Luxon and that Job

 

For Christopher Luxon the position of Prime Minister is simply a job. That’s it. He said it. Quoting from his speech in Whangarei last week (7th July): “I don't need to do this job. I choose to do this job because…”. NZME and Stuff have both reported his words.

 

He hasn’t told us clearly why he does not need to do the job,but has waffled about wanting New Zealand to be a great place. Is it because he is sufficiently well resourced that he does not need a Prime Minister’s salary? An overall salary package by the way that today tops out at close to $600,000. Who would sneeze at that sort of income? Or is the income really why he has taken the job? Luxon makes it all sound as if he is doing New Zealand a huge favour by taking the position of Prime Minister.

 

Deep down he may really be saying he does not enjoy the job as he feels unqualified. Many might say that is true. I have said in comments elsewhere that Luxon does not understand politics and gives all the signs he would rather not be in politics. Another quote from the Northland speech: “I love getting in and out of Wellington as quickly as possible…”.

 

Mr Luxon. Wellington is where the sharp and pointy end of politics is to be found. The seat of government, where in New Zealand terms the real world of politics begins and ends. Luxon needs to devote more time to his “job” in Wellington. From these quotes is Luxon in some subliminal fashion telling us he wants out but does not know how to escape? Wants to place himself above politics. Or is there something else in play?

 

To me it means he does not want to do the hard yards at the sharp end of politics. It is not so much of being physically present in Wellington that bothers him but that he might come under real pressure and scrutiny from the media and even from his own party.

About the “job”. There is some old wisdom out there with the idea that many politicians after three terms treat their elected position as just that, a job. Not as an honour to have been elected to serve the democratic process and bring their best work to support constituents. Luxon has been in Parliament since 2021. That is six years going on seven, the usual timespan for a CEO posting. More about that further on.

 

I don’t begrudge MPs their salaries and compensation packages. There are some hard workers in the system. I would like to see and hear a lot more from them – from both sides of the house. 

In Luxon’s case we need to see something else in the way of vision, skills and leadership. Anything to confirm he has a real connection with the voting public. At the moment we are aware only of a Prime Minister completely lacking in charisma, personality and any form of likeability. Another “maybe” - is friend Luxon so sure of himself (?) that he continues to view his PM’s position as that of a Board Chairman or CEO, which he was in a previous life, where everything is packaged up in neat little parcels for him to sign off. No need to be connected to the real world.

 

I once worked for five or six years in a major corporate. As is often the way the CEO never came onto our floor to make himself known to staff. All we ever knew of him was of jargon filled irregular memos. We couldn’t decide whether he had ever made a mark of any kind in or on the company. I came across him in the lift one day – he didn’t speak, looking straight ahead. In the particular setting he would have known I was on the staff. No recognition or a word spoken. That’s the way with many CEO types – avoid all contact with the real world.