National ministers tight-lipped on Sunday evening meeting with Christopher Luxon
Tuesday, 31 March 2026
National ministers were tight-lipped on their way into caucus about a Sunday evening meeting with the prime minister in Auckland.
Rumours about the meeting are swirling in political circles as National continues to struggle in the polls.
One source close to the party said the meeting followed poor internal polling revealed to the caucus last week.
The meeting may have also concerned a long-anticipated reshuffle, necessitated by Judith Collins’ upcoming exit - which does not yet have a date attached to it.
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Several within the party have become impatient for some certainty about this reshuffle, The Post understands.
Christopher Luxon told media he talked to his ministers “all the time”.
“I talk and I meet with ministers. Nothing special about that,” Luxon said.
Education Minister Erica Stanford said she was at the meeting but there was no “to do” about it.
“I don’t talk about what happens in our senior ministers meetings, as you would expect,” Stanford said.
Asked if internal polling had the party on below 30% - as the Taxpayers’ Union poll had from the same pollster - Stanford declined to say.
Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk said the party’s polling would pick up.
“What I'm happy with is that we're focused on getting through an oil shock. It's going to be tough for a lot New Zealanders. And I think if we focus on that and the policy response, as we've been doing, then people will be pleased to see that, and the implications politically will be positive, but that's not the motivation,” Penk said.
Backbench National MP Tim Costley said the party saw the internal polling when it needed to.
“We get it when we need it. We don't talk about what happens in caucus. But I'm very relaxed, as you can tell by my relaxed demeanour,” Costley said.