This is an accepted version of this page
Christopher Luxon | |
|---|---|
.png) Campaign portrait, 2023 | |
| 42nd Prime Minister of New Zealand | |
| Assumed office 27 November 2023 | |
| Monarch | Charles III |
| Governor‑General | Cindy Kiro |
| Deputy | Winston Peters |
| Preceded by | Chris Hipkins |
| 15thLeader of the National Party | |
| Assumed office 30 November 2021 | |
| Deputy | Nicola Willis |
| Preceded by | Judith Collins |
| 5thMinister for National Security and Intelligence | |
| Assumed office 27 November 2023 | |
| Prime Minister | Himself |
| Preceded by | Chris Hipkins |
| 40thLeader of the Opposition | |
| In office 30 November 2021 – 27 November 2023 | |
| Prime Minister |
|
| Deputy | Nicola Willis |
| Preceded by | Judith Collins |
| Succeeded by | Chris Hipkins |
| Member of theNew Zealand Parliament forBotany | |
| Assumed office 17 October 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Jami-Lee Ross |
| Majority | 16,337 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Christopher Mark Luxon (1970-07-19)19 July 1970 (age 54) Christchurch, New Zealand |
| Political party | National |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | University of Canterbury (BCom;MCom) |
| Known for | Former CEO ofAir New Zealand, Former employee ofUnilever Canada |
| Signature |  |
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|---|---|---|
General elections  | ||
Christopher Mark Luxon (/ˈlʌksən/; born 19 July 1970) is a New Zealand politician and former business executive who has been serving as the 42ndprime minister of New Zealand since 2023, previously asleader of the Opposition from 2021 to 2023, and asleader of theNational Party since 2021. He has been member of Parliament (MP) forBotany since 2020. He was the chief executive officer (CEO) ofAir New Zealand from 2012 to 2019.[1][2]
Luxon was born inChristchurch and grew up inHowick inEast Auckland, before studying commerce at theUniversity of Canterbury. He worked forUnilever from 1993 and held senior roles atUnilever Canada in 2008, joining Air New Zealand as group general manager in 2011 and succeeding as CEO the following year. He won the pre-selection for the safe National Party seat ofBotany inEast Auckland in 2019, and retained the seat for National at the2020 general election despite a landslide defeat for the party nationally.
Luxon was often touted as a potential National Party leader during the turbulent time for the party politically in the aftermath of the2017 general election, even before becoming an MP. He won the leadership unopposed on30 November 2021, a little more than eight months after he gave hismaiden speech, after aparty crisis caused the removal of previous leaderJudith Collins. Becoming the seventh National Party leader in less than five years, Luxon re-orientated the party around theCOVID-19 recession and the "cost-of-living crisis", criticising Labour for its leadership. He led his party to win 15 seats and a plurality of 48 at the2023 general election, followingpolls narrowing and then strongly favouring National from the middle of the year onwards. Despite enjoying a 12-percentage point swing, National returned the second-lowest vote share of any party that has won a plurality underproportional representation.
Luxon was subsequently sworn in as prime minister on 27 November 2023, and leads theSixth National Government, with the aid of two parties,ACT New Zealand andNew Zealand First.
Christopher Mark Luxon[3] was born in Christchurch on 19 July 1970,[4] to aRoman Catholic family of Irish, Scottish and English descent.[5] He lived in Christchurch until the age of seven, when his family moved toHowick inAuckland. His father, Graham Luxon, worked forJohnson & Johnson as a sales executive and his mother, Kathleen Luxon (née Turnbull), worked as a psychotherapist and counsellor.[5] After a year atSaint Kentigern College and another year atHowick College, the family returned to Christchurch and Luxon spent three years atChristchurch Boys' High School.[6][7] While there, he won the prize for senior debating.[8] He subsequently studied at theUniversity of Canterbury from 1989 to 1992, gaining a Master of Commerce (Business Administration) degree.[9] During his high school and university years, Luxon workedpart-time atMcDonald's New Zealand and as aporter at theParkroyal Hotel.[10]
Luxon worked forUnilever from 1993 to 2011, starting inWellington as a management trainee for two years, leaving forSydney in 1995. He worked his way up in Unilever, working in Sydney until 2000, in London from 2000 to 2003, and then Chicago from 2003 to 2008, becoming "Global Deodorants and Grooming Category" Director.[11] In 2008 when Unilever restructured, he became president of the company's Canadian operations, based inToronto.[10][12]
He joinedAir New Zealand as group general manager in May 2011 and was named the chief executive officer on 19 June 2012, succeedingRob Fyfe at the end of that year.[4][13] During his eight-year leadership, Air New Zealand profits grew to record levels and the company was named Australia's most trusted brand several times.[9] He joined the board of the Tourism Industry Association New Zealand in April 2014.[14]
As CEO, he inherited Air New Zealand's financial interest inVirgin Australia[15] and in 2014 joined its board.[16] After reportedly failing to win board support to sack Virgin Australia CEO John Borghetti, Luxon left the Virgin Australia board and sold Air New Zealand's 25.9 per cent shareholding at a loss to Air NZ shareholders, including the government.[17][18] On 20 June 2019, Luxon announced that he was resigning from Air New Zealand and hinted at a possible career with theNational Party.[19]
In February 2021, it was revealed that while Luxon was CEO of Air New Zealand, its contracting business unit Gas Turbines was assistingRoyal Saudi Navy vessels, despite their blocking essential supplies like water, food and medical assistance fromYemen. Luxon claimed to "have no recollection of it" and that "it might've post-dated my time" — the latter claim being disputed by his successorGreg Foran. It was met with criticism from Prime MinisterJacinda Ardern and theGreen Party's human rights spokespersonGolriz Ghahraman.[20] Luxon later said it "was a mistake" that Air New Zealand did not have a process whereby its chief executive would be told about all military contracts.[21]
