Luxon Insists National Is United — But Won’t Reveal Leadership Vote

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has faced reporters following the latest challenge to his leadership, repeatedly insisting the National Party caucus is united — but refusing to reveal the numbers behind the vote that kept him in the job.

Speaking to media on Thursday afternoon, Luxon was pressed over Wednesday's caucus meeting and the confidence vote triggered by a challenge to his leadership.

Asked whether he would release the result to demonstrate that his caucus was 100 percent behind him, Luxon refused.

“That remains inside our caucus. There’s only two people who know that vote.”

Asked whether he was one of those two people, Luxon replied: “No.”

The exchange leaves one of the biggest questions from Wednesday unanswered: how convincing was Luxon's victory?

“We dealt with it in-house”

Reporters repeatedly challenged Luxon's description of National as united, particularly after his leadership has now been put to a caucus vote twice within a matter of months.

Luxon maintained the latest challenge had been dealt with quickly.

“We had a challenge emerge very quickly. We called a meeting. We dealt with it in-house, and we’re moving on.”

Asked whether he felt betrayed, Luxon did not directly engage with the question, instead returning to his central message.

“I have the full support of my caucus,” he said. “We came out of that room very united, very focused on our task at hand.”

When questioned about the possibility of facing yet another leadership challenge before the November 7 election, Luxon again stopped short of offering an outright guarantee.

Instead, he repeated: “I have the full support of my caucus.”

Reporters challenge the claim of unity

One of the sharper exchanges came when Luxon was asked how he could continue claiming to lead a united caucus after facing two leadership votes within months.

Again, the Prime Minister maintained National had emerged from Wednesday's meeting together.

Luxon argued voters would see that the party had taken “decisive action”, dealt with the challenge quickly and was now focused on the election.

He also confirmed the consequences for a Cabinet minister who challenges the leader were clear.

“When a Cabinet minister challenges a leader, then they need to go,” Luxon said.

Luxon turns attention to November 7

With reporters continuing to question his authority, Luxon repeatedly attempted to shift attention towards the general election.

He declared National would win on November 7 and challenged voters to compare his senior team with the opposition.

“Line up my top team and line up the other side,” Luxon said, arguing his ministers beat their political counterparts “hands down”.

But Thursday's press conference showed that Wednesday's confidence vote has not ended questions surrounding Luxon's leadership.

The Prime Minister survived.

His message is that National is united, the challenge has been dealt with and the party is moving forward.

But with the actual result remaining secret, New Zealanders still don't know how much of his caucus was behind him when his leadership was put to the test.