Luxon vs Brown, and how the govt fell so violently out of love with localism
Toby Manhire speaks to Spinoff staff writers Joel MacManus and Hayden Donnell about how (and why) the prime minister went from being a champion of localism to leading the most profoundly anti-localist government in living memory.
27 Aug 2026
More about the episode
Christopher Luxon sailed into NZ politics six years ago as a champion of localism. Since becoming prime minister, his government has fallen deeply out of love with devolution. Changes including a rates cap and National’s ruling out of a bed tax have especially irked Wayne Brown, mayor of Auckland and the most powerful local politician in New Zealand. He’s gone from denial to anger to … what exactly? Joel MacManus and Hayden Donnell – fresh from interviewing Brown – join Toby to tell the story.
At Large with Toby Manhire is produced by Te Aihe Butler, Jin Fellet and The Spinoff. Read more at thespinoff.co.nz.