AfterJami-Lee Ross resigned from National over accusations of fraud against the party,[22] Luxon secured the National Party candidacy for theBotany electorate, which has always been won by National and was regarded as asafe seat for them,[2] in November 2019. He won in a selection contest with National Party list MPAgnes Loheni,Howick Local Board deputy chair Katrina Bungard, cancer drug campaigner Troy Elliott, and tech businessmanJake Bezzant, who was later selected as National's candidate forUpper Harbour.[2][23]
| Years | Term | Electorate | List | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020–2023 | 53rd | Botany | 61 | National | |
| 2023–present | 54th | Botany | 1 | National | |
Amid a sweep of National seats lost to Labour in the2020 general election, Luxon won Botany with 52% of the vote.[24][25][26] In hismaiden speech, Luxon praisedMartin Luther King Jr. andKate Sheppard as part of a defence of Christians such as himself in public life, claiming that being Christian had become an identity that "it has become acceptable to stereotype as being extreme."[27]
We will all ultimately get the country—the economy, society, the environment—that we deserve, and I think we deserve the very, very best. That's the work that I'm committing myself to today, and for as long as I'm in the House, I intend to represent the people of Botany and to serve New Zealand to the very best of my ability. Thank you.[28]
— Luxon in hismaiden speech to the New Zealand Parliament, March 2021
He was appointed as the spokesperson for local government, research, science, manufacturing and land information, as well as associate spokesperson for transport in theShadow Cabinet of Judith Collins.[29]
In April 2021, whenJudith Collins's leadership of the party came into question following the election, it was speculated that Luxon could become leader, withSimon Bridges as a main alternative.[30][31] After the removal of Collins as party leader on 25 November, Luxon was cited as a potential replacement.[32] On 30 November, following Bridges's withdrawal from the running at theNational Party leadership election, Luxon was announced as the party's leader.[33]
In early August 2022, Luxon accompanied Prime Minister Ardern, Minister of Arts, Culture and HeritageCarmel Sepuloni and Minister of Pacific PeoplesWilliam Sio on a state visit to Samoa to mark the 60th anniversary of Samoa's independence and affirmbilateral relations between the two countries.[34][35]
Before the2023 general election, Luxon claimed Chris Hipkins would form a "coalition of chaos" with the Green Party and Te Pāti Māori, the two other left-wing parties in Parliament, the latter of whom he described as "separatist" and "radical".[36]
On 14 October 2023, Christopher Luxon led the National Party to victory over the Labour Party in the2023 general election,[37][38] with 48 seats and 38.1% of the party vote.[39] Luxon retained hisBotany electorate seat with 67% of the vote.[40] Coalition negotiations between National,ACT andNew Zealand First ended on 24 November,[41] and Luxon was sworn in as prime minister by Governor-GeneralDame Cindy Kiro on 27 November.[42][43]
New Zealanders can be positive about the future. Change won't be easy and it won't be quick, because Labour has left us a lot to repair and to rebuild, and the books are not in good shape. But I tell you there's nothing that can't be done by a Government that actually knows what it's doing. There's nothing that can't be done when we put New Zealanders first. That's what all this is about, and what this Government's going to do. That's what we're going to do. It's what we came here to do. Our team is in place, our partners are ready, the people have given us the mandate, and we are ready to go to work. Thank you very much.
— Luxon in his first speech to Parliament as prime minister, 6 December 2023[44]
In late November 2023, Luxon announced the Government's 100-day plan, which consisted of 49 economic, cost of living, law and order, and public service issues the coalition government would focus on.[45] In early December 2023, Luxon along with Cyclone Recovery MinisterMark Mitchell and Transport and Local Government MinisterSimeon Brown, visitedHawke's Bay to meet with local leaders and local National MPsKatie Nimon andCatherine Wedd to discuss government support for post-flood andCyclone Gabrielle relief efforts in the region.[46][47] During the visit, Luxon confirmed that the Government would pause work on restoring theNapier-Wairoa railway line to focus on repairingState Highway 2.[47]
In mid-December 2023, Luxon acknowledged using public funding allocated to his budget as Leader of the Opposition to pay forMāori language (te reo) lessons. Earlier in the month, theNational-led coalition government had considered discontinuing incentive payments for public servants to learn the Māori language. Luxon defended using taxpayer money to pay for his Māori language lessons, stating that "developing better skills in te reo was highly relevant to his role as Opposition leader and a potential Prime Minister.[48][49] Labour leader and Leader of the OppositionChris Hipkins accused Luxon of hypocrisy while theNew Zealand Taxpayers' Union's campaigns manager Connor Molloy urged Luxon to pay back the cost of the lessons.[48]
On 11 February 2024, Luxon and Emergency Management and Recovery MinisterMark Mitchell announced that the Government would contribute NZ$63 million to aid the removal of sediment and debris caused byCyclone Gabrielle in theHawke's Bay andGisborne District.[50] On 13 February, Luxon lowered the spending cap on ministerial cars from NZ$85,000 to NZ$70,000 as part of the Government's public sector cost cutting measures. A spokesperson also confirmed that Luxon would not be purchasing a ministerial car himself.[51] Luxon delivered his first State of the Nation address on 18 February, where he blamed the previousLabour Government for the precarious state of the economy. Luxon also stated that his Government would focus on restoring the economy by reducing public spending and "red tape" while also finding a balance between economic growth and environmental protection.[52] That same day, Luxon attended the annual Big Gay Out festival in the Auckland suburb ofPoint Chevalier but left early after encountering opposition fromtransgender rights and Palestinian solidarity protesters.[53]
