Our Prime Minister has no portfolios and yet never seems to have the time to get ahead of what's happening within his government.
Here's a thread of the many times Christopher Luxon has claimed he's been unaware of his coalition government 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.
2. Where Casey Costello's advice on tobacco policy came from.
"I haven’t seen the stories. In fairness, I need to be able to have that before I have any further comment."
3. Eight months later, Luxon still hasn't seen the advice Costello used to cut excise tax on Heated Tobacco Products by 50%
"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."
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.”
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.
7. How much people get on the Jobseeker benefit that he introduced sanctions for.
"I'll give you a precise number but I don't know the precise number."
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."
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."
11. Abuse in state care report.
Luxon fronted media in Ashburton on Friday, 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.
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."
13. Former National minister’s child sex abuse allegations.
Luxon said he was “completely unaware” of the “very serious 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."
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.
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.
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."
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.
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