Prime Minister Luxon lectures Rotorua businesses on self-reliance despite Air New Zealand’s heavy government support
Christopher Luxon told a regional business audience to stop expecting government help, despite his own career being built on leadership of a heavily government-backed airline.
At a Rotorua business chamber event, the Prime Minister criticised business owners for expecting government support, comparing them to dependent children and citing his own experience in the private sector. Luxon's remarks drew criticism for lacking self-awareness, given that his previous employer Air New Zealand has received substantial government funding and support throughout its history, including a near-billion-dollar bailout in 2001 and a $900 million Covid loan. The Rotorua businesses in the audience had recently endured significant hardship from government pandemic-era decisions that converted their accommodation sector into emergency housing against their wishes.
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The Spinoff
Sometimes it’s worse when our prime minister does actually make himself clear
Christopher Luxon scolding a business audience for being like children is unlikely to land well, especially given his previous employer. The prime minister has frequently been accused of being an indifferent communicator – someone with a rare talent for delivering…