Luxon rules TOP out – Labour+Green+TPM+TOP Government it is!
Great news for the Left…
National rules out working with Opportunity Party
National has ruled out working with the Opportunity Party, with leader Christopher Luxon saying National would not do business with a party that wants to raise taxes.
Opportunity’s leader says New Zealanders are tired of that way of thinking, and suspected Luxon would change his tune if National needed Opportunity come November.
Opportunity was on 4.7 percent in the latest RNZ-Reid Research poll, just shy of the 5 percent needed to enter Parliament.
The party has been open to working with both National and Labour, should either need its support to form a government after the election.
RNZ
…what a cluster blunder by Luxon.
By ruling TOP out, it forces TOP to cut a deal with the Left instead.
Qiulae can lament the tribalism of the Right for not wanting to work on the problems in front of NZ all she wants…
Christopher Luxon ruled out working with Opportunity β TOP
Today, Christopher Luxon ruled out working with Opportunity after what he described as a βcursory glanceβ at our policies.
Thatβs the kind of old politics New Zealanders are tired of.
TOP
…but to be honest, the Right have zero interest on working together to confront the problems in front of NZ because THEY ARE THE PROBLEM!
The Right in this country have no political philosophy other than the talking points their Donors consultants write for them.
EVERY SINGLE LAW PASSED has been deregulation of the rules around their donors interests while pretending that it is for the public good.
Trying to work with the right is like working with the arsonist burning down your house.
Now Luxon has been flummoxed into providing an answer – TOP is out from working with the right and will now have to work with the Left.
A Labour+Green+TPM+TOP Government it is!
Independent Media is more important than ever, especially in the lead up to the Election. TDB is the largest Left Wing Blog in NZ and we have been operating for 13 years now. We get zero funding g from NZ on Air and we donβt have no rich backers. If you can donate please do so here or directly into our account β 12-3065-0133561-56
Luxon rules out working with TOP β until it looks like he might miss out on the baubles of office.
Luxon is so arrogant and deluded that he has ruled out a party that might reach the 5% ceiling and in a finely balanced parliament after November 7 he will come crawling to TOP if it means he can return to government.
These lies and born to rule arrogance is what people are totally sick of.
Q for qute.
I think that Luxon was pressured into making that decision: by ACT, NZ First and, most importantly, by the right’s big money lenders who are simply TERRIFIED of the prospect of having to pay a fair share of tax and be accountable for their actions in trying to screw the economy and the environment.
Luxon is not ignorant of how MMP works, he knows perfectly well that when a smaller party makes a government coalition deal that not all its policies will be initiated or even welcomed and yet here he is apparently burning some boats even before the election, boats that may well prove to be emergency life rafts for National.
Luxon is either very wise or very stupid, time will tell which one but in any case the decision was made for him: all he did was pass it on.
Appearances can be deceptive
1News:
National Party leader Christopher Luxon appears to have ruled out governing arrangements with the upstart Opportunity Party, …
In response, Opportunity Party leader Qiulae Wong didn’t rule out compromising on the parties’ tax reform ambitions, saying she wasn’t expecting the policy to be accpeted overnight.
RNZ:
Opportunity’s leader says New Zealanders are tired of that way of thinking, and suspected Luxon would change his tune if National needed Opportunity come November.
Martyn Bradbury:
By ruling TOP out, it forces TOP to cut a deal with the Left instead.
Qiulae can lament the tribalism of the Right for not wanting to work on the problems in front of NZ all she wantsβ¦
Putting Qiulae Wong’s willingness to compromise on her tax policies, alongside Luxon’s refusal to rule TOP out, beside Qiulae Wong’s keeness to do a deal with National. Martyn Bradbury is partially right, TOP will have to be forced to cut a deal with the Left.
Following National “appearing” to cut TOP out, at every politcal meeting or party rally, in every election debate or media interview, Qiulae Wong must be challenged to cut National out. If she refuses, Qiulae Wong and TOP must be called out as being politically toxic to our democracy.
“When you want to spend more, tax more, borrow more β we ain’t doing business with you,” Christopher Luxon.
As Labour’s Kieran McAnulty, the adult in the room, said, National is already in coalition with “one of those”.
No, TOP is not open to working with the right. They say that, but they aren’t. They learnt they art of dodging.
Jonzie says:
28 July 2026 at 10:19 am
“?No, TOP is not open to working with the right. They say that, but they arenβt….”
When people tell you who they are, you should listen to them.
Not in politics. They’re all liars.
They always will be when it’s led by the PM.
I don’t agree. Politicians are not all liars.
In my opinion, not even the majority of politicians are liars.
It is just that all politicians hold a class position, and they are loyal to that class position. if you are not in that class you are likely to feel let down by them.
The short hand for which class position politicians hold is Left or Right. On the Left you have working people and beneficiaries, trade unionists. On the right you have business people. landlords and cashed up millionaires.
