoke to Act's David Seymour last night. Seymour understood that, if push came to shove, Act would also find a way to work with Peters.
Asked why it had taken so long to confirm he would work with Peters, Luxon said the election was going to be "extremely close".
With overseas voting starting on Wednesday and early voting starting within a week he wanted people not to get complacent about voting.
It would be a "terrible three year period and outlook" if a Labour-Greens-Te Pati Maori coalition were in power.
Asked if Peters would be deputy Prime Minister, Luxon did not rule it out - he could only confirm he would be PM and Nicola Willis would be finance minister.
"We'll sort out Cabinet and the makeup of Cabinet after the election."
Vera Alves
Seymour not keen to work with Peters
Vera Alves
Act Party leader David Seymour told the AM Show that Luxon is going to work with the parliament that New Zealanders gave him.
“However, you can’t trust Winston Peters and a lot of things will be much harder.”
He said National and Act’s preferences are to work with each other to “get through the problems New Zealand is facing.”
Seymour said he can’t see himself sitting around the cabinet table with Peters, and doesn’t want it to happen.
"If Winston wants a cabinet position, I want Luxon to go back to him and push harder against it."
Christopher Luxon will pick up the phone to Winston Peters if he really needs to
Sophie Ryan
In a major development - National leader Chris Luxon will confirm to supporters today he will work with NZ First leader Winston Peters if he needs to.
Political editor Claire Trevett has the story here:
20 days to go
Sophie Ryan
Good morning! We're 20 days out from the Election and the campaign is heating up. We'll have live coverage today of all political developments.
It comes a week ahead of early voting starting next Monday, and as polls show National and Act placed to be able to form a government - but only just.
In a transcript seen by the NZ Herald before it was released, Luxon says his “strong preference” is a National-Act coalition government.
“I believe that government would be in the best interests of New Zealanders at this very uncertain time.
“However, if New Zealand First is returned to Parliament, and I need to pick up the phone to Mr Peters to keep Labour and the coalition of chaos out, I will make that call.
“Frankly, I think Chris Hipkins will ultimately do exactly the same thing.”
Labour’s leader Chris Hipkins and NZ First leader Winston Peters have previously ruled out any governing arrangement with each other, and Hipkins is now trying to pitch a potential National-Act-NZ First government as chaotic.
However, Luxon is clearly worried some supporters might take his message as a nod to vote strategically, rather than for National, and further boost NZ First’s vote.
He makes it clear NZ First is a last resort and reminds voters it had sided with Labour in the past, suggesting it could happen again. “We all remember 2017. New Zealand First hasn’t gone with National in 27 years - and could choose Labour again.”
“But that decision is ultimately up to you.”
For months, Luxon has dismissed questions about NZ First as hypothetical, saying they were not in Parliament or polling about 5 per cent.
However, it has now polled at or near that 5 per cent threshold in a succession of polls. The latest 1News Verian poll gave National and Act a slim one-seat majority. A small shift of that vote would see NZ First come into play.
Last week, Peters called on National to be clearer about working with NZ First, saying he could not comment on the matter until they did. He has consistently said it is up to the voters to decide whether the parties should work together.
Act leader David Seymour has said he would not sit around a Cabinet table with NZ First, but has not ruled out including NZ First outside a formal coalition arrangement. In last week’s Newshub Powerbrokers debate, both said they would find a way to co-operate if they had to, but Seymour in particular made it clear he would not enjoy it.
In the video, Luxon will also urge voters not to assume National will win: a sign National is nervous soft voters will either not bother to vote or will try to vote strategically, thinking they will be helping National.
“There’s a bit of commentary out there that this election is a foregone conclusion. I can assure you, it definitely isn’t, and that’s because every single MMP election is tight, and I expect the results to be extremely close this time too.”
It also includes a specific pitch to disillusioned Labour voters who might be uncomfortable about voting for National.
“Some of you may still be undecided and some of you may have never voted for National before, but respectfully, the last thing New Zealand needs is a coalition of chaos that will be worse than the last six years and take a wrecking ball to our economy.
“If you don’t want that either, then don’t leave it to chance. Vote for change.”
It comes as Luxon moves to address unresolved issues in his campaign and give voters clarity on his positions the week before advance voting begins.
Luxon and his finance spokesperson Nicola Willis will also release National’s full fiscal plan this week.
Overseas voting starts this Wednesday and advance voting in New Zealand starts next Monday.
The election date is October 14.
Claire Trevett is the NZ Herald’s political editor, based at Parliament in Wellington. She started at the NZ Herald in 2003 and joined the press gallery team in 2007. She is a life member of the Parliamentary press gallery.