On 2 April 2024, Luxon announced a 36-point full second quarter action plan for the next three months, focusing on the economy and cost of living, law and order, and public services. Notable policies and priorities have included reducing wasteful spending, investing in "frontline" services, legislating on income tax relief, childcare tax credit, improving the rental marketing, and reintroducingcharter schools, keeping agriculture out of theEmissions Trading Scheme, reversing the ban on offshore gas and oil exploration, restoringthree strikes legislation, reviewing the firearms registry, establishing a Youth Serious Offender Category, improving teacher training and school attendance, and replacing mega polytechnicTe Pūkenga.[54] Green co-leaderChlöe Swarbrick said that the Government's action plan contained no "meaningful solutions" in the Government's "bingo card for environmental destruction and trickle-down economics".[55]
In late April 2024, Luxon strippedMelissa Lee of herMedia and Communications ministerial portfolio andPenny Simmonds of her Disability Issues portfolio during acabinet reshuffle. Lee had faced criticism for her response toWarner Bros. Discovery New Zealand's closure ofNewshub while Simmonds had faced criticism over her handling of changes to disability funding and services. Lee was also relieved of her Cabinet position. Luxon appointedPaul Goldsmith to the Media and Communications portfolio,Louise Upston to the Disability Issues portfolio and promoted Climate Change and Revenue MinisterSimon Watts to the Cabinet.[56]
At the end of the same month, a1News-Verianpoll was released, showing the National-ACT-New Zealand Firstcoalition government convincingly behind the left bloc ofLabour, theGreen Party andTe Pāti Māori. The poll put National down 2 points to 36 points, ACT down 1 to 7, and New Zealand First on 4%, below the 5% threshold needed for a party without constituency seats to enter Parliament (but within themargin of error).[57] The poll showed that a fairly comfortable Labour-led government would be formed, with 64 seats. It also cast doubt on the strength of Luxon's leadership compared to that of his coalition partnersWinston Peters andDavid Seymour, with only 51% of respondents believing Luxon was the decision-maker in the government.[58]
A subsequent poll by Talbot Mills for their client Labour put a Labour-led government on the bare majority of 62 seats, while Roy Morgan found 54% of those they surveyed believed New Zealand was heading in "the wrong direction", with just 35% believing it was in the right direction.[59][60][61] These result were widely considered to have been unprecedented, or at least highly unusual, for any government so early in its first term.[62][63][61][64] The poll reportedly marked the first time in modern New Zealand history that a government was less popular than all the opposition parties combined within that time frame, according to TVNZ.[65] As early as February, Luxon was noted to have experienced no "honeymoon bump", as newly incumbent prime ministers tend to, especially immediately after successful elections, but rather held steady, according to1News.[66] Luxon dismissed the polls, saying "what we're here to do is not always easy and nice, but we're here to make the tough and necessary decisions".[57] In June, a poll showed Luxon fall behind opposition leaderChris Hipkins in net favourability for the first time.[67]
On 5 May 2024 Luxon,Local Government MinisterSimeon Brown andMayor of AucklandWayne Brown jointly announced that Auckland would avoid a 25.8 percent rates increase as part of the Government'sLocal Water Done Well plan.[68] On 6 May Luxon and Police and Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell announced that the Government would allocate NZ$1.9 billion from the upcoming2024 New Zealand budget to training 470 new corrections officers and adding 810 beds toWaikeria Prison.[69]
In early August 2024, Luxon andEducation MinisterErica Stanford announced plans to introduce a new mathematics curriculum from early 2025 with a focus on raising student standards and achievement.[70] In response, theNew Zealand Educational Institute expressed concerns that rapid changes to the maths and literacy curriculum and the short teaching training timeframe would strain the teaching workforce without delivering on its goals.[71]
DuringLocal Government New Zealand's annual conference held on 21 August 2024, Luxon called on local and regional councils to focus on rubbish collection, water infrastructure and other local assets. He also criticised so-called "nice to have projects" such as the Tākina convention centre. Luxon also confirmed that Cabinet had agreed to revise the Local Government Act and scrap the four wellbeing provisions in that legislation.[72]
On 10 November 2024, Luxon delivered the New Zealand Government's national apology to survivors ofabuse in state and faith-based care at Parliament, stating "it was horrific. It was heartbreaking. It was wrong. And it should never have happened.."[73] Luxon also announced that the Government was introducing legislation to combat abuse in care including banning strip searches on children and strengthening security checks for people working with children.[74]
On 19 December 2024, Luxon confirmed that he would not be attending events at theWaitangi Treaty Grounds on 4 February 2025, stating that it was his intention to celebrate Waitangi Day around New Zealand with different iwi. National Waitangi Trust chairperson Pita Tipene expressed disappointment with Luxon's decision while Labour leaderChris Hipkins said that Luxon was "running away from problems of his own creation."[75]
On 20 December 2023, Luxon made his first state visit as head of government toSydney where he metAustralian Prime MinisterAnthony Albanese. Luxon's trip to Australia was complicated by theRoyal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF)Boeing 757 VIP airplane needing repairs. Prior to becoming Prime Minister, Luxon had advocated using commercial aircraft for state visits over ageing Air Force aircraft, which needed repairs and maintenance.[76][77] During his visit, Luxon affirmed New Zealand'snuclear-free policy but expressed openness to joining the non-nuclear pillar of theAUKUS agreement. He also stated that New Zealand was keen to do its share of "heavy lifting" in the Australia-New Zealand defence relationship. Luxon and Albanese also talked about the contribution ofNew Zealander Australians to Australia.[78]