By not honestly statiing their class position, either Left or Right, TOP are possibly the closest to professional liars we currently have after our vote.
Relative positions on tax will be a major theme for National. They will keep it simple even if what they say isnt true They can now add Top to the other 3 and highlight all the new taxes we will face if we ditch National. The message will be that if elected the opposition parties will take your house, take your wealth, take your savings, take your inheritance, seen the billboard already
Luxon should have said ,Thinking KIWIS dont want us back in government .
The right is a problem, but so is the left.
The left is just kinder in their destruction of humanity for the elite.
Neoliberalism is the problem, and until we get rid of that then nothing changes.
It looks like Opportunities addresses that fundamental issue better than most.
Agree. We need social democracy. Not trickle-up.
Oh for fucks sake ! Surely you canβt expect us to take this shit seriously ?
Two gushing fakers spit-flicking each other while hoping they can bull shit us soβs they might get nice salaries for the next three years. I mean, really ? Itβs like watching two used car sales persons pitching for Jesus. If theyβre the best Jesus can expect then poor fucking old Jesus is all I can write. Luxon and whatβs her name can just fuck off. Now. Chloe Swarbrick. Youβre up.
The adults in the room are not fooled.
1News:
https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/07/27/luxon-appears-to-rule-out-national-working-with-opportunity-party/
Labour: PM was ‘flustered and ran away’
“He did it by accident, and then he got flustered, and then he ran away. Who runs away from a press conference when they haven’t announced anything?”
“He started going on about how they don’t like parties that want to spend more, while they were in coalition with one of those.”
“The fact that he called an end to it and then ran down the stairs like he was competing at the Commonwealth Games suggests that yes, it wasn’t meant to happen,” Labour Party campaign chairperson Kieran McAnulty
McAnulty is right, Christopher Luxon put on the spot by reporters to rule TOP out, immediately closed the press conference and literally ran out of the room, tells you something.
Luxon refuses to rule TOP out β National+ACT+NZF+TOP Government it is!
Agreed, Pat
Listening carefully to Luxons replies shows that he has given himself plenty of wriggle room.
βRule out-ismβ is such a big waste of time. They are pointless questions and our journalists need to just give up already; in the end, these politicians will do whatever it takes to gain control of the Beehive.
We would do well to remember the vitriolic posturing prior to our most previous election. National dissed cracker NZF hard, right up until election day. Then they fell in love. What a joke.
It means nothing.
While the intent of elections is that the voters decide the government we have Luxon demonstrating again that he doesn’t care what the voters want and that only his views are acceptable. Let’s hope that the voters make better choices this time and deliver him the reality check so he knows how unpopular he is.
steve says:
28 July 2026 at 9:29 am
“While the intent of elections is that the voters decide the government we have….”
Unfortunately, the TOP Party don’t care about the intent of the voters to decide what government we have….
The TOP Party don’t even care about the intent of their members to decide what government we have….
The RNZ Reid Research Poll revealed that the majority of respondents polled want a Labour led government/
This result was even more pronounced among TOP party supporters.
TOP Party supporters polled by Reid Research wanted a Labour led government by a margin of two-to-one.
TOP Party leader, Qiulae Wong has said she doesn’t care what TOP Party members want, the decision to go with National, (or not) will be made by the TOP leadership, not the members.
RNZ:
RNZ poll: National hits new low under Luxon, Opportunity nears Parliament
Craig McCulloch
14 July 2026
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/politics/713431/rnz-poll-national-hits-new-low-under-luxon-opportunity-nears-parliament
The poll was conducted through online interviews and has a maximum margin of error of plus or minus 3.1%
Surely if they cross the threshold they get to negotiate with both sides, and opt for the side which will accommodate the largest portion of their policy? Is this not how it’s meant to work? Whether they are viewed as centre, centre left or centre right, does it make a difference?
Not voting for any globalists, which rules out most of the mainstream. I’ll try the Freedom party. They probably wont be in but I’ll call it an investment in the future. BTW Two of the parties you mention are not near 5%, how is that going to work?
If you look carefully at LuxFlakes statements, you can probably see that he has left himself some wriggle room – he never definitively declared that he will not form a government with them.
Typical Luxon – he never answers a direct question with a straightforward answer.
Very untrustworthy indeed.
Hipkins has ruled out any change to taxing the voters so as TOP whole policy is based on extra tax Labour seems an unlikely partner as well . Luxon is being honest early in the election lead up rather than no policy Hipkins.
No Trevor. Top’s tax policy is about reforming a broken tax system that basically rewards speculation over work creating an economic system that encourages capital away from productive parts of the economy. It also discriminates against the young and drives inequality. The coalition clearly thinks this is a good thing and refuse to change it. Not surprising with Luxon selling off his 7 houses for a tax free gain while some poor kid entering the workforce is taxed from the first dollar they earn. The game is rigged and probably explains why we have record numbers of people leaving the country.
Luxon is being honest?
Fuck you’re a slow learner Trev.
Trevor if the Egghead told you the sky was yellow you would believe it without looking up !
Luxon rules TOP out β Labour+Green+TPM+TOP Government it is!
By
Martyn Bradbury
28 July 2026
Christopher Luxon did not rule out working with TOP.
Christopher Luxon said he wouldn’t work with a party that wants to increase taxes.
That shouldn’t be a problem, because Qiulae Wong, the TOP leader, has said that TOP’s principles are designed as discussion points rather than bottom lines.
stuff.co.nz>
What is The Opportunity Party? A left-wing party in disguise, pure hype, or something else?
Isaac Davison
June 29, 2026
https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360998566/what-top-left-wing-party-disguise-pure-hype-or-something-else
Opportunity Party leader Qiulae Wong says the partyβs radical policies are discussion points rather than hard bottom lines. Photo: Ricky Wilson….
… Wong acknowledged to Stuff last week that any tax reform would be unlikely immediately and the policies were designed more as discussion points than bottom lines.
Reporters asked Christopher Luxon pointedly if he would accept confidence and supply from TOP, and he dodged the question before hurrying out of the room.
1News
https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/07/27/luxon-appears-to-rule-out-national-working-with-opportunity-party/
….You wouldn’t accept their confidence in a confidence and supply agreement?
“Right, I think we are done team. You are talking hypotheticals I think we have a long way to go to November 7. We are trying to run a country and we are trying to run a government, and that is what we are focused on for the rest of the year.”
Last week you asked Chris Hypkins a hypothetical.
“No because those parties are in parliament. I was very straight with you when I announce the election date. To who I would, or wouldn’t, work with, I haven’t seen that from Chris Hipkins yet.
Thanks have a good day. See ya.”
Following Luxon’s press conference, 1News At Six panned to Qiulae Wong to get her reactiom to Luxon’s comments.
Visibly holding back her disappointment. Qiulae Wong tries to desperately recover the situation:
“I think ruling out is the kind of old politics that New Zealanders are actually really tired of….
… “We’re here, ready and willing to work with parties across the political spectrum. We will maintain that position, so we’re still here to talk whenever he’s willing.”
Both Labour and National have said that there will be no changes to the tax system outside the ones they have already announced.
Chris Hipkins said I want to make it “Chrystal clear” there will be no changes to the tax system other than a Capital Gains Tax.
Considering that both parties are not going to enact any of TOP’s “Discussion Points” And lack of bottom lines.
Where does leave TOP come coalition discussion time.
As yourself this, watching Qiulae Wong’s desperation to still do a deal with National, which party do you think TOP will end up supporting?
Luxon refuses to rule TOP out β National+ACT+NZF+TOP Government it is!
If Luxon needs TOP, he will leap upon the Opportunity
Words mean nothing to LuxFlakes
I repeat what I have said, that Luxon shooting himself n the foot is telling us, ‘if he can’t be PM again, then he will destroy the whole party’, which is what he is now doing. He’s a spiteful, vindictive, unintelligent critter and was never going to be a revered PM! He is not fit for purpose so the sooner he leaves NZ the better. This CoC will go down in history as the worst government NZ has ever had the misfortune to have. So any fools who continue to vote for the Right are kidding themselves. There is a lot of work to be done if they are ever to become a choice at any time in the future. They are dead β let’s simply bury them.
If Luxon & Co get back in, then we can kiss goodbye to all of our remaining assets. They will be fully privatised before lunchtime.
Besides further cuts to our services, there will be tolls on existing roads.
It would be very bad indeed.
TOP appears more progressive than what we have now so Luxon, for once, has clarified something which is good.
Their universal income isn’t going to be implemented immediately, if ever, so don’t let the dinosaurs scare you about that.
TOP people are younger and better educated than many on the right. A vote for them isn’t wasted, as Luxon will try to claim, if they get enough to get over the 5%. Far from it. Shows that NZders are more progressive than the old boys club we have at present who had no intention of governing for us, anyway. They have their donors’ interests at heart, not ours.
A vote for any of those RW parties is a wasted vote. They’ve had their chance and talking about warm fluffies now, is a bit late. We know who they favour.
You talk of Coalition being given a chance and failing what about a Party that had 3 years of ruling on their own and achieved so little that they got vote out by a large margin. Not only have they not learnt they have not changed their team or their message.
What-about-ism is very boring when we can all easily see the destruction caused by this bunch of CoCs.
What about the previous 9 years of the destruction by the John Key led National government, a fucking disgrace!
My prediction: this election TOP 5%, next election TOP 10%, one after that 15%, one after that 20%, one after that…..GOVERN ALONE. This is the beginning of the beginning…
Sounds like you have had too many tim tams tim tam
Wow, Luxy really wants to crash and burn in style.