It was particularly ironic given that in January, Luxon declared 2025 the year of growth, and made Willis the Minister for Economic Growth.<\/p>\n
That was his big strategy this year: to strongly brand National as it competed with assertive coalition partners Act and NZ First, and to closely associate the party with the pending economic recovery. <\/p>\n
But the recovery is still pending in most voters\u2019 experience. <\/p>\n
The GDP figures confirmed it and reinforced the narrative of a first-term Government and Prime Minister in trouble.<\/p>\n
He is in limbo land \u2013 not in so much trouble that there\u2019s a compelling case to dump him as leader, but not doing well enough to stop people talking about his performance.<\/p>\n
A few weeks ago, when Parliament was last in recess, Luxon held drinks for the Press Gallery on the Ninth Floor of the Beehive with only one day\u2019s notice. <\/p>\n
There was immediate suspicion that it was done in a bid to curry favour with the media after it criticised him for overhyping the launch of the Amazon data centre.<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t actually fair to Luxon, nor to the gallery. The event had been mooted several weeks earlier but not confirmed. But some thought Luxon was desperate enough to stoop to that.<\/p>\n
The last thing any leader wants is to be seen as there for the sake of being there. They need to have a plan and be confident in it, yet be flexible enough to change tack if required.<\/p>\n
Ruth Richardson – former Finance Minister and board member of the Taxpayers’ Union. Photo \/ Supplied.<\/p>\n
The National Party backbenchers invited former Finance Minister Ruth Richardson in to speak to them a couple of months ago in her capacity as chair of the Taxpayers\u2019 Union board. <\/p>\n
Her self-confidence and uncompromising views about fiscal discipline and turnarounds may well have inspired some of the MPs.<\/p>\n
However, a brief acquaintance with history will also have reminded them that National came within a hair\u2019s breadth of losing the election that followed, due to the drastic measures taken at the time.<\/p>\n
So what will happen now in Luxon\u2019s turnaround strategy? In the short term there is likely to be no major change. <\/p>\n
The Government is of a mood to \u201chold its nerve\u201d and persevere with current settings, in the belief that they are right, in the hope that the GDP figure will be revised down, as they sometimes are, and that the green shoots of recovery are underway.<\/p>\n
Luxon won\u2019t be satisfying calls on the right for a much bolder slash-and-burn approach to Government spending, and to sack many more thousands of public servants.<\/p>\n
There is likely to be greater attention to his messaging: the content and delivery. The addition of experienced senior press secretary Jo Black to Luxon\u2019s communications team a few months ago is a plus.<\/p>\n