Christopher Luxon, New Zealand Prime Minister 2023

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Forums › Politics › Christopher Luxon, New Zealand Prime Minister 2023

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#3495214 25-May-2026 17:38

SaltyNZ:

Handle9:

There would be a lot of bikes and fitness watches being sold on trademe

And you think I'm cynical. ;-)

I know I am....

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#3495215 25-May-2026 17:51

Handle9:

SaltyNZ:

Handle9:

There would be a lot of bikes and fitness watches being sold on trademe

And you think I'm cynical. ;-)

I know I am....

Well I'm not exactly denying it myself either. :-D

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#3495216 25-May-2026 17:53

quickymart:

Bluntj:

If parents want better school lunches they should make them!!

"Seymour's Slop" was only meant as a backstop.

And for parents who can't afford to provide their kids with a nutritious lunch? What then? I wouldn't want my kids eating the crap his "new, improved" programme provides. I think you've missed my point.

The new lunch contractors have to meet a base nutritional level, which hasn't changed from the previous program.

From what I've seen the main complaints are about whether the meals are appetizing rather than actually being unhealthy.

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#3495458 26-May-2026 10:36

sen8or:

What defines a nutritious lunch?

Guess it can't be peanut butter sandwiches (cause of nut allergies), can't be sandwiches full stop (gluten intolerance), can't be yoghurt (lactose intolerance), can't be eggs (veganism), no beef (Hindu), no pork (Judaism). Guess we could install deep fryers at each school and just feed hot chips (which no child seems to be allergic to), but then theres the salt and obesity issue......

I don't envy any of the providers (past or current) for school lunches, with the plethora of dietary needs that need to be taken into account for school lunches en masse they are all on a lose/lose situation.

You forgot FODMAP. How very exclusionist of you. You should be soundly cancelled.

Mike

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#3495471 26-May-2026 11:07

More threats against journalists from the government. In the context of David Seymour's public spat with the "he won't be answering the call for much longer" comment that was followed by said "he" resigning from the board, the PM telling John Campbell to "be careful" is pretty mob boss.

“What Z and Fonterra were asking for is strikingly similar to the kind of amendment that [Justice Minister] Paul Goldsmith is talking about,” Campbell said. “Is it OK if corporations are - what - having a direct impact on the wording of legislation, and should that process be transparent and disclosed?”

“Well, I’d be careful saying that, John,” Luxon replied. “I reject that characterisation completely.”

Campbell continued to probe.

“How do you know if you’ve never seen this document? How can you reject something that you had no idea of prior to last night?”

Also, of course, yet another "oh I couldn't possibly recall where that industry lobbying document which exactly mirrors the policy we just announced came from or disappeared to but it certainly wasn't me" from the Luxon government. Did Chris check in with Casey Costello to see if it was on her desk?

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#3496234 28-May-2026 14:40

2026 Budget overview. Could this be Nicola Willis's last one?

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/596609/budget-2026-no-sugar-hits-for-voters-as-nicola-willis-battles-to-balance-the-books

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#3496260 28-May-2026 16:43

I can only hope.

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#3496415 29-May-2026 13:04

Increasing the trade training places from 10,000 to 20,000 was a good move. Keeping Labour's health increases likewise.

Removing the defacto ute exemption from the FBT vehicle regime a good move. Cuts two ways for electric vehicles. May reduce sales of electric utes when they only just arrived.

On the plus side it's probably good for the environment overall making it more likely any vehicle need is right sized. The double cab ute is now so ingrained it will take a long time to age down.

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#3496417 29-May-2026 13:08

Green Party budget perspective:

"So, where is New Zealanders’ money going? Well, last year, the 100 odd households on the NBR’s rich list increased their wealth by almost 8 billion dollars. In just one year. Supermarkets are making $1m a day in excess profit. Power companies’ net profits were $557 million in the second half of last year. Banks raked in profits of almost $7b in 2025. That’s $1,248 in profit for Australian banks for every single New Zealander. Our economy is worth $445 billion dollars. It’s bigger than it’s ever been"

https://www.greens.org.nz/chloe_swarbrick_budget_speech_2026

Edit: That made me look at their policy page: 2.5% wealth tax over $2m + a minimum income guarantee presumably replacing benefits.

