New Zealand opposition leader Christopher Luxon has called New Zealand a “negative, wet and whiny” country that has “lost the plot”, as he vies for voters affections at the coming election.
The leader of the centre-right National party was speaking to farmers about agricultural emissions when he was caught by a microphone saying: “We have become a very negative, wet and whiny, inward-looking country and we have lost the plot.”
“We’ve got to get our mojo back with a lot more ambition and aspiration,” he continued.
Told of the remarks at a Monday press conference, prime minister Chris Hipkins expressed surprise.
“Sorry, Christopher Luxon said that?” he said. “Well, I mean, I guess it makes a change that he’s running New Zealand down in New Zealand, as opposed to running the country down when he’s overseas.” Hipkins’ comment referenced earlier remarks given by Luxon to a UK thinktank last year, when he said New Zealand businesses were “getting soft and looking to the government for all their answers”.
New Zealand is four months away from its election, with recent polling pointing to an extremely tight race. Under Luxon, National has recovered from the dismal support levels it faced under a series of previous leaders – but many New Zealanders have not warmed to the former chief executive as leader, and his personal popularity rankings remain very low.
In June, Luxon’s favourability ranking was at -2%. In late May, preferred prime minister polling placed current prime minister Chris Hipkins on 23.4%, while Luxon’s was at 16.4%. The left and right coalitions blocs, made up of National and Act on the Right, and the Labour, Green and Māori parties on the left, have been sitting almost even: a Curia poll this month gave the right a two-point edge, where polling in May had placed the left just ahead.
Asked about his “negative, wet and whiny” comments, Luxon said they were “true”. “New Zealand is the best country on planet Earth but under Labour we’ve been heading in the wrong direction and lost our mojo,” he said.
