The Bewildering World of Christopher Luxon - Leadership, Labour vs National

Jan 29, 2023

The recent leadership change in the governing Labour party resulted in a very strange response from National’s (current) leader, Christopher Luxon. Mr Luxon berated Labour for it’s change of leader, citing no actual change.

As reported in Stuff media:

“There’s no change, it’s just more of the same, that’s because it is essentially the same team.”

From Newshub:

“I don't think anything much has changed for us. I think the reality is it's the same team.”

From RNZ:

“It actually just felt like a government that's carrying on, more of the same, a new leader but the same story.”

From TVNZ News:

“I think from my perspective, though, just changing the leadership of the Labour Party doesn't do enough for the New Zealand people.”

And from NewstalkZB:

“Just changing the leadership doesn’t do enough.”

For a political party that has changed its leader five times since John Key announced his resignation on 5 December 2016, National sits in stark contrast to the rock-solid bedrock that Labour’s leadership has been based on. The contrast could not be more evident.

Indeed, the destructive and morbidly-entertaining spectacle of infighting, intrigue, and incompetance from veteran political journalist, Andrea Vance, to write a behind-the-scenes exposé, “Blue Blood”:

To re-cap, the leadership of National and Labour can be laid bare with this simple infographic:

So when National’s current leader, Christopher Luxon, standing on the still-warm bodies of Bill English, Simon Bridges, Todd Muller, and Judith Collins to lambast Labour for showing “no change, it’s just more of the same, that’s because it is essentially the same team” and claiming “just changing the leadership doesn’t do enough” - perhaps he is projecting his own insecurities.

Because when it comes to National, nothing quite says “more of the same” than their decades old electioneering rhetoric:

“National will provide tax relief so Kiwis keep more of what they earn. National will restore law and order – with real consequences for serious youth offenders, and National will tackle gangs, and ban gang patches in public. National will provide incentives and sanctions to get young people off welfare and into work.”

National; nothing new to see here folks. Just more of the same.

[This post edited 27.2.23 to remove typo errors.]

References

Stuff media: National's Luxon says Hipkins as new PM will be 'more of the same'

Newshub: Christopher Luxon responds to Chris Hipkins becoming Prime Minister, says nothing 'much has changed'

RNZ: Luxon on new Labour leadership: 'Nothing has changed'

TVNZ News: Luxon comes out swinging against new political rival

NewstalkZB: Live 'Just changing the leadership doesn’t do enough' - Luxon reacts to new challenger

Stuff media: John Key's eight-year reign comes to an end as Bill English gets head-start in leadership race

Scoop media: Luxon Congratulates New Labour Leader

Other Blogs

The Standard: Luxon thinks helping poor people is Bottom Feeding