Chris Luxon resisted the temptation to appoint Christopher Luxon to his line-up. Image: Tina Tiller

PoliticsDecember 6, 2021

‘Skills, ethics and grunt’: Has Chris Luxon shuffled up a winning pack?

Editor-at-large

Chris Luxon resisted the temptation to appoint Christopher Luxon to his line-up. Image: Tina Tiller

After a hectic week for National, the new shadow cabinet has been unveiled. Toby Manhire assesses its strengths and weaknesses.

For the first time in a long time the most anticipated political announcement of a Monday has centred on the opposition, rather than the Labour-led government. Equally unfamiliar is the fact that the National Party leader fronted today to present a constructive picture.

At the hallowed 1pm parliamentary press conference came the news that there are 33 new positive cases of focused, upbeat National MPs in the community. Just don’t call it a new variant. Chris Luxon has spent a good part of the last six days insisting that the party has turned a new leaf. Let’s call it the new chapter.

There might have been a different feel about the event had National’s latest leadership tussle gone to a vote. Eleventh-hour talks between Luxon and Simon Bridges – who to no one’s surprise has since been announced as finance spokesperson and third-ranked caucus member, behind Luxon and deputy leader Nicola Willis – obviated the need for such a showdown.

Speaking alongside Willis this afternoon, Luxon named a shadow cabinet of 20; the remainder get roles, too, but they’re not ranked. Why not? “It makes no sense and it’s largely irrelevant,” Luxon told a press conference.

The winners

Nicola Willis and Simon Bridges we knew about already. It was no surprise to see Chris Bishop move up to fourth, retaining the Covid role and regaining the shadow leader of the house position that Judith Collins confiscated from him when she sent him to his room after it emerged he hated the whipped vote on conversion therapy.

The biggest surge, however, is Erica Stanford. She jumps 18 rungs to No 7, and adds education to the immigration role in which she has proved tenacious and conscientious. (Disappointingly, she has not been given Corrections, meaning that the “Stanford prison experiment” headline must be saved for another day.) Education is an area Luxon has pinpointed as a priority, along with productivity and social investment. He’s underlined the importance of the Bill English approach by assigning it to his No 2, Nicola Willis.

Matt Doocey jumps to the front bench, reflecting his quiet effectiveness on mental health; a similar boost for Simeon Brown, who gets transport, which will be an altogether different test to being police spokesperson, a role that Mark Mitchell, a former cop, grabs.

The losers

The most dramatic fall is, of course, Judith Collins, but we’ll come to that in a minute. Her deputy, Shane Reti, drops, too, but no further than was inevitable, and will remain an important cog in the machine, retaining health and gaining Māori-Crown relations and Pacific peoples.

Todd McClay plummets from sixth in Collins’ last shadow cabinet to the swirl of the unranked. He has trade and tourism, however, which makes his unranked status puzzling.

After a short stint in the nebulous role of shadow treasurer, Collins ally Andrew Bayly falls 12 spots to 15, but has a grab-bag of significant roles including small business, manufacturing, commerce and revenue. Bayly’s double-act with Michael Woodhouse was a total fizzer; the former finance spokesperson is left clinging on to a top-20 role, down 14 to 18th.

Another staunch Collins supporter, David Bennett, hangs on to the shadow cabinet by the skin of his teeth, coming in nine places lower at No 20, losing transport, where he’s been mostly invisible, and gaining regional economic development. And spare a thought for Jacqui Dean, who had an old experience exploited in a “political power play” and now finds herself booted from the shadow cabinet. She was 18th in Collins’ caucus, now she’s swimming amid the great unranked.

The ex-leaders

According to my data journalism division, more than 21% of the current National caucus either is now or has been the leader or deputy leader of the party. With Simon Bridges not just in the tent but holding up a corner as finance spokesperson and No 3, what of the other two former leaders in the group, Todd Muller and Judith Collins?

