Watch: PM Christopher Luxon pinned down on tax and police pay on the Tova podcast

Friday, 15 March 2024

Tova O'Brien finally manages to pin down the Prime Minister to join her on the Tova podcast.

Tova O’Brien is Stuff’s Chief Political Editor and host of the weekly political podcast, Tova. Watch her full interview with the Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.

In his first interview for the Tova podcast, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon talks police pay, tax, Ruby Tui, rednecks and values.

Luxon is also caught on a hot mic giving his verdict on the interview. Spoiler: he was not impressed.

In a short pull-aside interview at Central District Field Days, we asked Luxon if he’s broken his promise not to cut the police frontline by making a lower pay offer than the last government.

Christopher Luxon talks to Tova O’Brien at the Central Field Days.

And based on how much the prime minister thinks police get paid and how much he knows about cops skipping the ditch, should he do more homework?

The Government has always maintained it will not borrow to pay for its tax cuts but with details of the cuts due to be released in May’s Budget, the prime minister isn’t as categorical about about how he’ll pay for them. Is he managing expectations or are we in for a Budget Day borrowing surprise?

We find out if GST and the Winter Energy Payment are safe from tinkering not just this term but next.

And could Best Start Payments for parents of newborns be means tested in the first year?

We also get the first reaction from Luxon to Ruby Tui and Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu boycotting the Chiefs Manawa haka which is seen as a show of support after the Hurricanes Poua haka calling the Government “redneck”.

All that plus the question that had the prime minister calling Stuff names.