On 30 January 2024, Luxon announced that New Zealand would be suspending its annual NZ$1 million aid toUNRWA (the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East) followingallegations that several UNRWA workers had participated in the2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel.[79] His announcement followed a decision by theMinistry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to review New Zealand's aid to UNRWA.[80] On 29 February 2024, Luxon announced New Zealand's designation ofHamas in its entirety as a terrorist entity.[81]
In mid-April 2024, Luxon undertook a tour ofSingapore,Thailand and thePhilippines as part of a "very deliberate" foreign policy reset meant to shore upSoutheast Asia's strategic and commercial importance to New Zealand.[82] In Singapore, he met withSingaporean Prime MinisterLee Hsien Loong and his designated successorDeputy Prime MinisterLawrence Wong to discuss bilateral defence, trade and security cooperation.[83] On 16 April, Luxon met withThai Prime MinisterSrettha Thavisin to promote bilateral business links and trade, and encourage travel and tourism in Thailand.[84]
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On 18 April, Luxon along with Filipino-New Zealander MPPaulo Garcia met withPhilippines PresidentBongbong Marcos to discuss bilateral defence, trade, people-to-people, and climate cooperation.[85]
In early June 2024, Luxon visitedPremier of NiueDalton Tagelagi. On 5 June, Luxon announced an agreement to enhance thefree association relationship between the two countries and that New Zealand would invest NZ$20.5 million into a new large-scale renewable energy project on Niue.[86]
In mid-June 2024, Luxon and Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro hostedChinese PremierLi Qiang during his state visit to Wellington and Auckland. During the visit, China agreed to extend visa-free travel to New Zealanders while New Zealand agreed to support Chinese language training and cultural exchange programmes provided by localConfucius Institutes.[87][88]
In mid-June, Luxon led a business and media delegation consisting of representatives fromAir New Zealand,ANZ Bank,Fonterra,Silver Fern Farms,Zespri andRocket Lab on a state visit to Japan. TheRNZAFBoeing 757 jet carrying them sustained two broken fuses while refuelling atPort Moresby inPapua New Guinea. Following the breakdown, Luxon took a commercial flight toTokyo while Air New Zealand diverted a plane to carry the rest of the delegation to Japan.[89] During his visit to Japan, Luxon met withJapanese Prime MinisterFumio Kishida and signed a bilateral information security agreement to improve intelligence sharing between the two governments.[90]
On 9 July 2024, Luxon left New Zealand forWashington, D.C. to attend the2024 Washington summit as an Indo-Pacific ally. The next day, he met members of the US Administration and ofCongress includingRepublicanCongressmanMichael McCaul,Democratic CongressmanGregory Meeks, DemocraticSenatorsBen Cardin andJon Ossoff and Republican SenatorJim Risch.[91][92] During his trip to the United States, Luxon also committed NZ$16 million to support Ukraine in its war against Russia.[93] On 11 July, he attended a White House dinner and spoke toUS PresidentJoe Biden,British Prime MinisterKeir Starmer and Republican SenatorBill Hagerty.[94][95] Later that day, Luxon met withUkrainian PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyy,Japanese Prime MinisterFumio Kishida,South Korean PresidentYoon Suk Yeol and Australian Deputy Prime MinisterRichard Marles during an Indo-Pacific 4 meeting to express solidarity with Ukraine.[95] On 13 July, Luxon visitedSan Francisco where he metGovernor of CaliforniaGavin Newsom, ending his five-day tour of the United States.[96]
On 2 September 2024, Luxon arrived inKuala Lumpur,Malaysia, in a three days official visit where he met withPrime MinisterAnwar Ibrahim in discussingstrategic partnership.[97] In mid November, Luxon attended the2024 APEC Summit. On 16 November, he also met withChinese PresidentXi Jinping to discuss human rights, tensions in theSouth China Sea and cooperation with thePacific Islands Forum. The two leaders also discussed their governments' disagreements about New Zealand's involvement in theAUKUS security pact and Chinese missile testing. Luxon also accepted an invitation from Xi to visit China in early 2025.[98] In addition, Luxon met with US President Biden andSecretary of StateAntony Blinken to reaffirm friendly bilateral relations.[99]
Following the2025 Trump–Zelenskyy meeting held on 28 February 2025, Luxon reiterated New Zealand's support for Ukraine, stating that New Zealand remained "steadfast in its support for Ukraine as it defends itself in a war that Russia started" and called on Russia to cease its war with Ukraine.[100] On 15 March, Luxon attended avirtual summit for international leaders discussing the deployment of peacekeepers to Ukraine in the event of a peace settlement with Russia.[101]
Between 15 and 19 March 2025,[102] Luxon andTrade MinisterTodd McClay led a trade delegation to India. The two governments agreed to enter into free trade negotiations, commencing April 2025.[103][104] Luxon also met withIndian Prime MinisterNarendra Modi to discuss defence and security cooperation, and signed a bilateral defence agreement.[104] In addition, Modi raised India's concerns about so-called "anti-India" activities in New Zealand.[105] During his state visit, Luxon also visited anIndian Navy warship andHMNZS Te Kaha, which was docking inMumbai before embarking on anti-smuggling operation in theMiddle East. Chinese AmbassadorWang Xiaolong published aTwitter post indirectly criticising Luxon's visit to India, stating: "It hardly serves your best interests when you try to promote one significant relationship by damaging another."[106]
On 25 March 2025, Luxon signed a partnership agreement withPapuan Prime MinisterJames Marape marking 50 years ofbilateral relations between the two countries. This agreement was signed at theBeehive building in Wellington and focused on bilateral cooperation in education, trade, security, agriculture and fisheries.[107]
My faith is personal to me. It is not in itself a political agenda. I believe no religion should dictate to the State, and no politician should use the political platform they have to force their beliefs on others. As MPs, we serve the common cause of all New Zealanders—not one religion, not one group, not one interest. A person should not be elected because of their faith, nor should they be rejected because of it.
Luxon is anevangelical Christian who is recognised as asocial conservative.[108][109] In hismaiden parliamentary speech, Luxon defined himself ascentre-right and moderate;[5] the government he leads has been described asconservative andright-wing, and one of the most so sincethe 1990s.[110][111][112][113] Luxon supports low taxes,[114][115] making cuts to theMinistry of Social Development,[116] establishing military-styleboot-camps for young offenders, and introducing stringent anti-gang legislation, and is opposed towelfare dependency and toco-governance withMāori.[117]
In November 2019, Luxon said he was againstabortion,euthanasia, andlegalising recreational cannabis, though at the same time he supportedmedicinal use of cannabis.[118][119] He also at the time supported a "no jab, no pay" policy for sanctioning welfare beneficiaries who did not vaccinate their children;[120] however, following his election as leader of the National Party, Luxon said he did not support cutting the benefits of parents who do not vaccinate their children againstCOVID-19.[121] Luxon has also firmly stood against efforts toreform New Zealand's water system.
Luxon's views on abortion received media attention following his election as National's leader. He confirmed that his personal views areanti-abortion, but said National will not contest theAbortion Legislation Act 2020 should he become prime minister. Theabortion-rights groupAbortion Law Reform Association of New Zealand put out a statement describing his views as "not representative of the values of mainstream New Zealanders."[122]
He was questioned about being one of only 15 MPs to vote against the first reading ofa member's bill that would establishsafe access zones around abortion facilities. He said that he was now able to support the bill following changes to it at the select committee stage that made it compliant with theNew Zealand Bill of Rights.[123] After previously declining to answer when asked if believes abortion to be tantamount to murder,[123] he said in an interview withNewshub that he is "a pro-life person," and when asked again about the murder comparison, he responded "that's what a pro-life position is."[124][125]
Despite his stated opposition to abortion and voting against of the Safe Areas Amendment Bill on its first reading, Luxon voted in favour during its second reading on 10 November 2021 and third reading on 16 March 2022.[126][127][128]
In late June 2022, after theUnited States Supreme Court'soverturning ofRoe v. Wade (1973), National was the only sitting political party in New Zealand that would not condemn the change.[129] After increasing fears over the party's position on the topic, and a controversial Facebook post by fellow National MPSimon O'Connor opposing abortion, Luxon issued a second statement, which confirmed that a future National government would not seek to overturn New Zealand's abortion laws, but still did not condemn the law overturning in the United States. Luxon also stated that O'Connor's post did not represent the party's position on abortion and was removed for "causing distress."[130] Following Luxon issuing two party statements in regards toRoe v. Wade, media asked him for his opinion on "People that get abortions", which he refrained to comment on, and refused to state if he still believed abortion is tantamount to murder.[131]
In response to the controversy around O'Connor's post, former National MPAlfred Ngaro defended O'Connor's right to speak his mind and accused Luxon of silencing National MPs.[132] The Deputy Prime MinisterGrant Robertson questioned Luxon's commitment to protecting abortion legality, pointing out that half of the National Party caucus had voted against the Abortion Legislation Act in 2020.[133]
The following day, after a statement from former National ministerAmy Adams warning the party on its position on the topic,[134] Luxon reiterated the National Party's commitment to women and claimed that women voters were concerned about the high cost of living, strained health system, struggling education system, and rising crime and gang violence.[135]
In late November 2021, Luxon reiterated support for National's vote against theConversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Bill, but said the practice was "abhorrent".[136][137] In early February 2022, Luxon announced that National MPs would be allowed a conscience vote on the conversion practices legislation; abandoning Collins' "bloc-voting" position. Luxon also reversed his earlier opposition to the legislation, stating that he supportedNew Zealand's LGBT+ community. He also stated that "there will be those with different views for different reasons across Parliament. These sorts of issues are traditionally treated as conscience issues, and we determined as a caucus that this was the appropriate course in this instance."[138][139] The Bill passed its third and final reading on 15 February 2022.[140] Luxon voted in favour of the Bill's passage.[141]
On 8 December 2021, Luxon called for the lifting of Auckland's border restrictions with Northland afterThe New Zealand Herald reported that theMinistry of Health had proposed that the Auckland border should be lifted in tandem with the country's transition into theCOVID-19 Protection Framework on 3 December. However, Prime MinisterJacinda Ardern and COVID-19 Response MinisterChris Hipkins had opted to retain the Auckland border until 15 December to reduce the risk of community transmissions and boost regional vaccination rates.[142][143] Luxon has also questioned the effectiveness of the checkpoints led and managed by police in the Auckland–Northland boundary.[144]
On 8 January 2022, Luxon talked to National MPHarete Hipango about a photo that she had posted on social media, which showed her posing with members of the anti-vaccination groupVoices for Freedom. Hipango removed the post stating that the anti-vaccination views of the group did not align with that of the National Party. She and Luxon stated they and the National Party strongly support COVID-19 vaccination, and described vaccination as the best protection for people and their families.[145]
In early February 2022, Luxon called forrapid antigen testing to be conducted in schools twice a week for both students and teachers, citing the examples ofNew South Wales andVictoria. In addition, Luxon advocated reopening New Zealand's borders and ending themanaged isolation and quarantine (MIQ) system in favour of home isolation for New Zealanders and travellers who tested negative for COVID-19.[146]
On 9 February 2022, Luxon called for the Government to issue a clear timeline for ending vaccine mandates. In response, Prime Minister Ardern stated that certificates and mandates would only be retained as long as there was a strong public health rationale.[147]
