Kerre Woodham: Luxon is driver of a car full of impatient children

Two new political polls out show Labour, the Greens and Te Pati Māori would have enough support to form the next government, should an election be held tomorrow, while also suggesting more people believe the country's headed in the wrong direction.  

The latest 1News-Verian poll found support had dipped for the coalition government who could only muster 60 seats in Parliament, not enough to meet the 61-seat majority required. A combination, however, of Labour, the Greens and Te Pati Māori did reach the 61-seat threshold. And that follows a Taxpayers’ Union-Curia poll that also found the left bloc could form a government.  

Does that mean that you and I, that New Zealanders, want to see a government installed tomorrow comprised of Labour, the Greens and Te Pati Māori? I don't believe so. I think what the polls are telling us is that people want to see action, they want to see results. Like kids in the back of the car on a long, hot summer roadie, we want to know if we're there yet.  

For those with mortgages and children and businesses to run, it has been a long, tough three years. We're tired of scrimping. We're tired of barely getting by and making do. We're tired of having a knot of tension constantly in our stomachs that comes from living so precariously.  

The Prime Minister keeps telling us economic growth is the key to turning things around. We're going as fast as we can. But things are changing, things are going to get better. Just like Dad driving the car, he's sick of telling us that yes, we're nearly there but we’ve still got a nasty, windy bit to come. For God's sake, kids. I'm going as bloody fast as I can, as safely as I can. And what thanks does he get from the whining kids in the back? None.  

National issued a pledge card in the lead up to the ‘23 election. Lower inflation and grow the economy. Check and in progress. Tax cuts. Check. Build new roads. Yep. Tackle gangs, introduce boot camps. Yep. Lift school achievement. Well TBC but certainly making the right noises and going in the right direction with the new school curriculum. Cut health waiting times, give Kiwis access to more cancer treatments. Don't know about the waiting times, but the new cancer treatments have been signed off. Support seniors and deliver net zero by 2025. So far on track.  

And Luxon can say for heaven's sake, people, I'm doing the best I can, I'm doing what I said I would do. But then we have all the distractions and the simmering resentments. The Treaty Principles Bill, that ferry debacle, I mean, we used to give Labour gyp for announcements of announcements – that was the king of all announcements of announcements. We've got David Seymour and then we've got the platitudes from the Prime Minister.  

I don't know how many times he can say I get it, it's tough, I hear you, we're working on it, we've got a really good discussion group coming. Then you see Trump come into office and then with a couple of hours, he does what we wanted the new government to do. They still haven't done it and it's been over a year – Trump does it in a matter of hours.  

And so we grizzle. And so we moan like the kids in the back of the car. And the Prime Minister, dad the driver, seethes with resentment. I'm going as fast as I can and it'll be great when we get there, you ungrateful wretches. And in the meantime, the opposition parties, who if I'm going to stretch the analogy even further, are the hoons in the lane outside of us, in their unregistered car, not licensed to drive. They toot the horn, give us the fingers and think I wonder when those kids will want to get in the car with us. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Kerrywood and Mornings podcast from News Talks.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
He'd be Two new political polls out show Labor, the
Greens and Tapati Maori would have enough support to form
the next government should an election have been held tomorrow,
while also suggesting more people believe the country is headed
in the wrong direction. The latest One News variant poll

(00:30):
found supported dipped for the coalition government, who could only
muster sixty seats in Parliament, not enough to meet the
sixty one seat majority required a combination, however, of Labor,
the Greens and Tapati Mahori did reach the sixty one
seat threshold, and that follows a Taxpayer's Union Curier poll
that also found the left block could form a government.

(00:54):
Does that mean that you and I that New Zealanders
want to see a government installed tomorrow comprised of Labor,
the Greens and Tampatimori. I don't believe so. I think
what the Poles are telling us is that people want

(01:16):
to see action. They want to see results. Like kids
in the back of the car are on a long,
hot summer roadie. We want to know if we're there yet.
For those with mortgages and children and businesses to run.
It has been a long, tough three years. We're tired

(01:37):
of scrimping. We're tired of barely getting by and making do.
We're tired of having a knot of tension constantly in
our stomachs that comes from living so precariously. The PM
keeps telling us economic growth is the key to turning
things round. We're going as fast as we can. That

(01:57):
things are changing, things are going to get better. Just
like Dad driving the car. He's sick of telling us that, yes,
we're nearly there, but we've still got a nasty, windy
bit to come. God's sake, kids, I'm going as bloody
fast as I can, as safely as I can. And
what thanks does he get from the wining kids in
the back? None National issued a pledge card and the

(02:22):
lead up to the twenty three election, lower inflation and
grow the economy, check and in progress, tax cuts, check,
build new roads, YEP, tackle gangs, introduce boot camps, YEP
lift School achievement well TBC, but certainly making the right
noises and going in the right direction with the new

(02:44):
school curriculum. Cut health waiting times, give Kiwis access to
more cancer treatments. Don't know about the waiting times, but
the new cancer treatments have been signed off supports seniors
deliver net zero by twenty twenty five. So so far,
so on track, and Luxon can say, for heaven's sake, people,
I'm doing the best I can. I'm doing what I

(03:07):
said I would do. But then we have all the
distractions and the simmering resentments, the Treaty Principals Bill, that
fairy debarcle. I mean, we used to give labor jip
for announcements of announcements. That was the king of all
announcements of announcements. We've got David Seymour, and then we've
got the platitudes from the Prime Minister. I don't know

(03:31):
how many times you can say, I get it. It's tough.
I hear you. We're working on it. We've got a
really good discussion group coming up. But you know, then
you see Trump come into office and and with a
couple of hours he does what we wanted the new
government to do, and they still haven't done it, and

(03:52):
it's been yeah, over a year. Trump does it in
a matter of ours, And so we grizzle and so
we moan, like the kids in the back of the
car and the Prime Minister Dad the driver seize with resentment,
I'm going as fast as I can and it'll be

(04:12):
great when we get there, you ungrateful riches. And in
the meantime the opposition parties, who, if I'm going to
stretch the analogy even further, are the hoons in the
laying outside of us and their unregistered car, not licensed
to drive. They toot the horn, give us the fingers,

(04:34):
think wonder when those kids want to get in the
car with us.

Speaker 1 (04:38):
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