Mike's Minute: Luxon quitting would be an epic mistake

Staying the course when things are tough is a skill. I think you either have it or you don’t.

Chris Luxon will not get rolled, but he may quit. That would be a mistake of epic proportions.

What would drive me, if I was him, would be rational thought.

1) This election is not about personality, it's about economic management. On that the Government are tracking well.

2) The internal polling within the National Party is fine. It does not reflect the Curia poll that the media made so much of.

The unfortunate thing about Friday's pre-hyped release is it came at the same time Luxon had had a bad week on the war.

That week by the way, was nowhere near as bad as some made it out to be. But the two events came together for a good week-end headline.

3) This would be the bit that would focus my mind - it's only Hipkins.

Seriously, you're only lining up Labour as an opponent. On the economy. The people who wrecked the place two and a bit years ago are asking the voter to come back and do a bit more of it. You don’t believe me? Read Thomas Coughlan's piece with Barbara Edmonds.

4) Even if you take the poll seriously, which you shouldn’t. There is a one seat shift, so it's within a margin of error.

5) The economy will save you. You campaigned on a turnaround and the turnaround is real.

Given we are voting on economics, the National leader is not a deal-breaker.

If you are voting on interest rates and jobs, does Chris Bishop or Erica Stanford really change your view of your lot?

They are good people and good talents, but they aren't game-changers and they won't get you a job any more than Luxon will.

6) Having done the hard yards, why quit now? The prize is just down the road and with a second term perceptions change.

7) The coalition as an operation is a success. Three parties have, and do, work well together. It's MMP in action.

The alternative? Hipkins talking about a minority Government, a Green Party and extremism and a Māori Party that will not be back in anywhere near the numbers they have now. It's not a combo.

This must all sit heavily with Luxon. How could it not?

But that is what leadership is about. That is what you chased and bought into.

If you think you will fail you will automatically be successful.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Staying the course when things are tough. As a skill,
I think you either habit or you don't. Chris Lackson
will not get rolled, but he may quit or he
may not. That would be a mistake, of course, of
epic proportions. What would drive me? What would drive me?
I've been thinking over the weekend if I was him,
would be rational thought. One. This election is not about personality.
It's about economic management. On that the government are tracking well. Two.

(00:23):
The internal polling within the National Party is fine. It
does not reflect the Courier poll that the media made
so much of on Friday. The unfortunate thing about Friday's
pre hype release, as it came at the same time
Luxon had a bad week on the war That week,
by the way, was now we're near as bad as
some made it out to be. But the two events
came together for a good old Friday headline. Three, This
would be the bit that would really focus my mind.

(00:45):
It's only hipkins, I mean, seriously, you're only lining up
labor as an opponent on the economy. The people who
wrecked the place two and a bit years ago are
asking the voter to come back and do a bit
more of it. You don't believe me. Read Thomas Coglin's
Peace with Barbara Edmonds. Four. Even if you take the
pole seriously, which you shouldn't, it's a one seat shift.
Did you get to that part of the pole. It's

(01:06):
a one seat shift. It's within the margin Mira. Five.
The economy will save you new campaign on a turnaround.
The turnaround is real and given we're voting on economics,
the national leader is not a deal breaker if you're
voting on interest rates and jobs. Does Chris Bishop, Erera
Ca Stanford really change of you or your lot? They
are good people, yes, and they're good talents yes, but
they aren't game changes and they won't get you a

(01:27):
job anymore than lux Andwell. Six. Having done the hard yards,
why quit now? The prize is just down the road
and with the second term perceptions change. Seven. The coalition
as an operation is a success. Three parties have and
do work well together. It's MMP and action. The alternative
Hepkins is talking about a minority government and a Green Party,
an extremism and a Mari Party that will not be

(01:50):
back in anywhere near the numbers they have now. It's
not a combination. This must all sit, of course, heavily
with Luxeon. I mean, how could it not. But that
is what leadership is about. That is what you chased
and brought into. If you think you will fail, you
will automatically be successful. For more from the My Asking Breakfast,
listen live to news Talks at B from six am weekdays,

(02:12):
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio