In the last 48 hours, Luxon has u-turned so many times, he’s doughnuting policy now

By
Martyn Bradbury
-
61
1942

What on earth are they doing???

Chris Hipkins tears into National over report of dumped tax policy

Labour’s Chris Hipkins has torn into National, claiming it is suffering “internal division” after a report suggested the party had dumped its earlier tax policy.

National finance spokesperson Nicola Willis told NZHerald it was a policy for the Budget in May and that National would form a new tax policy ahead of next year’s election.

However, Willis has confirmed that will include a form of indexation and the party is committed to tax reduction.

A calculator on the party’s website which showed how much people could save under its tax policy has also been removed.

“As we shape our tax policy for the future, New Zealanders can expect to see a package that really focuses on the squeezed middle of New Zealanders who we know are struggling to get ahead and the shape of that package will be determined next year,” Willis told NZHerald.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, speaking from Auckland on Thursday, wouldn’t get into National’s policies.

TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com

“The policies of the Opposition are a matter for them and whether or not voters feel they are consistent and therefore trustworthy is also a question for them too.”

But one of her senior MPs was more than happy to.

Hipkins, who released a statement on a Labour letterhead as the Labour MP for Rimutaka (as opposed to as a minister), said National appeared to be “in disarray”.

“This was Chris Luxon’s first policy as National Party Leader, and now his Deputy Nicola Willis has dumped it six months later,” he said on Thursday. “It’s the sort of disarray we got used to in the days of Bridges, Muller and Collins.”

Willis says the party’s position on indexation has not changed.

It comes just a day after Luxon was forced to clarify comments about National’s health and education spending plans.

After previously promising to lift spending by the rate of inflation, Luxon wasn’t so clear about itduring an interview with AM on Wednesday morning. He later told reporters that it was National’s policy to peg spending to inflation.

Hipkins pointed out Luxon’s comments on abortion, businesses being soft and his social media account suggesting he was in Te Puke when he was actually holidaying in Hawaii as “rookie errors”. He questioned whether National MPs might be asking whether the first-term MP was promoted to leader too soon.

“Luxon’s puppet at the Backbencher might be Humpty Dumpty but one has to wonder if the Fosbury Flop might have been more accurate,” said Hipkins.

Ok, put aside the fact no one knows who the fuck the Fosbury Flop is and forces you to consider Chippy was home schooled in a castle, Luxon is u-turning so fast, he’s lost political traction and is just spinning policy doughnuts all over the local cemetery, hooning around like West Auckland teenagers after a day of drinking Mountain Dew.

You are not in Botany now Mr Luxon!

This is ridiculous! He’s either not being briefed deeply enough to make the calls in the first place, or Nicola Willis isn’t telling him what she’s doing!

This is basic communications 101 and should never be played out in public. Luxon’s history now of saying something and then walking it back is becoming a problem, add to that the whole harvesting people’s pain from the cost of living crisis only to holiday in Hawaii while telling us he was in Te Puke and you have the authenticity problem of a rich man who knows the cost of everything and the value of nothing.

I have argued that 34% is Luxon’s ceiling, but now I suspect even that might be too high.

The very angry right vote will see the possibility of a Labour/Green/Māori Party Government as a cultural existential threat and in their writhing around in pain will thrash over to ACT.

I think ACT will start cannibalising National vote again as the polarisation amplifies.

Luxon is not the droid you are looking for.

Remember, Luxon was the negotiated leader, not the most talented. He became Leader after Collins made her hate pack vote for him after she ratfucked Simon Bridges.

The question is when will Nicola Willis attempt a move against Luxon. Before the election or after it?

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61 COMMENTS

    • Luxon’s advisers have been reading TDB and have realised how fucking hypocritical Aloha Luxon’s tax policy appears, hence the U-Turn.

      That should move TDB up the rankings for more awards, and will help @bert, sleep better at night, knowing we are defeating the NACT trolls.

    • “Who will rid me of this turbulent priest?”

      Sir John Key knee-capped Simon Bridges in Dirty Politics 2.3, telling us that Chris Luxon was so much better than Simon Bridges, to be NZPM (https://www.odt.co.nz/news/politics/key-talks-luxon-while-bridges-feels-backlash).

      Sir John Key told the whole of New Zuld, and China via Skykiwi: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/121200135/john-key-describes-what-chris-luxon-would-be-like-as-prime-minister) , that Chris Luxon was the next best thing to Sir John Key himself, and the next whiter, balder version and second coming of Mao Zedong.

      Please Mr Key (Sir John), what’s your rating on Chris Luxon now? Hmmmm?

      Is Chris Luxon better, or worse than John Campbell? on a scale of 1-10 – I think you would call John Campbell a 1/10, or even a -1/10?

      Remember in 2014, when you wanted rid of John Campbell as a ‘left-wing bastard!’ (https://thestandard.org.nz/i-want-that-left-wing-bastard-gone/)

      How does Aloha Luxon rate Sir John? 2/10? Sir John…..do you want Luxon ‘gone by lunchtime’ too?

      The TVNZ boss, Paul Yurisich was interviewer, promoter and employer of Kamal Santamaria: Paul and Kamal, both lost jobs because Paul appointed “one of his mates, one of the old boys, excuse-the-wart, nudge-nudge-wink-wink-say-no-more” https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/300647979/kamahl-santamaria-scandal-claims-head-of-tvnz-news-boss-as-review-criticises-hiring-of-key-presenters

      If Luxon loses the National Party Leadership, and you strenuously supported him, will you give back your knighthood Sir John?

      So many questions, so little time, before Luxon is replaced or moves on to more ‘Hawaiian-centric pastures’.

      Time to cauterize the National Party, still-toxic dirty politics’ wound AGAIN; time for Sir John to shoulder-tap someone new to lead National and try and heal yet another fetid, suppurating wound and casualty of Dirty Politics 2.75.

      How about Don Brash? Judith Collins? Gerry Brownlee? Aaron Gilmore might be starter, but probably, a bridge too far. But, at least he has good name recognition, because everyone knows his name? Or more correctly, should know his name.

      So little time before 2023 elections, Sir John!

      Who will rid you of the turbulent priest? And I don’t mean Brian Tamaki – I mean the other rich guy, with a similar direct line to God, Sir John.

      • Oh behave @Henry the second! “The TVNZ boss, Paul Yurisich was interviewer, promoter and employer of Kamal Santamaria: Paul and Kamal, both lost jobs because Paul appointed “one of his mates, one of the old boys, excuse-the-wart, nudge-nudge-wink-wink-say-no-more””.

        Don’t you mean “annointed?”, which would sit better with a religious zeal-type anointment of Chris Luxon by John Key (Sir)?

        • Missing the point Bert! I am proud of you for actuality putting out your own opinion first, rather than chipping away at other’s comments…well done

        • @bert, be kind bert! Natana’s secret dad, by another mother, Aloha Donut Luxon, is very fragile at the moment. His beloved NACT and NZ First (Shane Jones’ Party) are tanking in the polls and Nicola Willis (aka Ruth Richardson MK II) is making a play for National Party Leader to replace Aloha Donut Luxon when he moves on to “pursue other business interests”, “for family reasons”.

          Aloha Donut Luxon will be “gone by Christmas” and Nicola will go head to head with Jacinda as “woman to lead NZ!”

          Watch this space Natana

  3. Well, all this entertainment from PotatoHead and the English Literature major more than makes up for their sparse contradictory “policy”.
    Goverment in waiting? Pfffftttt……

    *popcorn*

  4. And the gaffs keep on coming!

    Luxon has no political nose but an entitled rich prick mentality and is rapidly transforming into Todd Muller, redux.

    Will he last until 2023? I have my doubts but one thing is for sure, the best performing MP for this government, bar none!

  5. Martyn it’s a high jump technique. Rather than humpty dumpty ‘having a great (accidental) fall’ its almost like he is doing it on purpose. At least that’s how I took it

  6. Events to-date surely raise the question if Willis is setting Luxon up to fail. If a leader and a deputy aren’t singing the same tune on major policy issues I can only assume the past rifts in their caucus remain. This can only end one way, and for the sake of a credible opposition, let alone a government in waiting, the sooner the better.

    • i personally think that it is just a lack of communication the two. their media handlers will be working a ton of overtime from now until the election.

      • SAC, wouldn’t that indicate a total lack of the corporate skills Luxon is supposed to have. Surely as boss he needs to make sure his team is ‘all on the same page’.

        • Corporate skills are not required in a company that a Government has to bail out, if anything it shows a failure of corporate skills.

          • So true Bert. His abandonment of the Heathrow landing slots and Regional routes as Air NZ CEO demonstrated he is not a builder but rather retreats from challenges.

  7. The fact of the matter is, regardless of whether or not he looks stupid in the media, and he increasingly does look stupid in the media, Chris Luxon will need to come up with some solid policies for National before the 2023 election. That’s what the voters want.

  8. This is your captain, Captain Hindsight speaking…
    Fasten your seatbelts we are going in to land.. In Te Puke..
    Uh.. you say there is some confusion.. Cancel that…
    We will be detouring to Hawaii for a week..
    Uh.. um John you’re cracking up.. I can’t hear you properly..
    Nicola can you take over the wheel for this one.?
    What are the flight controllers the NZ Initiative saying we should do?

  9. “…hooning around like West Auckland teenagers after a day of drinking Mountain Dew.”

    please, west auckland teens drink monster energy drinks, in the 400 ml can, thay would be frothing at the mouth at the suggestion of drinking mountain dew.

  10. Seymour…”Drop the tax cut saga”!

    Luxon…”yes David”

    Willis…”But if we put out a press statement saying it was only for last May’s budget, then it’ll sound like it was our idea”

    Seymour…”Yes Nicola, I will allow that”.

    • Thanks @bert. You’ve confirmed the rumours I’ver heard that Luxon is about to be rolled (but softened to “pursuing other business interests”.

      We have a sweepstake in my street, that:

      #1. “David Seymour will be National Leader going in to the next election, with Nicola as deputy”
      #2. “Nicola Willis will be National Leader going in to the next election, with Seymour as deputy”
      #3. “National and ACT will merge as a new Party called the NACTL – National Act Liberals before the next election”
      #4. “National, ACT and NZ First will merge as a new Party called the SJNL – the Shane Jones’ National Liberals before the next election”

      Knowing how much National, ACT, and NZ First sift through TDB for policy commentary, I have put my money on #3!

    • @bert Awesome bert, Love the dialogue transcript. Do you have a long-range microphone that listened in on this ‘fictional’ conversation? Perfect punctuation by the way, unlike Im right, who normally pipes up about now with some unpunctuated drivel, spittle and and foam.

      “How can you tell if NPDPD Willis, or HAD Luxon, or CRV Bishop are lying about tax, bert?”
      “When they blink when they are being interviewed, or when their lips move, bert!”

      Note, HAD Luxon should have been in the Commonwealth Games Gymnastic squad, he would have won Gold, for the most number of backflips since Nadia Nadia Comăneci, won Gold at the 1976 Olympics.

      Humpty Aloha Donut Luxon – Gold Medal for the most number of backflips and spins on Tax.
      https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/08/unions-lash-out-at-christopher-luxon-after-he-backtracks-on-health-funding-promise.html

      Chris R&V Bishop – Silver medal for getting his facts wrong about drug testing at music festivals.
      https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2021/12/chris-bishop-says-sorry-after-chloe-swarbrick-again-calls-out-drug-testing-lies.html

      Nicola NPDPD Willis – National Party Dirty Politics Denier – Bronze medal for this comment “I came to Parliament because I care about policy and issues and ideas and that’s what I’m there for. I also believe in the values of the National Party and a very important one of which is personal responsibility and I do take responsibility for my actions and my behaviour and the impact that has on others. – with her politically expedient fingers crossed behind her politically expedient back!
      https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/421823/question-time-first-term-mps-on-parliament-culture

      National: Gold, silver and bronze at being untrustworthy and too tainted by dirty politics stench, and uber medal overall winner of backflips on tax

      • You’re trying too hard to be funny. You qualify to be on 7 Days. Take lessons from Bert with his actual funny post.

        • You Afrikaners aren’t renowned for your sense of humour, are you Sour Kraut? There hasn’t been much for you white-supremacists to be happy about since the majority, whom you used to call “kaffirs'”, kicked your apartheid system into touch.

            • BTF?
              Explain with some links Bob. “Now NZ is adopting an apartheid policy under the Labour Government”

              I know you only get paid for “no more than 20 word comments” by your Right-Wing political masters and payroll clerks.

              A hyperlink of proof counts as ONE word, so you won’t be jeopardising your NACT political comment contract.

              If they dock your pay for a hyperlink, I know a very good employment lawyer BTF. Leave your phone number and I’ll text you the employment lawyer’s details.

  11. No need to wonder “who” the Fosbury Flop is.. It was a well known technique that became the standard for high jumpers.. Named after a bloke by the name of Fosbury strangely enough.. The fact that the technique leaves the user flat on his/her back with their legs in the air makes for an accurate assessment of Luxons future “political posturing” .. An impersonation of a dying cockroach..

  12. at last something he’s competent at, pullin youie

    and don’t say business genius he was ceo of a govt backed airline that wouldn’t be allowed to fail under any circumstances and was allegedly unaware that airline was making millions refurbishing military jet engines for the saudis…so no not a competent businessman even.

  13. It’s only Hosking and the sycophantic !ZB announcers that are keeping Luxon in the game …

    The rest of the media seem to have suddenly had an epiphany and woken up from their reverie …

    Clearly he has nothing to offer and would be a useless Prime Minister rivalling train-wreck Shipley for hopelessness..