The new leader had promised to involve them in significant spots. He didn’t really mean it. Judith Collins drops 18 rungs to 19th, and she gets – checks notes – research, science, innovation and technology. “Judith has a real passion for the portfolio she’s been offered there … She cares very deeply about it,” said Luxon, unconvincingly.

Luxon held the equivalent role (research, science and manufacturing) when ranked 30th in Collins’ last lineup. He had three other jobs. It’s her only one. It’s a ranked spot, yes, just, but sends a pretty clear message: you’re many orbits out from the centre of my universe.

As for Todd Muller, speculation that he might be reborn and given the climate change position that he’d previously excelled in was scotched. He’s outside the top 20, with oceans and fisheries as well as Internal Affairs. That’s still a promotion, however, given he wasn’t even attending caucus under Collins. There may yet be a path back, and Muller revealed today that he’s changed his mind about resigning. “I know he wants to come back and be part of our team,” said Luxon.

The big match-ups

“I have deliberately selected a shadow cabinet of 20 members to match the government’s cabinet,” said Luxon. “I’m confident that when you put any of National’s shadow ministers against their Labour counterparts, you’ll see that National’s MPs have the deep experience, the political skills, the work ethic and the intellectual grunt to come out on top every time.”

Existing clashes on Covid (Bishop vs Hipkins), housing (Willis vs Woods), social development (Upston vs Sepuloni) and health (Reti vs Little) will continue. Which of the new head-to-heads are the ones to watch?

Chris Luxon vs Jacinda Ardern Well, obviously. The new dynamic is launched at 2pm tomorrow in question time.

Simon Bridges vs Grant Robertson It’s hard to remember the day when people wondered whether Robertson was ready to be finance minister; he’s made it his own. But Bridges is a seasoned campaigner and a former crown prosecutor; he presents a new challenge.

Erica Stanford vs Chris Hipkins Stanford has shone a clear and consistent light on the Covid-derailed immigration response, making life difficult for Kris Faafoi. She’ll add his namesake to her target list – Chris Hipkins has had colossal weight to carry as Covid response minister while retaining another massive portfolio: education. Paul Goldsmith has struggled to get cut-through here, and Stanford will look to more effectively tell the stories of frustrated schools, parents and students. That said, I’d be surprised if Hipkins is expected to continue with such a workload (he’s also leader of the house) into the next parliamentary year.

Simeon Brown vs Michael Wood A contrast in styles on transport.

Mark Mitchell vs Poto Williams The police minister has looked less than rock solid so far this term; an opportunity for a National MP who is consistent across a range of areas (including withdrawing from leadership contests).

Simon Watts vs Nanaia Mahuta There was a chance here to put pressure on the government over the Three Waters reforms being led by Nanaia Mahuta, but Luxon has chosen not to give local government, a role he previously held, to a ranked MP in the shadow cabinet. Seems like a mistake.

The range

Seared into the retina of New Zealand politics is the infamous first-day omnishambles of the Muller opposition, in which Paul Goldsmith was briefly revealed to be Māori. Luxon can boast a relatively reasonable diversity across the top 10, including two Māori and four women. Across the top 20, it’s not so good: only six of the 20 are women, and it’s a white Christmas with the exception of three: Simon Bridges, Shane Reti and Melissa Lee.

The CEO

The ultimate flex would be for the new leader of the National Party to have assigned a range of portfolios to Chris Luxon, Christopher Luxon, and, of course, Mr C Luxton, but he has taken a more cautious approach. Where John Key gave himself tourism and Helen Clark and Jacinda Ardern both took arts and culture, there is no symbolic self-assigned portfolio for Luxon.

If there’s symbolism, perhaps, it’s that he is focusing on managing the group, very much in the CEO mould. “I want to be able to float,” said Luxon.

“The lineup I’m announcing today is based on merit and matches people to their strengths and skill sets,” he added, in full chief executive mode. I’d love to review the KPIs, sit in on the performance reviews. “In the vision of performance, we will have another little review inside ourselves in 12 months.” He wants to float. He wants us to look inside ourselves. May the force be with you.

