Finance Minister Nicola Willis is adamant she is not eyeing up Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s job amid declining reviews from some of the country’s top business identities. 

The NZ Herald’s Mood of the Boardroom survey, which canvassed 150 chief executives and other business leaders, ranked both Willis and Luxon outside the top 10 rankings of Cabinet, the pair dipping on last year’s results. 

Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Labour spokesperson for Finance Barbara Edmonds at the The Mood of the Boardroom event this morning. Photo / Dean Purcell 

During a live question and answer session alongside Labour finance spokeswoman Barbara Edmonds, Willis insisted Luxon’s job was “completely safe” and rebuffed suggestions from moderator and Herald editor-in-chief Murray Kirkness that the results could increase speculation Luxon could be replaced. 

“I don’t think so,” she replied. 

“I respect the 150 people in this room deeply, but you are not broadly representative of the five million people we serve.” 

Asked whether she wanted to be Prime Minister, Willis stated bluntly: “No.” 

“Never?” Kirkness asked. “No,” Willis said. 

Kirkness: “Are you ruling out a run for Prime Minister?” 

Willis: “I’m not running for Prime Minister.” 

• Watch: ‘I'm here to do a job’ - Defiant Luxon says he’ll remain PM after brutal ranking by CEOs
• "No sugarcoating": Tough messages for the Govt in the latest Mood of the Boardroom survey
• 'I share their impatience': Willis reacts to brutal Mood of the Boardroom survey

As Kirkness sought a direct answer, an exasperated Willis responded: “No, how many different ways do I need to say it? Are people with me? I think I’ve been quite clear.” 

She then argued it was unwise to seek specific roles in politics, given it often relied on luck and timing, and she was instead focused on what could be achieved in government. 

“We can’t get it done in a term, team, and if you throw it up and put the other guys in charge that puts the country at risk.” 

Edmonds also confirmed it was “still the case” she had no ambition to become Prime Minister. 

Speculation about Luxon’s ability to act as Prime Minister was often found in writings from Herald columnist Matthew Hooton. 

Kirkness, with a grin, jokingly suggested his questions about Luxon’s leadership had come from Hooton. 

Willis was quick to interject: “I know where this is going, [Hooton has] been writing the same column for three years.” 

Willis then affirmed Luxon was “completely safe” as PM and noted how “invisible” Luxon’s coalition management was to the public and lauded his skill in assigning the right people to the right jobs, mentioning some of her colleagues in the audience. 

“If you were to speak to Erica [Stanford] or Simeon [Brown] or Mitch [Mark Mitchell] today, they would say to you that a large part of their success is down to the Prime Minister’s backing and support.” 

Adam Pearse is the Deputy Political Editor and part of the NZ Herald’s Press Gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for NZME since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland.