Christopher Luxon is... Unaware
Someone should tell him what's going on.
Every day, the deficit grows
You spend more than you own
Papa always said to me
“Keep a close eye on your authority”
You say that you care
I was unaware
You say that you care
I was unaware
Song: Allen Stone.
It used to be that when politicians wanted to avoid admitting they knew something, they’d say, “I don’t remember,” or if that sounded too convincing and perhaps like they had memory problems, they’d say they “couldn’t recall.”
It had simply slipped their minds; it could happen to anyone. It's also a nice, easy position to walk back from later if need be.
Our Prime Minister has decided that’s inefficient. Why bother learning something if you’re only going to turn around and say you can’t remember it?
While others might be embarrassed to announce that they know nothing, haven’t done their homework, or are simply not up with the play, Christopher Luxon boasts about it.
Ask him a simple question - something that is pretty common knowledge, or at least indicates a passing interest in the matter at hand, and he will simply say he is unaware. Not a feckin’ clue, mate.
Yesterday, I saw a list of gaps in the PM’s knowledge, real or otherwise. We shouldn’t assume Luxon is poorly informed—he might be lying. I contacted the author, StrayDogNz, on X, and he was quite happy to have the list used and shared.
So, over to him…
Our Prime Minister has no portfolios, yet he never seems to have the time to keep up with what's happening within his government.
Here's a thread with some of the many times Christopher Luxon has claimed he's been unaware of his coalition’s controversies.
1. Dunedin's mitigated flood risk prevention plan.
“I haven't seen advice on that and am not aware of that,” he said, despite his coalition rejecting it earlier this year.
Christopher Luxon sidesteps questions on declined Dunedin flood risk mitigation plan
2. Where Casey Costello's advice on tobacco policy came from - Part I
“I haven’t seen the stories. In fairness, I need to be able to have that before I have any further comment.”
3. Where Casey Costello's advice on tobacco policy came from - Part II
Eight months later, Luxon still hasn't seen the advice Costello used to cut excise tax on Heated Tobacco Products by 50%
Here's Guyon Espiner grilling Luxon on his government, setting aside $216 million to cut taxes on Heated Tobacco Products by 50% despite there being no solid evidence that they help people quit smoking. Luxon: “Look, I haven't seen the advice.”
4. Donations from the tobacco industry
"Luxon was asked by Hipkins if he would consider any donation from the tobacco industry to New Zealand First a conflict of interest.
The Prime Minister responded by saying he wasn't aware of any donations."
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says he's not aware of any minister receiving donations from tobacco lobby groups after grilling by Hipkins
5. Winston Peters getting special treatment to avoid cuts to MFAT.
Asked if Peters got special treatment through the Budget negotiations, the Prime Minister told Stuff, “not that I’m aware of, no.”
Winston Peters negotiates chief-to-chief with PM to avoid severe cuts at his ministry
6. How many households would be worse off from his government's tax bracket changes
“I haven't seen the data that you're referencing,” the PM said when asked.
9,000 households would be worse off as a result of its income tax bracket changes.
PM unaware how many families will be worse off as a result of the government’s tax cuts
7. How much people receive on the Jobseeker benefit that he introduced sanctions for.
"I'll give you a precise number but I don't know the precise number."
Here's Luxon being asked how much money people on the benefit get. “You are talking about this as a lifestyle choice, essentially you're saying it's easier to be on a benefit than it is to go and do these other things and you don't know that basic piece of information"
8. Penny Simmonds signing off on sudden cuts to respite care for families of disabled people
"Luxon replied that he was unaware of the changes prior to them being made."
Disability funding: Chris Hipkins calls for Penny Simmonds to be sacked over 'absolute debacle'
9. Ministry of education rehiring staff as consultants
“Consulting firms are now asking some of the MoE staff being made redundant to work for them, essentially doing the same work but at double the price the ministry would have paid.”
Luxon said “I'm not aware of that.”
10. Allegations of his mentor and close friend, John Key's insider trading
“It's not something I'm aware of, I'm unaware of what's been going on there.”
Asked about the John Key insider trading allegations, Luxon fluctuated between “I've read the reports,” “it's not something I'm aware of,” “I read the statement that he released yesterday” and “I'm unaware of what's been going on there.” So which is it?
11. Abuse in state care report
Luxon fronted media where he conceded he had not yet read the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care.
PM On Defensive After Minister Admits Not Reading Interim Abuse Report
“RNZ has learned Doocey, one of the ministers with responsibility for assessing the Royal Commission's recommendations, was then sent the report personally in November.
However, at a meeting with survivors of the Catholic order in May this year, he admitted he had not read it.”
12. National using AI to generate images for campaign ads
Luxon denied using Al, saying: “No, [National isn't using Al to make ads], not that I'm aware of.”
A National Party spokesperson said, however: “Yes we have used Al to create some stock images.”
National Party uses AI in attack ads: Christopher Luxon ‘not aware’
13. Former National minister’s child sex abuse allegations
Luxon said he was “completely unaware” of the “very serious allegations”.