In August 2022, Luxon refused to rule out working withBrian Tamaki, a far-right,anti-vaccine religious leader, and Tamaki'sFreedoms New Zealand party, which supported the violent2022 Wellington protest against COVID-19 mandates. However, Luxon claimed he doubted the party would enter parliament.[148] After controversy ensued, Luxon reversed his position a few days later.[149]
Intending to be humorous, on 8 June 2023, Luxon made a remark during an infrastructure conference inChristchurch that suggested New Zealanders should have more babies. He said: "Here is the deal – essentially New Zealand stopped replacing itself in 2016. I encourage all of you to go out there and have more babies if you wish, that would be helpful."[150][151] In response to media coverage, the deputy leader, Nicola Willis, made clear that National did not have a policy on family sizes and criticised elements of the media for taking Luxon's remarks out of context.[151][152]Paul Spoonley, a sociology lecturer atMassey University agreed with Luxon's remarks, stating that New Zealand's population growth had reached below replacement level of 2.1, with a birth rate of 1.6.[150][153]
In response to theIsrael–Hamas war, Luxon stated that he was shocked and saddened byHamas's overnight attacks against Israel. Luxon condemned Hamas' attacks and stated that Israel had a right to defend itself.[154]
He later committed New Zealand to active military support, saying "I want us to be in lockstep with our partners who have common interests and actually be right there with them at that time."[155] In January 2024, he authorised depolyment of 6 NZDF personnel to support military action againstHouthi forces in theRed Sea, saying "it's about us standing up for things that we believe in, and we can either talk about them or we can actually do something about it as well and make sure that we put real capability alongside our words".[155]
In late August 2024, Luxon expressed support forTaiwan's participation in thePacific Islands Forum in response to Chinese plans to lobby for member states to exclude Taiwan from attending the Forum's 2025 event.[156] In early September 2024, China's Ambassador to the PacificQian Bo successfully lobbied for the Forum to remove references to Taiwan in the final communique of the 2024 leaders' summit in Tonga that week.[157]
According toThe Economist andForeign Policy magazine, New Zealand foreign policy under the National-led coalition government had shifted away from China in favour of closer relations with its traditionalFive Eyes partners, theUnited States,United Kingdom,Australia andCanada.[158] During an interview withThe Economist, Luxon said that he was looking to "diversify New Zealand's diplomatic and trade relationships away from itsreliance on China." The magazine described this shift as New Zealand's biggest pivot since theANZUS dispute in 1986 that was triggered byNew Zealand's nuclear-free policy.[159][158]Foreign Policy columnist Derek Grossman wrote that Luxon andForeign MinisterWinston Peters were continuing a thaw inNew Zealand-United States relations that began under National Prime MinisterJohn Key in 2010 and was continued by Labour Prime MinisterJacinda Ardern andChris Hipkins. Notable examples of this pro-US shift included theRoyal New Zealand Navy sending a ship to sail through the disputedTaiwan Strait and the National-led government's expressed interest in partnering withAUKUS andNATO.[160]
On 2 December 2024, Luxon confirmed that New Zealand would comply with anInternational Criminal Court (ICC)arrest warrant in the event thatIsraeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu visited New Zealand. During a press conference, he stated, "We believe in the international rules-based system, we support the ICC, and we would be obligated to do so."[161]
In mid-June 2022, Luxon announced that the National Party if elected into government would introduce several pieces of anti-gang legislation based onAustralian anti-gang legislation. These "zero tolerance" policies have included banning gang insignia in public spaces and social media platforms such asInstagram andTikTok, and giving the Police special powers to disperse gang gatherings, and prevent certain gang members from associating with each other or obtaining firearms. Luxon unveiled National's new law and order policies at a time when gang violence was 'in the headlines'[162][163] and the police's count of gang members had increased over four years[164]
Andrew Cushen, Interim chief executive forInternetNZ, stated that the policy would be "nearly impossible to police" and that "gang posts on social media and extremist material are very different and can't be policed in the same way".[165] Criminologist and gangs expert Jarrod Gilbert opined that combating the gangs' criminal activities would work better than targeting the gangs. The Prime Minister,Jacinda Ardern, stated that similar policies had not worked in other countries.[166] While supporting National's anti-gang policies, theACT Party's firearms law reform and justice spokeswomanNicole McKee expressed concern that legitimate firearms owners could be affected by some of the legislation.[167] Former National Party MP and MinisterChester Borrows questioned the effectiveness of National's proposed anti-gang legislation, citing the failure of earlier anti-gang insignia legislation inWhanganui.[168][169]
On 3 May 2023, Luxon acknowledged the historical sensitivity around thedawn raids of the 1970s which disproportionately targetedPasifika New Zealanders. However, he stated thatImmigration New Zealand needed to "reserve the option" to usepolice raids against individuals involved in serious criminal offending or who posed a security risk to New Zealand. Luxon also stated there were 14,000 overstayers in New Zealand. Luxon's remarks came in response to media coverage of the agency's recent dawn raid tactics against visa overstayers, which had attracted criticism from Deputy Prime MinisterCarmel Sepuloni for re-traumatising the Pasifika community.[170]
On 11 December 2023, Luxon stated that New Zealand's 118,000 annual net migration rate was unsustainable and that infrastructure needed to be managed better to support growth. Luxon made these remarks after the Australian Government announced a new migration strategy to address pressure on housing and infrastructure in Australia.[171]
In late January 2023, Luxon stated that National opposedco-governance in the delivery of public services such as health, education and critical infrastructure. He also clarified that National was not opposed toMāori involvement in decision-making and expressed support for "self-driven" initiatives within the Māori community such asWhānau Ora,kohanga reo andcharter schools.[172][173] On 25 January, Luxon stated that the existence ofMāori seats "doesn't make a lot of sense" but reiterated an earlier commitment in March 2022 that the National Party would stand candidates in one or two of them.[174][175]
