John MacDonald: Is the PM missing his moment?

I bumped into a mate at the supermarket yesterday and one of the first things he said to me was, “Where’s Christopher Luxon?”. 

And I knew straight away what he was getting at. 

He was echoing the sentiment of political commentators over the weekend who were asking why the Prime Minister isn’t front and centre of the government’s response to the fuel situation. 

Not that Nicola Willis seems to be complaining. She appears to be relishing the opportunity to be the government’s mouthpiece. 

Which is rather unusual given what we’ve become used to in recent years. Particularly since Covid - but we saw it before then too. 

Jacinda Ardern is the most obvious comparison. But John Key, as well. On the day of the big quake, he called an urgent cabinet meeting, then he was straight on a plane to Christchurch. 

Jacinda Ardern was the same after the mosque attacks. She was front and centre when the White Island tragedy happened, and, as we know, she was the face of her government’s Covid response. 

These commentators who were talking about Christopher Luxon over the weekend were making the inevitable comparison to Jacinda Ardern. 

And it’s something I've been thinking about too. 

This fuel situation is Christopher Luxon's opportunity to shine. But, apart from photos on social media of him on the blower to other world leaders talking fuel, that’s about it. 

The rest of the time it’s either Nicola Willis on her own or Nicola Willis with the Prime Minister at her side. 

And I don’t think it’s doing him any favours at all. 

Take Friday, for example. The Prime Minister was in Christchurch for the official opening of the new One New Zealand Stadium - while he let Nicola Willis front the government’s fuel update. 

As one commentator put it: “It is difficult to imagine his predecessors - Ardern, Key or Helen Clark - surrendering such a platform at such a time.” 

Nicola Willis is doing a very good job in front of the fuel response. But, in my mind, she’s doing a job the Prime Minister should be doing. 

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Canterbury Mornings podcast with John McDonald
from Newstalk ZB.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Speaking of the weekend. I bumped into a mate at
the supermarket yesterday and one of the first things he
said to me was where's Christopher Luxon? That wasn't the
case of I just on your left ial for mate,
I knew straight away what he was getting at. He
was echoing the sentiment of political commentators over the weekend

(00:36):
who were asking why the Prime Minister isn't front and
center of the government's response to the fuel situation. Not
that Nichola Willis seems to be complaining. She appears to
be relishing the opportunity, doesn't she She's relishing the opportunity
to be the government's mouthpiece on this. Associate Energy Minister
Shane Jones, he seems to be getting a little bit

(00:57):
more involved. But it is Nichola Willis who was front
and center, which is rather unusual given what we've become
used in recent years, particularly since COVID, but we saw
it before then as well. Justindra A Durna is the
most obvious comparison, but John Key as well. I mean,
on the day the big quake, you may or may

(01:18):
not know this, or you may may or may not
remember it. But on the day the big quake in
twenty eleven, he called an urgent cabinet meeting. Then he
was straight on the plane to christ Church and it
was all over, wasn't he? John Key was all over
the earthquake, just Sindra A Durn was the same after
the Moss attacks. She was front and center when the
White Island tragedy happened, and you know, as we know,

(01:39):
she was the face of her government's COVID response. And
these commentators who were talking about Christopher Luxeon over the
weekend were making the inevitable comparisons. And it's something I've
been thinking about as well. I mean, I might have
even said last week or the week before, and I
still believe it that this fuel situation is Christopher Luxen's

(02:03):
opportunity to shine. From what I see, he doesn't seem
to be interested in this opportunity, you know, apart from
the photos on social media of him on the blower
to other world leaders talking fuel, it's about it and
the rest of the time it's either Nikola Willis on
her own or Nikola Willis with the Prime minister at

(02:23):
who's side. And you know what, I don't think this
is doing him any favors at all. Take Friday, for example,
the Prime Minister was here in christ Church for the
official opening of the new One New Zealand Stadium and
he let Nikola Willis front the government's fuel update. I mean, yeah, sure,
a big deal stadium opening, big deal. But as one

(02:45):
commentator put it, quote it is difficult to imagine his
predecessors to send her out during John Key or Halen Clark.
It is difficult to imagine them surrendering such a platform
at such a time. End of quote. Now look, you
probably know I've never been a huge fan of Nikola Willis,
but I think she's doing a very good job fronting

(03:06):
the fuel response. But in my mind, she's doing a
job that should be done by the Prime Minister. Christoph
Luxon should be the face of his government's fuel crisis response,
not Nikill Willison. Certainly not Shane Jones, I thought to
New Zealand Herald's political editor Thomas Coglan put it well
at the weekend when he said, quote, there is an

(03:28):
Ardurn shaped hole in the public facing part of the
response which Luxon seems determined not to fill. He goes
on to say the uncharitable view of his near invisibility
would put it down to the fact Luxon is one
of the weaker communicators in the government and could elevate
fears as much as assuage them. He goes on to

(03:49):
say a more charitable view is that Luckxon's role is
to live the government's keep harm and carry on message
that the fuel crisis is not covid end of quiet.
That's Thomas Coglan than the New Zealand Herald. But what
do you reckon? Should Christoph Luxen be more visible, should
they be fronting the fuel respont spons the fuel crisis response?
What do you think that's all part of the government
wanting us to calm the farm and not panic. Will

(04:11):
call me and tell me where you want. How you
assess Krista Luxon's handling of this so far.

Speaker 1 (04:17):
For more from Category Mornings with John McDonald, listen live
to news Talks at be Christ Church from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.