Prime minister ‘completely unaware’ of ex-minister’s child sex abuse allegations
14. Current National MP Sam Uffindell's history of assault
"What emerged last night was a new series of allegations that I was completely unaware of."
Luxon 'completely unaware' of Uffindell university allegation
15. National MP Barbara Kuriger's meeting with Agriculture Minister
Luxon said he was not aware MP Barbara Kuriger had met with Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor as part of her son's dispute with MPI.
National leader Christopher Luxon unaware Kuriger met Agriculture Minister over son's MPI dispute
16. Who his then-likely coalition partner Winston Peters was
“I don't know him. I don't know him. I don't know him Paddy, I don't know him well.”
17. How much he made in tax free capital gains from his investment properties
“I have no idea,” he told Newshub, when asked how much capital gains he made in total from those seven properties in the last year.
National leader Christopher Luxon unaware his $7m Remuera home increased in value by $2.3m over one year
18. Air NZ's contact with the Saudi navy
“Former Air New Zealand CEO Christopher Luxon says he has ‘no recollection’ of the company's controversial contract with the Saudi military, despite being the boss at the time.”
Former Air NZ CEO, National MP Christopher Luxon says he was unaware of Saudi navy contract
19. How much pension payments are or that public transport is subsidised
“[Public transport] can't be subsidised or underwritten” Luxon claimed.
20. Specific details about his policy
Not only does Luxon repeat the phrases “I'm unaware”, “I've not been briefed”, “I've not been advised” ad nauseam, he regularly gets details wrong.
When challenged on one of these errors, Luxon said: Whoop-de-doo
“Whoop-de-doo” indeed.
Health Minister Shane Reti faces growing pressure over Health NZ finances
Layers of management: Reti and Luxon stood by their claim there was 14 layers of management at Health NZ.
“I've seen the list, from chair to patient it's 14 layers ... that's quite normal when you talk from customer to chair or customer to CEO, that's how organisations tend to measure,” Luxon said.
When pushed that a patient was clearly not a manager, he pushed back.
“So you're arguing it's maybe 13 not 14, well whoop de doo.”
Great work StrayDogNz, quite a pattern there.
If you don’t find that concerning enough, in a similar vein, suggesting there is perhaps method in the unawareness, Anne Salmond, writes that this government is displaying arrogance along with ignorance.
I appreciate there is a lot for Luxon to get his head around. Jacinda often looked as if she’d been reading all night - but boy did she know her stuff. She was all over the detail, as was Chippy - the guy is/was an absolute machine.
There is so much the PM genuinely seems unaware of - it often makes you wonder if he’s ever met any regular people, or been to a supermarket.
Sometimes, there is wilful ignorance, too, I’m sure. When it suits him.
What a choice - laziness, ignorance, or dishonesty? Why not all three?
Why did we vote for these guys again?
Not you, obviously. Have a good one, all of you lovely people and let’s hope the others learn to make better choices. We do want someone in charge that knows what’s going on, don’t we?
Judith on Q&A this morning. It's good that at least one National leader has the nuggets to show up, right, Chicken “No Nuggies” McLuxon?
I really like this track; a nice laid-back vibe, great voice, too.
Crikey - it doesn't look good when you lay it out like that.
Still, he's meeting all his KPIs though. "Key Performative Ignorance" that is.
“…and let’s hope the others learn to make better choices. We do want someone in charge that knows what’s going on, don’t we?”
No, actually they don’t. Denial is their thing. It’s how they get by. Everyday. If you are the kinda person who has your head in the sand about truly significant threats like Climate Change—if you can easily deny it is even happening—you clearly don’t want your chosen leader to keep reminding you of it do you?
In The States, from whence I hail, we’ve watched this for decades now. In 2005 a massive hurricane (Katrina) drowned New Orleans and beyond. GW Bush flew over in his 747 and said, ‘no one could have imagined a Cat-5 hurricane making a direct hit on New Orleans.’ Even though there had been white papers and ample coverage and presentations for years saying it was inevitable and what would happen. Hell, even Joe Biden this week called Hurricane Milton “the storm of the century.” Last I checked 2005 was in this century and by almost any and ALL measures Katrina dwarfed Milton.
In 2001 everyone in GW Bush’s governing Cabinet kept repeating, “no one could have imagined terrorists flying airplanes” into buildings like that. The security services had spent that year ‘running through the halls with their hair on fire’ with intel “something big was coming.”
Denial is our true epidemic; denial is so much easier and more comforting than reality. Who wants to have to admit to themselves their PM actually KNOWS OR KNEW many of these inconvenient facts and would prefer to just lie to them and feign ignorance? Who wants to believe he is that Machiavellian?
Voters today broadly aren’t rational. They are making choices based on emotions, not reason. And this new era of politicians have realized that.
We truly are living in a post-truth disinformation landscape whence a plurality of folks would rather not know the facts. They are more comfortable having their biases confirmed.
Life is easier when you stay in denial. Until, one day, it isn’t anymore. It finally becomes undeniable. Then you tell yourself, “no one could have imagined that happening.”
Buckle-up for more of this, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet Kiwis.