DuringWaitangi Day on 6 February 2023, Luxon described theTreaty of Waitangi as a "challenging, imperfect but ultimately inspiring document through which New Zealand had sought to understand what was intended by those who signed it." While acknowledging that theNew Zealand Crown had not upheld the Treaty's promises and obligations, he expressed hope that theTreaty settlement process would be completed by 2030.[176]
On 10 May 2023, Luxon ruled out working withTe Pāti Māori (Māori Party) if National formed the next government after the2023 general election. He cited National's disagreement with the Māori Party's support for co-governance in public services and alleged separatism. Luxon also criticised Te Pāti Māori's MPsDebbie Ngarewa-Packer andRawiri Waititi for staging ahaka welcoming for Labour MPMeka Whaitiri when Parliament was welcoming thecoronation ofCharles III.[177][178]
During a Question Time in Parliament on 20 August 2024, Luxon said that he believed that Māori ceded sovereignty to theNew Zealand Crown by signing the Treaty of Waitangi. When questioned byGreen co-leaderChlöe Swarbrick, Luxon reiterated that the Treaty was New Zealand's founding document and said that it had protected both Māori and Crown interests. Swarbrick disagreed, citing aWaitangi Tribunal ruling in 2014 that tribal leaders who signed the Treaty did not cede sovereignty to theUnited Kingdom. During the debate, Deputy Prime MinisterWinston Peters also defended Luxon, citing a 1922 statement by Māori MPĀpirana Ngata that Māori had ceded sovereignty.[179] On 25 August, twoNorthlandiwi (tribes)Ngāti Hine andNgāti Manu issued a joint letter rebuking Luxon and reiterating that the northern chiefs never ceded sovereignty either in theNew Zealand Declaration of Independence or theTreaty of Waitangi on the basis of the Waitangi Tribunal's Te Paparahi o Te Raki Inquiry.[180] While National,ACT, andNew Zealand First MPs sided with Luxon's view of the Treaty, Labour, Green andTe Pāti Māori MPs expressed disagreement.University of Auckland Professor Claire Charters andTe Wānanga o Raukawa head lecturer Carwyn Jones said that the different English and Māori translations of the Treaty of Waitangi caused confusion. Charters said that international law regarded the Māori translation as the authentic version while Jones regarded the Māori concept ofkāwanatanga as different from the concept ofsovereignty.[181]
Luxon has described himself as a "soft republican" and believes that New Zealand will "ultimately" become arepublic, but that the change would not happen "in my Government and in my time."[182]
When questioned about the matter of themonarchy of New Zealand in 2022, Luxon stated that he was "comfortable" with the currentconstitutional arrangement of having the monarch as head of state and thatQueen Elizabeth II had given New Zealand "incredible stability" and set an example of "great public service."[183] Following thedeath of Queen Elizabeth II, Luxon expressed support forKing Charles III, stating "I think he will be a very good king, I think he has been preparing for it all his life and no doubt he will take it in a different direction, reflecting his personality."[184] He also expressed doubt on whether the Queen's death would advance support for a New Zealand republic, arguing "I visit two or three towns in New Zealand every week, it just isn't a topic of conversation that comes up. I appreciate at times like this we start thinking about having these conversations but there actually isn't a real desire for the conversation or to make any changes to the constitution arrangements."[183][185]
In early May 2023, Luxon accepted an invitation from Prime MinisterChris Hipkins to attend thecoronation of Charles III as part of the official New Zealand delegation. Hipkins stated it was important to invite the Leader of the Opposition in the months leading up to the 2023 general election.[186]
On 20 September 2024, Luxon said that the coalition government was open to holding a referendum to extend the parliamentary term from three to four years at the 2026 general election.[187] The government introduced legislation to conduct a referendum on 27 February 2025.[188]
In mid February 2024, Luxon defended the National-led coalition government's plans to revise the education system's sexuality and relationship education guidelines, which had been introduced by the previous Labour Government in 2020 by former New Zealand First MP and associate education ministerTracey Martin. While Luxon regarded sex education as critically important to the school curriculum, he stated that it should be age appropriate and that parents "have a responsibility and a role to play in that as well."[53]
On 1 March 2025, Luxon said that the school lunch programme was experiencing "teething issues" in response to quality and delivery issues with the Government's new school lunch programme. He added that Associate Education Minister Seymour "will work his way through those issues... and I expect he will [find a solution]."[189] On 4 March, Luxon stated during a press conference that parents who were dissatisfied with the school lunch programme should "make a marmite sandwich and put an apple in a bag".[190] Luxon's remarks drew criticism fromHora Hora School principal and Tai Tokerau Principals' Association spokesman Pat Newman,Child Poverty Action Group executive officer Sarita Divis,East Otago High School principal Helen Newcombe, who argued that school lunches were needed to improve the health and educational outcomes of students and combat child poverty.[191][192] In response to criticism, Luxon defended his remarks and reiterated the Government's commitment to addressing problems with the school lunch programme.[193]
The National-led coalition government repealed smoke free legislation which would have made it illegal for anyone born in 2008 or later to ever legally purchase Tobacco, a world first legislation. It said the repeal was to fund tax cuts and address concerns regarding creating a black market.[194]
In mid April 2024, Luxon said he was open to revisiting the tax-exempt status of churches and charities. His remarks were criticised byDestiny Church leaderBrian Tamaki, who said "You've got to wonder where his head space is, because a lot of churches pick up the mess that dysfunctional Governments leave in society."[195] During the 2023 NZ general election, the National Party had ruled out taxing churches and charities as part of its tax plan.[196]
