Christopher Luxon labels policy by potential coalition partner 'madness'
New Zealand National leader Christopher Luxon has criticized potential coalition partner NZ First's policy to buy back the BNZ bank as 'madness'. Meanwhile, he continues to attack the Labour party's economic platform as a source of future tax increases.
Why it matters
Highlights the political maneuvering and coalition tensions ahead of the 2026 New Zealand election.
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National leader Christopher Luxon insists a potential coalition partner's policy is "madness" and will not happen, while lumping the left bloc's "nine new taxes" together as certainties.
National has consistently attacked Labour "and its mates" (the Greens, Te Pāti Māori and Opportunity) saying combined they would impose nine new taxes.
Labour has only committed to its own capital gains tax.
Meanwhile New Zealand First - National's potential coalition partner - is campaigning on buying back BNZ for around $20 billion.
Christopher Luxon told Morning Report "that's just not going to happen".
Morning Report's John Campbell put to Luxon that Labour leader Chris Hipkins could say the same for his potential coalition partners' policies.
Luxon said Hipkins would "have to do business" with the Greens, Te Pāti Māori and Opportunity.
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