Ryan Bridge: Luxon's rhetoric is starting to match the reality

It’s fair to say Christopher Luxon’s had a rough run at the top.
 
The transition from CEO to PM hasn’t been all that smooth. His approval ratings have been way out of whack with those of any predecessor at the same time in their reigns. We hardly saw a honeymoon.

One of the problems has been communication.

You ask people and they tell you: it’s hard to connect with him. We don’t really get what he’s about. 

His loudmouth coalition partners have largely filled the personality void to his detriment. As a business executive, you’ve got to optimistic. You’ve got to project positivity, and that positive, upbeat style has jarred with the reality of our economy. 

The more he said things are improving and this economy is turning a corner, the more out of touch he has sounded. 

Jacinda Ardern encountered this problem when she refused to call the cost of living crisis a crisis. You lose the room. It's like a bit like trying to entertain a crowd of Metallica fans with a choir - a bit of a bum note. 

And that problems has befallen Luxon.

Until now. 

Despite this morning's card data going sideways, there’s no doubt the economy’s on the up. We’re about to see another jump in GDP next week as we get Q1 data, which follows positive Q4 data.

Treasury reckons this current year will see growth hitting almost 3%. Thanks to our exporters and global conditions, there’s light at the end of the tunnel.

You can feel it - shops are filling up. Manufacturing’s on the up. Company’s are hiring. 

And this is massive for Luxon because it means his rhetoric is starting to match the reality. 

It’s the missing piece of the puzzle that could turn his political fortunes around. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's fair to say Christopher Luxon's had a rough run
at the top, is it. The transition from CEO to
Prime Minister hasn't been all that smooth. His approval ratings
have been way out of whack with those of any predecessor.
At the same time, in their ragn think Clark, think Key,
think Jacinda. We hardly saw a honeymoon for him, did we.
One of the problems has been communication. You ask people

(00:22):
and they tell you it's hard to connect with him.
We don't really get what he's about. And then his
loudmouth income, the loudmouth coalition partners, they've largely filled the
personality void to his detriment. As a businessman, as a
business executive, you've got to be optimistic, eternally optimistic. You've
got to project positivity, and that positive, upbeat style has

(00:46):
jarred with the reality of our economy. The more he
said things are improving and this economy is turning a corner,
the more out of touch he sounded. Jacinda adne encountered
the same problem when she refused to call the cost
of living crisis a remember that you lose the room.
It's a bit like trying to entertain a crowd of
Metallica fans with a choir bit of a bum note,

(01:08):
doesn't really hit, doesn't really land. That problem has Befallen
Christopher Luxen until now. There's no doubt that this economy
is on the up, despite the card data going sideways.
We saw this morning. We're about to see another jump
in GDP next week as we get called to one
data out. It follows a positive quarter four data last year.
Treasury reckons the current year, we will see growth heading

(01:30):
almost three percent. Thank you to our exporters, Thank you
to global conditions. There is light at the end of
the tunnel, and you can feel it and you can
see it. Shops are busier than they were a year ago.
Manufacturing is on the up, the data says, so companies
are hiring. And this is massive for Luxin because it

(01:50):
means his rhetoric is starting to match our reality. It's
the missing piece of the puzzle that could well turn
his political fortune around. For more from Early Edition with
Ryan Bridge. Listen live to News Talks it be from
five am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.