National spokesperson roles and caucus rankings

CHRISTOPHER LUXON Leader, National Security & Intelligence (up 28)
NICOLA WILLIS Deputy Leader, Housing, Social Investment (up 11)
SIMON BRIDGES Finance, Infrastructure (up 1)
CHRIS BISHOP Covid-19 Response, Shadow Leader of the House (up 3)
SHANE RETI Health, Māori-Crown Relations, Pacific Peoples (down 3)
LOUISE UPSTON Social Development & Employment, Child Poverty Reduction (up 3)
ERICA STANFORD Education, Immigration, Associate Ethnic Communities (up 18)
MATT DOOCEY Mental Health, Youth, Associate Health, Associate Transport (up 12)
SIMEON BROWN Transport, Public Service (up 10)
BARBARA KURIGER Agriculture, Biosecurity, Food Safety (up 4)
SCOTT SIMPSON Climate Change, Environment, Associate Transport (down 1)
PAUL GOLDSMITH Justice, Workplace Relations & Safety (unchanged)
MELISSA LEE Broadcasting & Media, Digital Economy & Communications, Ethnic Communities (down 4)
MARK MITCHELL Police, SFO, Counter-Terrorism (down 1)
GERRY BROWNLEE Foreign Affairs, GCSB & NZSIS, Emergency Management (down 1)
ANDREW BAYLY Small Business, Commerce & Consumer Affairs, Manufacturing, Building & Construction, Revenue (down 12)
STUART SMITH Energy & Resources, EQC, Viticulture (no change)
MICHAEL WOODHOUSE SOEs, ACC, Statistics, Sport & Recreation, Deputy Shadow Leader of the House (down 14)
JUDITH COLLINS, Research, Science, Innovation & Technology (down 18)
DAVID BENNETT Economic & Regional Development (down nine)

And the rest (not ranked)

JACQUI DEAN Assistant Speaker, Conservation

TODD MCCLAY Trade & Export Growth, Tourism

IAN MCKELVIE Seniors, Forestry, Racing

SIMON O’CONNOR, Corrections, Customs, Arts, Culture & Heritage, Associate Foreign Affairs

TODD MULLER Oceans & Fisheries, Internal Affairs

MAUREEN PUGH Community & Voluntary Sector

HARETE HIPANGO Māori Development, Whānau Ora, Children/Oranga Tamariki

CHRIS PENK Shadow Attorney General, Courts, Associate Justice

TIM VAN DE MOLEN Defence, Veterans, Horticulture, Associate Agriculture

NICOLA GRIGG Rural Communities, Land Information, Animal Welfare, Women, Associate Agriculture

JOSEPH MOONEY Treaty Negotiations, Water, Space, Associate Tourism, Associate Agriculture

PENNY SIMMONDS Tertiary Education, Early Childhood Education, Disability Issues, Associate Education, Associate Social Development & Employment

SIMON WATTS Local Government, Associate Finance, Associate Infrastructure

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Was this the light that the prime minister stared at while designing the traffic light framework? Probably not tbh. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver

OPINIONPoliticsDecember 2, 2021

Excuse me, what colour is this?

Toby Manhire

Editor-at-large

Was this the light that the prime minister stared at while designing the traffic light framework? Probably not tbh. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver

Attention drivers and other people who have from time to time looked at traffic lights: this is a scandal, writes Toby Manhire.

A brave new epoch in the New Zealand Covid response commences this week, as the alert level system is stashed away with old curtains and faded dreams in the attic, to be replaced by a bright new alternative: the traffic light framework.

The new system is based, naturally, on three colour settings. There’s red, there’s orange and there’s green. No green at the outset, mind you; all of the South Island is orange and the North Island is striped orange and red like Dick Van Dyke’s blazer in Mary Poppins.

The official state-issued map for the South Island as it goes into the traffic light system (left) and an orange (right).

