
We don't know how to be any clearer, guys
From Gone By Lunchtime by The Spinoff
March 11, 2026 · 59 min
About this episode
The episode discusses Christopher Luxon's challenging week as prime minister amidst international conflict and domestic political pressures.
It was Christopher Luxon's worst week as prime minister, beginning with flubbed attempts to explain New Zealand's position on the war on Iran and ending with a nightmare poll that put National at 28.4% and sparked headlines suggesting he was considering his position. We step through those painful days, assessing the official response to the strikes launched by the US and Israel, the criticisms levelled at Luxon, and whether he has put the matter to bed by rubbishing those suggestions he was thinking of quitting and a delivering a markedly improved performance this week. Plus: as the shockwaves of the Middle East conflict are felt as far away as the New Zealand consumer economy and an election creeps closer, is National best to lean into crisis mode? In this episode, Annabelle Lee-Mather, Ben Thomas and Toby Manhire also take a look at the High Court that Mariameno Kapa-Kingi’s expulsion from Te Pāti Māori was unlawful: what next after her "repatriation"? And the second Royal Commission on the Covid response has been issued, and swiftly subject to some high-velocity spin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
People in this episode
Hosts: Annabelle Lee-Mather, Ben Thomas, Toby Manhire
Topics covered
- New Zealand politics
- Christopher Luxon
- Middle East conflict
- Te Pāti Māori
- Covid response
- National Party
Keywords
- Christopher Luxon
- New Zealand
- National Party
- Te Pāti Māori
- Covid response
- Middle East conflict
- politics
- government
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: National, Te Pāti Māori
Places: New Zealand
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