Jason Walls: Newstalk ZB Political Editor on the 501 discussion between Christopher Luxon and Anthony Albanese

Pressure is on Christopher Luxon over 501s as he meets with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese in Canberra.  

In 2022, former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had convinced Albanese of a common-sense approach to the topic. 

But that stance changed in June, when a new directive made the safety of Australians the top priority in deportation decisions. 

Newstalk ZB's political editor Jason Walls told Mike Hosking Luxon needs to look like he's doing something.  

He says we're not pleased with this policy, but Australians think it's absolutely fine - and Albanese is always going to bow to domestic pressure. 

Walls said it’s likely not much will change. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
PMS and Canberra of course, two day blitz of Australia.
Yesterday it was infrastructure in New South Wales. Today it's
probably the fire boh Ones. Political editor Jason Walls up
early morning, mate, Yeah, good morning, makee I'm bored witness
by this fire, oh Ones. I mean going going to
camber Togain elbow, elbow, elbow. I mean he's been hoisted
by his own petard. They had the tremendous issue of

(00:21):
all the people getting let out of jail. He's back down.
That's the end of it. You can ask till you're
blue in the face, nothing's changing. Is that fair?

Speaker 2 (00:30):
I think that's absolutely fair. And to be honest, a
lot of us know that there's not going to be
a lot that will probably change coming out of today's
meaning between Luxeon and Anthony ALBERANIZI. But Chris Luxon needs
to appear like he's doing something. This is a hot
topic for both New Zealand and Australia for different reasons.
I mean, the key is we're not pleased with this
policy that Australia have, but Australia think that it's absolutely fine.

(00:52):
And when it comes down to it, Alba is always
going to bow to his domestic pressure rather than from
pressure from little old New Zealand.

Speaker 1 (00:59):
Yeah, exactly, the low wo We Institute speech are much
more interested in. How bullish if that's the right word,
was Luxon last night on China the problems in the
Indo Pacific and how worried is he and is this
sort of worth thinking about?

Speaker 2 (01:15):
I think that's probably the highlight of the trip, if
I'm honest. I mean it's his first major foreign policy speech,
so there were high expectations and there was a view
that it might be a complete flop and a clete fizzer.
But Luxon actually did quite a good job about carving
out what he thought his position of New Zealand was
in the world, and talking about a number of other
issues as well. When it came to things in the Pacific,

(01:37):
he was quite, as you say, quite bullish about that
and outlining a number of concerns for the region and
the tensional issues, and of course when it came to
China as well, he used some pretty interesting language. He said,
the difference in values and systems of government mean that
there are issues on which we cannot and will not
agree in it as far I think as he's actually
gone publicly and saying that about that relationship with China.

(02:02):
The things that we cannot and will not agree on is.

Speaker 1 (02:05):
There's some reported to the mornings this morning suggesting he
used the Ukraine example and that could happen in our backyard.
Was it that specific or not.

Speaker 2 (02:16):
Well, it's what his It was in the Q and
a session of the speech at the Loewy Institute, where
that's essentially what he said. He had said something similar
when he was in NATO last month as well, essentially
saying that this flashpoint that we've seen in Ukraine can
basically happen anywhere, including our region in the Pacific. So
it was one of those things that you can read

(02:38):
into it quite strongly and say, well, hang on a second,
what is it that you're actually saying here, And we
pushed them on it in the press conference afterwards, and
he slightly backed down a little bit, moved away from
saying that it was anything as cold or as intricate
as what is happening in the Europe at the moment,
but it was very clear that he is, you know,

(02:58):
he's worried about some tensions in the specific.

Speaker 1 (03:00):
As he should be Jason go well today. I appreciate
it very much. Jason Willtower run political leader across the Testament.
Will he's across the Testment, but he's our political leader
on both sides of the Testment. That's how good he is.
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