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Kerre McIvor: Who knows whether Luxon will be the answer to National's woes?

Author
Kerre McIvor,
Publish Date
Wed, 1 Dec 2021, 11:55AM
(Photo / NZ Herald)
(Photo / NZ Herald)

Kerre McIvor: Who knows whether Luxon will be the answer to National's woes?

Author
Kerre McIvor,
Publish Date
Wed, 1 Dec 2021, 11:55AM

Speaking of new faces, new leader of the National Party!  

The first email arrived just after the announcement, that as expected, Christopher Luxon would be the leader of the National Party.

The email arrived from JG.

‘National have just lost my vote’ was the headline, and in the body of the email ‘a mere novice and another wrong leadership choice. A favourite of John Keys. How very unintelligent.’

However, I do wonder whether JG heard Luxon on with Mike this morning and if so, I wonder whether JG has changed his or her mind about Christopher Luxon. Who knows whether Luxon will be the answer to the National Party and all its woes? Whether he’s the man the faithful are looking for, whether cometh the hour the man has indeed cometh? After the horror run National has had with Bridges. then Muller, then Collins, who could blame National Party voters for being just a little bit cautious in their approval?

But having listened to Christopher Luxon this morning, you'd have to say it is bloody refreshing hearing somebody answer questions -  like answer them. Listen to the question and answer it. Who knew that would be such a rare and sought after value? No faffing around, no repeating party lines. Not being scared to pin their colours to the mast and not being afraid to answer hard questions.

Agree with his positioning or not agree, but you have to admit, surely even JG has to admit he does answer the questions and draws a line in the sand. This is where National is, this is where National stands. Come at us.

Nicola Willis is Luxon’s deputy, and while she's a good choice, I hope she has not lost to the debating chamber. She's an excellent housing spokesperson and has done a great job asking the hard questions of the Government. So Christopher Luxon, Nicola Willis - they are the two who are charged with, as Christopher Luxon put it, re-setting National. But really it's more of a rebuild of National.

The party was absolutely decimated at the last election, for all sorts of reasons, not the least of which the numerous own goals that National made. They have only themselves to blame for being exactly where they are right now. That's in the past, and Christopher Luxon has been very, very clear about that. Let me be very clear, as our Prime Minister would say, that is in the past. They want to look forward to the future. They want to rebuild the party. They want to focus on providing an alternative to the direction the Government is going in.

The Government has made it very clear the sort of New Zealand they want to see. And National has begun to make it very clear, the sort of New Zealand they believe is best for all New Zealanders.

So if you are one of the 413,000 voters who deserted National at the last election, is this the beginning of an answer? What do you need to see from Christopher Luxon and more importantly, the National Party to bring you back to the party? Does the future that Christopher Luxon began to outline and the interview with Mike this morning, does the future of New Zealand that he sees align with the future that you see?

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