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#3496418 29-May-2026 13:17

Labour party budget perspective:

"They’ve chosen cruel housing policies, which will see 80,000 households worse off [accomodation supplement changes], on top of earlier decisions to cut housing builds and increase the number of Kiwis living on the street. Luxon chose to cut the services families rely on to fund tax cuts for property speculators and tobacco companies. National’s plan is hurting - and it’s not working. Labour will make different choices. We have a plan that chooses real action on the cost of living, to help families and businesses. We choose a path that offers better jobs, health, homes, and a better future for all New Zealanders."

https://www.labour.org.nz/news/release-budget-leaves-kiwis-to-fend-for-themselves/

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#3496421 29-May-2026 13:37

gzt: Green Party budget perspective:

"So, where is New Zealanders’ money going? Well, last year, the 100 odd households on the NBR’s rich list increased their wealth by almost 8 billion dollars. In just one year. Supermarkets are making $1m a day in excess profit. Power companies’ net profits were $557 million in the second half of last year. Banks raked in profits of almost $7b in 2025. That’s $1,248 in profit for Australian banks for every single New Zealander. Our economy is worth $445 billion dollars. It’s bigger than it’s ever been"

https://www.greens.org.nz/chloe_swarbrick_budget_speech_2026

Edit: That made me look at their policy page: 2.5% wealth tax over $2m + a minimum income guarantee presumably replacing benefits.

There will be updates coming to that (policy) as part of the broader campaign full launch. Watch this space.

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sen8or

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#3496429 29-May-2026 14:06

gzt: Increasing the trade training places from 10,000 to 20,000 was a good move. Keeping Labour's health increases likewise.

Removing the defacto ute exemption from the FBT vehicle regime a good move. Cuts two ways for electric vehicles. May reduce sales of electric utes when they only just arrived.

On the plus side it's probably good for the environment overall making it more likely any vehicle need is right sized. The double cab ute is now so ingrained it will take a long time to age down.

These are only proposed changes aren't they?

Also given that many utes are now hybrid (or plug in) they will still benefit from the reduced hybrid rate.

I can also see many many companies opting for category 2 in the new proposed schedule.

Most of our work vehicles are branded. Interesting that private use is permitted during rostered days off, public hols and stat leave days, nothing about annual leave or weekends though, I guess thats where the "inclusion rate" comes into play. Reading their example, its a loose substitute for days available (so a $40k ev that is category 2 would now pay have a taxable benefit of $ 595 per quarter (40k x 4.25% x35%) vs $800 per quarter under existing rules assuming its available for private use Fri - Sun ($ 40k * 5% x 40%).

The rate on non hybrid/evs is going up by 2.8% pa (or 0.7% per quarter), I assume to encourage adoption of cleaner vehicles. Its still unlikely to stop sole trader operations like tradies from thinking that their ute is automatically exempt because its a ute, but larger fleet operators whom are more likely to be compliant will notice the reduction in FBT and as many of the newer utes coming to market are at least a hybrid, this will see a big shift away from other power options (diesel).

quickymart

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#3496630 30-May-2026 08:02

In amongst all the noise around the budget this week, this slipped a bit under the radar:

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/596517/louise-upston-comfortable-with-rules-allowing-her-to-collect-1000-a-week-to-live-in-own-apartment

A senior Cabinet minister [Louise Upston] collecting $1000 a week to live in her own Wellington apartment is digging in saying she's "followed the rules" and is "comfortable" with them.
...
"I have followed the rules, and I have followed the rules in my pecuniary interest register, and I'm not going to say anything else on the matter, because I've answered multiple questions on multiple days, and I'm comfortable that I'm approaching it no differently than other MPs and other ministers in this Parliament and in previous Parliaments," she said.

Asked if the rules entitling her to $1000 a week were right in this tight economic climate, Upston said, "I'm comfortable with the rules".

"If other parties in Parliament aren't, that's a matter for them.

"If they're not comfortable with it, then I would suggest their MPs would stop claiming any allowances or expenses."

Didn't this exact same thing befall Luxon (I'm-rich-and-sorted) at the start of the term? I guess a difference is that she's social development minister, at the same time cutting allowances etc to those who need it most 😠 whereas Luxon did (eventually) return the allowance. Personally I don't think this is a good look, it's not like she's doing the job for peanuts.

Extra: Steve Braunias has a great satirical take on it: https://newsroom.co.nz/2026/05/30/the-secret-diary-of-louise-upston-2/

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#3496632 30-May-2026 09:00

It was on this thread a couple of pages back but yeah the press is giving them a remarkably easy ride on this. Still, on the upside, if they're thinking of replacing 10,000 public servants with AI they can just train it on Luxon and Upston and it will always immediately say "You're entitled". This actually could be the best thing to happen to kiwi battlers ever.

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#3496633 30-May-2026 09:14

Ah you're right, I checked back a week ago to the 23rd but didn't see anything about it.

I agree with your comment that maybe the rules should be if you own a property in the Wellington area (like Upston does) you shouldn't get the full allowance, but maybe just enough to cover living costs (power, water, rates, etc). There's no mortgage on the property, so it's not like she needs to pay for that.

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