Government policies working to fix economy, raise living standards, Luxon says
Photo:
RNZ / Mark Papalii
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says New Zealanders want the government to fix the economy, and the government's policies are working to do just that.
It comes after a
new political poll
shows the government is struggling to make headway amidst the cost of living crisis.
The Taxpayers Curia Opinion poll, has Labour ahead of National on 33.6 percent (up two) and National on 31.8 (down two).
National's Coalition partners Act and New Zealand have also eased back slightly to 8.6 percent and 7.8 percent respectively.
With the Greens on 9.8 and TPM on 3.2 it would - based on seats in parliament - mean a hung parliament.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon told
Morning Report
said people wanted the government to fix the economy.
"I think New Zealanders understand if you take a step back, we've got the worst recession we have had in 30 years, we've had the Covid hangover with all the extra spending, we've actually good growth... in Q4 and Q1."
He said big cities in New Zealand were struggling, while primary industry were showing signs of recovery.
"It's certainly two speed, there certainly if you go to the South Island if you go to Hawke's Bay the primary sectors, they are all doing well, they are experiencing growth and coming out of the recession.
"But if you are in Auckland and Wellington or the big cities, it's still really challenging."
When ask about former National leader Simon Bridges' recent comments saying the government needed to be doing more, Luxon said progress would "come through to the big cities eventually".
"I know it's difficult - particularly in our big cities... we've got to keep doing everything we can, but open to more things and discussing more things, but I think at this stage it's keep doing what we are doing".
The Prime Minister confirmed the government were looking at joint ID's and driver licenses with Australia.
"Yeah, I'd like to try and do everything we can to make everything as frictionless as we can," he said.
Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recently met New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in Queenstown.
Photo:
RNZ/Katie Todd
It's comes after Australia's Prime Minister
Anthony Albanese met the Luxon in Queenstown
for their annual Australia-New Zealand Leaders' Meeting.
Despite the number of people moving to Australia, Luxon said New Zealand had been here before and could make a comeback.
"We've gone through tough times in our economy and we have lost people to Australia and net migration, and we have built it back and we can and we are going to build it back."
Luxon said the National government were focused on lifting New Zealand incomes to match Australia.
He said New South Wales was currently 35 percent wealthier than New Zealand.
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