So far, so why-are-you-telling-me-this-everyone-knows-it-already. I’ll tell you why. In reading around the traffic light framework I stumbled across something that will chill right-thinking citizens to their bones.

The shocking revelation is this: the official, state-approved settings for New Zealand traffic lights – the actual ones that stick out of the tarmac at intersections – are red, green, and, please take a seat, yellow.

There’s no orange. There’s not even an amber. There’s just – I shit you not – yellow.

Here is an instructional image from the New Zealand Rode Code. From the official documentation.

Look at it. Look again. What colour do you see?

Here is an actual New Zealand traffic light.

‘Yellow’ lo (Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver)

I repeat: what do you see?

Orange.

Let’s zoom out on that official Road Code image for a moment.

There it is. “Yellow.”

A banana is yellow. SpongeBob Squarepants is yellow. Tova O’Brien’s coat is yellow. The preferred sandpaper of the Australian cricket team is yellow. That traffic light described above as a “yellow light”? Not yellow.

The yellow light in the Road Code (left) and an orange (right).

Concerned about colours and my country, I pinged an email to Andrew Knackstedt, media guy at Waka Kotahi/NZTA. “I’ve just discovered,” I spluttered, “that the official nomenclature for traffic lights on NZ roads, including the Road Code, has the lights as red, green, and …. yellow! Yellow!? Can someone tell me why this is? Am I losing my mind?”

His reply was as swift as it was cruel. “Pretty simple answer really,” said Andy. “Because the signal is yellow.”

He added: “The advice in the Road Code reflects what is set out in legislation and in Land Transport Rules. See sections 3.2 and 3.4 of the Road User Rule for example.”

He was right enough about that. There it was in black and white – and yellow.

It’s a compelling case. Or would be, were it not for the sake that the light is manifestly fucking orange.

Andy wasn’t through. “This isn’t unique to NZ – most other jurisdictions also refer to yellow lights – see below from South Australia, for example,” he wrote, linking me to a South Australian state government site that I refused, on principle, to click on.

“Cheers,” he ended, laughing as he (presumably) cranked up Coldplay on the Waka Kotahi ghettoblaster and told all his colleagues about the idiot who’d written to him ranting about orangeness.

I thanked him for his response, bitterly. He emailed again an hour or so later.

“One of my learned colleagues has also just confirmed that the Australian/New Zealand Standard for traffic signals (AS/NZS2144:2002 Traffic signal lanterns) also refers to red, yellow and green. The same will likely be true for the North American and European standards.”

Yes, Andy, I know the Americans say “yellow” for their middle traffic light. But they also call their domestic sporting contests “the world series” and inedible mounds of gloop “cheese”. I reject this egregious American imperialism. I don’t know about continental Europe, but the British call it “amber”, which is really just another word for “orange”. They don’t call it yellow because it’s not yellow. It’s orange (amber).

We don’t do the red/amber get ready thing in New Zealand, maybe we should, that’s for another day.

If we called it amber, I’d be fine. Westminster system and all that. But orange is better, in keeping with our distaste for the posh, pretentious excesses of British life, such as the House of Lords, simulated sex with pigs and the word amber.

I went to the office of the New Zealand prime minister. She, after all, had got this one right – the colour in the Covid response traffic light framework is clear, unambiguous and true: orange. After a delay of some days – were they hiding something? – they came back and confirmed they didn’t focus group the colours. They didn’t do market research. It was clear they hadn’t consulted sections 3.2 and 3.4 of the Road User Rule or AS/NZS2144:2002 or the South Australian Driver’s Handbook. They’ve got a pandemic to tackle. What they’d done instead is look at traffic lights, noticed that the middle one was orange and written down “Orange”.

I leave the final word to my colleague Natalie, probably the sharpest knife in the office; a person who calls a spade a spade, bullshit bullshit and something that is orange orange.

“You’re either an amber gambler or running a late orange,” she said, in response to other colleagues who had shared wrong opinions in our work Slack. “There is no yellow. If there was, Cobb & Co would use pineapple instead of orange juice. End of.”

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