When asked in March 2023 if anti-transgender activistPosie Parker should be allowed to enter New Zealand, Luxon said that he affirmed people's right tofree speech but that he "absolutely" supported therights of New Zealand's transgender community.[197] In mid-August, Luxon said that he believes there is no need forlaws specifying which toilets transgender people can use.[198] During aTVNZ debate with Prime Minister Chris Hipkins in September, he said that the participation oftransgender people in sports is an issue that should be left to sporting bodies.[199]
In early July 2022, Luxon stated that a future National Government would work with community providers to sponsor job coaches for young people under the age of 25 years who have been on the Jobseeker benefit for three months. Welfare beneficiaries who find a job and stay off the benefit for the next 12 consecutive months would receive NZ$1,000 for staying in the workforce. However, beneficiaries who do not follow their agreed plan will face "sanctions." Luxon claimed that the incumbent Labour Government's policies had caused the number of under 25s on welfare to increase by 34,000 (roughly 40%).[200][201] In August 2022, Luxon warned young unemployed people their "free ride" under Labour would come to an end if he won the 2023 election, saying: "To young people who don't want to work you might have a free ride under Labour, but under National, it ends". He further stated National would make sweeping cuts to theMinistry of Social Development in favour of privatisedemployment agencies and "not keep funding failure".[202]
In mid November 2022, Luxon announced that the National Party's youth crime policies would include creating a new Young Serious Offender category for juvenile offenders and establishingboot camps known as Youth Offender Military Academies.[203][204] National's proposed boot camp policy was criticised by Prime Minister Ardern,Green Party co-leaderMarama Davidson, and theNew Zealand Psychological Society, who described it as ineffective and counterproductive as a deterrent to crime.[205][206]
In early December 2022, a1News Kantar public opinion poll found that 60% of respondents supported National's military boot-camp policy while 31% opposed it and 9% were undecided. The poll surveyed 1,011 eligible voters including mobile phone users and online panels. While National andACT voters, women aged 55 years and above, and Aucklanders favoured the policy, Green voters, Wellingtonians, Labour voters, and those aged between 18 and 29 years were more likely to oppose the policy.[207]
In early March 2024, the Government confirmed plans to launch a pilot Military Style Academy run byOranga Tamariki (the Ministry for Children), focusing on a rehabilitative and trauma-informed care approach.[208] The three-month boot camp commenced on 29 July 2024 at an Oranga Tamariki youth justice facility inPalmerston North, followed by a nine-month community phase.[209]
In response toChief Children's Commissioner Claire Achmad's concerns about military style programmes for young people, Luxon defended the pilot programme, saying:
"I don't care what you say about whether it does or doesn't work. We can have that intellectual conversation all day long, but we are, dammit, going to try something different because we cannot carry on getting the results that we've been getting (sic)."[210]
In response to reports that theNew Zealand Cabinet had authorised the use of physical force to restrain unruly participants, Luxon stated that physical force would only be used as a "last resort."[211]
Luxon met his wife Amanda at a church youth group[6] and they married on 8 January 1994[212] when he was 23.[213] They have a son and daughter. The couple share the same faith, saying "it quietly guides what they care about".[214]
In late July 2022, Luxon confirmed he was on a family holiday in Hawaii during the parliamentary recess when a Facebook video post published on 21 July implied he was visitingTe Puke at that time. Luxon attributed the confusion to a delay in his social media team updating his whereabouts over the previous week, which he said was a mistake.[215][216]
Luxon had a Catholic upbringing,[213] describes himself as aChristian[217] or non-denominational Christian,[218] and has been described as anevangelical Christian.[2] He has attended a Baptist church in Auckland as a child, a Presbyterian church in Australia, anAnglican church in England, and non-denominational churches in the United States, Canada and New Zealand.[218] After he returned to New Zealand in 2011 he attended theUpper Room church in Auckland.[213] In 2021 he said he had not attended a church for five or six years.[218]
Luxon enjoysDIY, listening tocountry music,waterskiing and fishing.[219][220][214]
Luxon is a supporter of theCrusadersrugby union team[221][222] andAuckland FC inassociation football.[223] He attended Auckland FC's first ever match in theA-League Men in 2024, where he was pranked by an Auckland FC fan who flicked his nose while posing for a photo.[224]
He is a multi-millionaire who owns seven houses, including a home inRemuera worth $7.68 million.[13][225] Luxon was apparently unaware of the total value of his properties untilNewshub asked him about it directly.[225] He is the second-wealthiest leader of the National Party in history, afterJohn Key, with his combined property portfolio valued at more than $21 million.[226]
In March 2024, Luxon was criticised for claiming a $52,000 living allowance while residing at his own mortgage-free Wellington apartment. He was the first Prime Minister in 34 years to claim what he described as an "entitlement".[227][228][229][230] Later that day, he said that he would pay back the allowance.[228]
[...] Mr Luxon said he was against voluntary euthanasia, recreational cannabis and abortion reform – but is in favour of medicinal cannabis.
He was asked by RNZ'sSusie Ferguson whether he supported the policy of withdrawing sole parent support benefits for parents that don't vaccinate their children – currently just a 'proposal' by National, not an actual policy.
Luxon said he supported the idea, and even indicated some support for it extending toWorking For Families benefits.
| New Zealand Parliament | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament for Botany 2020–present | Incumbent |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Leader of the Opposition 2021–2023 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Prime Minister of New Zealand 2023–present | Incumbent |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Leader of the National party 2021–present | Incumbent |
| Business positions | ||
| Preceded by | Chief executive officer ofAir New Zealand 2013–2019 | Succeeded by |
| Order of precedence | ||
| Preceded byasGovernor-General | Order of Precedence of New Zealand asPrime Minister | Succeeded byasSpeaker of the House of Representatives |
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