Interesting that there is so much concern in the National caucus.
Judging by media coverage this is caused by disloyal MPs and
incredibly bad timing.

I agree about the timing. If Luxon was not the person to lead
National into the upcoming election, the time to replace him was last
year. Replacing the PM as caucus leader in election year before an
election has never worked in NZ. National will campaign with Luxon as
leader because there is no other viable option.

However it seems to have escaped media scrutiny that the cause of
National's disunity in caucus rests entirely with Luxon. He is the
one polling so badly and contributing the most to low levels of
support for his party.

I have commented at length on his total lack of political experience -
he is the most inexperienced in politics of any political leader in
NZ. It shows. After the omni shambles of the 2020-2023 government it
is the political incompetence that Luxon has displayed that is the
reason National may not be re-elected to lead the Government.


--
Crash McBash

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On Thu, 13 Aug 2026, Crash <nogood@dontbother.invalid> wrote:

is the political incompetence that Luxon has displayed that is the
reason National may not be re-elected to lead the Government.

True, but there is a counter-point: This is first time that Luxon is
seen to be a strong leader, even if he actually isn't. That
perception may be worth an extra 1 or 2 percent of votes.

As for Chris Penk, I never even heard of him. Now he is gone. A
non-event. Maybe Simeon Brown can advance a placing now to be in
place the next time there is a challenge to Luxon. At least I've
heard of Brown, he looks a contender.


--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 2026-08-12, Willy Nilly <wn@nosuch.com> wrote:

On Thu, 13 Aug 2026, Crash <nogood@dontbother.invalid> wrote:

is the political incompetence that Luxon has displayed that is the
reason National may not be re-elected to lead the Government.

True, but there is a counter-point: This is first time that Luxon is
seen to be a strong leader, even if he actually isn't.

Yes it is a case of Luxon fighting to stay above water. It is personal. It
is not a strong leader it is a leader fighting for survival.

That
perception may be worth an extra 1 or 2 percent of votes.

That maybe the case.

As for Chris Penk, I never even heard of him. Now he is gone. A
non-event. Maybe Simeon Brown can advance a placing now to be in
place the next time there is a challenge to Luxon. At least I've
heard of Brown, he looks a contender.

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On Wed, 12 Aug 2026 21:59:36 GMT, wn@nosuch.com (Willy Nilly) wrote:

On Thu, 13 Aug 2026, Crash <nogood@dontbother.invalid> wrote:

is the political incompetence that Luxon has displayed that is the
reason National may not be re-elected to lead the Government.

True, but there is a counter-point: This is first time that Luxon is
seen to be a strong leader, even if he actually isn't. That
perception may be worth an extra 1 or 2 percent of votes.

So Luxon is a strong leader when threatened with dismissal. Pity he
does not demonstrate political strength to the same decisive degree.

National have done little to address balancing the books and reducing
debt currently at historic heights in both the amount and the
percentage of GDP.

As for Chris Penk, I never even heard of him. Now he is gone. A
non-event. Maybe Simeon Brown can advance a placing now to be in
place the next time there is a challenge to Luxon. At least I've
heard of Brown, he looks a contender.

Penk was incredibly stupid to try to put together a leadership
challenge at this point in the 3-year Parliamentary cycle. No-one
will sanely put up their hand to lead the party into the upcoming
election, but if National lose out then Luxon cops the blame and
rightly so, and there is a sane reason to challenge. If I recall
correctly, the Labour Party constitution requires a leader who loses
an election to face a subsequent caucus confidence vote.


--
Crash McBash

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 13 Aug 2026 08:33:38 GMT, Gordon <Gordon@leaf.net.nz> wrote:

On 2026-08-12, Willy Nilly <wn@nosuch.com> wrote:

On Thu, 13 Aug 2026, Crash <nogood@dontbother.invalid> wrote:

is the political incompetence that Luxon has displayed that is the
reason National may not be re-elected to lead the Government.

True, but there is a counter-point: This is first time that Luxon is
seen to be a strong leader, even if he actually isn't.

Yes it is a case of Luxon fighting to stay above water. It is personal. It
is not a strong leader it is a leader fighting for survival.

So 'fighting for survival' is the only time Luxon shows any strength
of leadership or conviction. In any other context he lacks credible
political convictions.

That
perception may be worth an extra 1 or 2 percent of votes.

That maybe the case.

As for Chris Penk, I never even heard of him. Now he is gone. A
non-event. Maybe Simeon Brown can advance a placing now to be in
place the next time there is a challenge to Luxon. At least I've
heard of Brown, he looks a contender.

--
Crash McBash

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)

On 2026-08-14, Crash <nogood@dontbother.invalid> wrote:

On 13 Aug 2026 08:33:38 GMT, Gordon <Gordon@leaf.net.nz> wrote:

On 2026-08-12, Willy Nilly <wn@nosuch.com> wrote:

On Thu, 13 Aug 2026, Crash <nogood@dontbother.invalid> wrote:

is the political incompetence that Luxon has displayed that is the >>>>reason National may not be re-elected to lead the Government.

True, but there is a counter-point: This is first time that Luxon is
seen to be a strong leader, even if he actually isn't.

Yes it is a case of Luxon fighting to stay above water. It is personal. It >>is not a strong leader it is a leader fighting for survival.

So 'fighting for survival' is the only time Luxon shows any strength
of leadership or conviction. In any other context he lacks credible political convictions.

Agreed. Luxon is not a leader. He does not inspire one to get behind him. He is running the country as a business rather than leading it.

That
perception may be worth an extra 1 or 2 percent of votes.

That maybe the case.

As for Chris Penk, I never even heard of him. Now he is gone. A
non-event. Maybe Simeon Brown can advance a placing now to be in
place the next time there is a challenge to Luxon. At least I've
heard of Brown, he looks a contender.

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
* Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)