National’s real headache is the boat anchor called Luxon, weighing down what should be a straightforward path back to power. If the Nats want to turn this around, they might need to look hard at their leadership choices.
In Episode 20 of The Good Oil Podcast, Cam sits down with Free Speech Union CEO Jillaine Heather, a forthright voice in New Zealand’s free-expression battles.
The centre-right holds the cards for now, but Luxon’s personal ratings are a drag that National cannot ignore much longer. If they do not sort him out, the next poll might be the one that buries them.
All in all, these changes mark real progress in rolling back some of the knee-jerk restrictions imposed after the Christchurch tragedy. But National’s lingering attachment to overly cautious policies shows it has not fully shaken off the influence of its predecessors.
This fiasco is going to get worse before it gets better. Factions are dug in, egos are bruised and the left’s dreams of a comeback just got a whole lot messier.
If National wants to hold onto power, they had better sort out these amateurs before the voters do it for them.
At its core, this pledge exposes Labour’s flaws: splashing cash on low-impact problems, using evasive language that skirts reality and sidelining the health crises battering men.
Any proposed changes he’d like to make are subject to approval of his coalition partners. That may prove trickier than trying to catch an electric eel with your bare hands.
This lack of appeal to women is turning into a full-blown electoral headache for National. Current polling spells doom for their list seats, with the party scraping fewer spots in parliament.
