He later added: \u201cThat is the official advice we\u2019ve got.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Green Party filed a request under the Official Information Act (OIA) for the advice to which Luxon was referring \u2013 such advice is squarely within the remit of the OIA.<\/p>\n
Luxon\u2019s office responded to the Greens\u2019 request, saying the advice captured by the request was \u201ca set of media talking points relating to data centres and electricity supply\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese talking points were provided to the Prime Minister by staff in this office on 27 July 2026 as part of a wider briefing prepared ahead of his morning media engagements,\u201d the response said.<\/p>\n
The release of those specific talking points was declined in order to protect the \u201cfree and frank\u201d expression of opinion. While official advice is regularly released under the OIA, media talking points are not.<\/p>\n
Green Party co-leader Chl\u00f6e Swarbrick accused Luxon of \u201cshooting from the hip\u201d for referring to advice that his own office could not find.<\/p>\n
Asked why he had spoken about \u201cofficial advice\u201d when his office said that none existed beyond talking points, Luxon responded by talking about advice the Government had commissioned, but not yet received. He did not mention advice he had received.<\/p>\n
Willis then said she could confirm she had received \u201cadvice in July from … MBIE [Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment] officials on the subject of data centres\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey advised me they did not expect the data centres that are currently coming on in the next 12 months to put upwards pressure on electricity prices, given the arrangements they had in place,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cFollowing receipt of that advice, I directed further work to be done on measures we might like to introduce to ensure that going forward, no future data centres would put upwards pressure on electricity prices.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat includes the steps that have been taken in Australia and other jurisdictions around the world and ensuring that where data centres are coming, we are getting that additional electricity generation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Luxon confirmed this advice was what he was referring to on RNZ, but did not answer why it had not been released to the Greens.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m just saying, that\u2019s the advice that I\u2019d had,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Ordinarily, advice of this kind would be captured by a request made under the OIA. Asked whether Luxon\u2019s office had not complied with the rules of the OIA, Willis said she believed Luxon\u2019s office had passed the request on.<\/p>\n
Green Party co-leader Chl\u00f6e Swarbrick. Photo \/ Sylvie Whinray <\/p>\n