PM Christopher Luxon takes questions on Kerre Woodham Mornings after week of moves on police pay offer, Māori wards, public sector staff cuts

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the government had put “hundreds of millions [of dollars] more” onto the table for a “much more enhanced offer” to police last week.

That offer was going out for voting by police in the next few days.

Luxon took questions for an hour on Kerre Woodham’s Newstalk ZB show today.

He said he disagreed that National had used law and order issues as a marketing tool during the election, only to stint on the police pay offer, saying it had now put a “very good” proposition on the table.

That enhanced offer for police included a move back to paid overtime, as well as a lump sum payment to help compensate for back pay.

It was the second time it had put more money into the police offer since taking over as government. He said National was serious about giving police what they needed to tackle crime, saying it was one of the main issues voters had raised with them.

On public service cuts, Luxon said there had been a “massive increase” in staff numbers and costs in the core public sector.

“We haven’t had the outcomes,” he said.

His message to the public sector bosses was: “Go back through your back office, stop the dumb programmes that aren’t working, make sure we get the efficiencies in the back office and get rid of the wasteful spending.”

On the hiring spree in the public sector in the last half of last year, he said that was “very disappointing” given both National and Labour had made it clear they wanted cuts.

He said the increase in staff at the Ministry of Education to reform the curriculum was a “classic example”.

He said the New Zealand curriculum was made up of “airy-fairy statements” and teachers were expected to try to interpret them – and that had led to different teaching across the country.

He said the speed with which the cellphone ban had been implemented had shown things could be done quickly if wanted.

He believed that had led to a drop in cyberbullying as well as removing distractions.

Luxon also said he disagreed that the return of referendums on Māori wards was a return to a “bad past”, saying National had not agreed with the shift away from them.

He said he believed it should be a matter of local democracy for local communities to be able to decide whether the wards were set up.

Luxon said the issue of allowing a referendum on the Treaty of Waitangi - as David Seymour wants - was a different matter to the Māori wards.

National has made it clear it will not support Seymour’s Treaty Principles Bill beyond the first reading, and Luxon said that was because of the important place the Treaty had in New Zealand.

He said National agreed with localism, and so had taken its stand on the Māori wards.

Luxon spoke to Kerre Woodham in the Newstalk ZB studio. Photo / Jason Oxenham 

On tax cuts and childcare rebates for households, Luxon said the so-called “squeezed middle” was still the government’s target for assistance. He pointed to the recent moves to introduce childcare rebates worth up to $75 a week for households and the plan to shift tax thresholds in the Budget.

He said despite “challenging economics” there was space to ensure workers could keep more of their wages.

”It’s a question of what can we afford to do. And what we can afford to do right now is help defray early childhood costs.”

He said tax cuts were also affordable.

”Rebuilding the economy is job number one, so we can reduce the cost of living.”

He said bringing down inflation would help ease interest rates, as well as “making life cheaper for people”.

One vaping, Luxon said it had been critical at getting smoking rates down among adults, but was a problem when it came to teenagers. He pointed to recent government moves to ban disposable vapes and boost penalties on those who sold vapes to under-18s, as well as introduce plain packaging rules.

He said the government was still committed to reducing smoking rates, and had simply reverted to the old smoke-free legislation that had worked well. It had scrapped Labour’s plans for a ban on smoking and restrictions on outlets, saying National was concerned they would result in a black market and more retail crime.

He didn’t believe such measures were needed, given the pre-existing rules had been effective.

”I think we could have communicated it a lot better, no doubt about it.”

He would not say whether the government was planning to tax charitable entities - but said it was being looked at.

“We’ve got a lot of appetite for it, Nicola [Willis] and I, and we’re getting advice.”

Luxon said his verdict on being PM was that he was “having fun” but it was hard work.

”I like getting into the work, and we are working hard ... We’ve got a lot to do, but that’s exciting.”

A farmer from central Hawke’s Bay asked about the end of funding for Taskforce Green, saying it had helped in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle.

Luxon said the Budget was looming, so it would be a question for the government department charged with deciding whether programmes were delivering “bang for their buck”.

On speed bumps and roadworks, Luxon said Transport Minister Simeon Brown was “very hot on road management and cone management” and trying to get a clear signal of whether such measures were worth it.

“We’ve got some very good roads,” Luxon said, pointing to the new roads north of Auckland, saying they should be safe enough to be 110km/h.

On the balance between convenience for motorists and safety, he said: “I’m not saying we don’t look after people and follow good health and safety practices, but we think we’ve gone a bit far the other way.”

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in the Newstalk ZB studio with Kerre Woodham. Photo / Jason Oxenham 

Wrapping up, Luxon said he was pleased with the way the coalition government was operating.

He said the government was “moving with incredible pace.”

“And we have to move fast, I know it’s tough at the moment.” However, he said there were plans to grow the economy and get things moving.

He’s signed off by choosing Beyonce’s Texas Hold ‘Em. “She’s provoking the country music industry. It’s fantastic.”

The Newstalk ZB interview follows a week that Luxon kicked off by releasing the Government’s plan up until June 30 – a period that will include the Budget.

Yesterday, the Government also announced a move to restore the possibility of calling a binding referendum on the creation of Māori wards on local councils – and it will require councils to hold a referendum on any recently created Māori wards in the next local body elections.

In 2020, Labour had removed the ability for a local referendum to be conducted on Māori wards.

The Government also announced steps to try to boost competition and tackle a shortage in building supplies after soaring costs.

National has also started to more aggressively promote its upcoming Budget tax cuts promise, including a social media campaign by Finance Minister Nicola Willis to try to assure voters that tax cuts are still affordable, despite the deterioration in the economy.

That comes as government departments firm up their plans for staff layoffs to try to cut their spending before the Budget, as the Government has ordered. The Government has promised savings will be re-invested in the front-line services, which Willis has flagged will be another priority for the Budget.

Luxon has defended those public sector cuts, saying he wanted more “medical doctors, not spin doctors” and pointing to the sharp increase in public sector staff numbers over recent years.

Ministry of Health staff were called in this week to hear the final details of its restructuring.

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