    The honeymoon is over and the election is a long ,long, long 16 months away yet….

    The dismantling will be Muller revisited….

    • David Seymour Henry.
      Don Brash has done it before, moving from ACT to National.
      Deja-vu, all over again!

      But then again, it could be Stephen Joyce, aka Dildo Baggins.

    • No link to “gutter-style Politics” @bert? Really?

      Deep down, many of the right wing commenters here. agree with you in your never-ending fight against the horde of paid right-wing trolls, who who denigrate you as a leftist looney. Most of our right-wing-troll wages, come from our number of comments, rather than the quality of our comments.

      Mr Key supported Chris Luxon’s leadership of the National Party. Very little of the Dirty Politics supposedly associated with John Key, affected Luxon very much. However, support by John Key, and alleged dirty politics link was almost a Judas kiss on the cheek for Luxon.

      It has been hard to shake off negative links in the media with Chris Luxon, but failing to grasp the public sentiment to taxing the poor, the same rate as the rich, has left a sour taste with “Kiwis”, who generally have an innate sense of egalitarianism, or “Fair Go”

      “Dirty Politics” has become synonymous for National Party in the minds of bloggers only. Taxing the poor, less than the rich, which would lead to a $17,000 difference per year for rich people like Luxon, is a bridge too far for most voters, at either end of the political spectrum.

      National and ACT will need to bury the hatchet with NZ First; and bring in a “fair” CGT (Capital Gains Tax). It’s the only credible tax difference between National and Labour at the moment. Labour have refused to introduce a CGT while Ms Ardern is PM. Implementing a staged CGT, over 9 years, will help National to grab the high moral ground, to also re-connect with the “squeezed middle”, in other words, those hard-working Kiwis who see the inequities of a tax package that give $18.,000 to one sector of society and $180 to another sector of New Zealand working society.

      The well-off in NZ already have trusts in place, and these trusts can be used to offset and delay the CGT tax ad infinitum. If National want to sell a CGT, to the richest 10%, then roll it in the glitter of the fact that, New Zealand will become the Switzerland of the South Pacific, which was once proposed by Sir John Key.

      Tax brackets, or a tax that gives rich more than the middle and poor are currently unpalatable. Dropping tax to 20% across the board – no matter how much you earn, and moving to an indirect tax of 20% should be easier to convince Kiwis. Indirect tax, compared with direct income tax is a no-brainer. If you have more money in your pocket, or are paying less direct income tax, and fractionally more, is a much fairer system. Voters have the choice to save the money from less direct tax, or spend it.

      Thanks @bert. 20% income tax, 20% business tax and 20% GST is the way forard towards a fairer society.

      • That’s a load of rubbish,
        Biggest transfer of wealth to the wealthiest in NZ history under the last
        5 years of Ardern’s Labour Government.
        Every other indicator of poverty has worsened under this Labour Government.
        Turned their backs on the poor which is difficult to stomach.

  17. Since it was recycling day where I am,
    I thought I’d recycle this joke…
    His lordship PotatoHead MumbleFuck Christ Luxon, leaves Hawaii and heads back to NZ on a private plane, when they hit turbulence and their plane is about to crash. There are 3 passengers, but only 2 parachutes. The first passenger said. “I am the latest leader of the National opposition, and I am the shrewdest richest smartest leader in NZ political history, so my people don’t want me to die”. He took the first pack and jumped out of the plane.
    The second passenger, the Pope, said to the third passenger, a 10-year-old schoolboy “My son, I am old and don’t have many years left, you have more years ahead so I will sacrifice my life and let you have the last parachute.”
    The little boy said, “That’s okay, Your Holiness, there’s a parachute left for you. The shrewdest richest smartest leader in NZ political history took my schoolbag…”

      • Stop denigrating your pathetic self, Bob the first.

        There are plenty here, who are lining up to denigrate your stupidity. The problem is that your contract with NACT to make comments, only allows you less than 25 words per comment, in order to get paid.

        Give us the names of your employers and there’s a group here who will take a class action for you and the likes of Sour Kraut, for better pay for intelligent comment, rather than just the number of words. It isn’t fair for you Bob!

        Sir John Key is making a comeback to takeover from Chris Luxon. His screen demo is on TV One with Jack Tame tomorrow.

        Your comment will be “Bring back Sir John Key and a new flag” – and you’ll get paid, because it’s under 25 words

  18. It’s become obvious due to his boasting that Bert is a business Guru.
    He knows much more than Key or Luxon.
    Not sure I would give him my money to manage though.

    • Your payments from NACT, for under 25 word anti-left comments are legendary on this page. So there shouldn’t be much for @bert to invest anyway BTF.

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