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As National is reeling from the negative consequences of Simon Bridges ‘comments on lifting the blockade, former Prime Minister John Key has praised Bridges’ possible successor, Christopher Luxon.
Key even briefly described what Luxon would be like as prime minister.
“If Chris were the prime minister, I think what you would see is a very strong emphasis on the economy,” Key said, referring to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who believed she was focusing on other things besides the economy.
“For me, the most important thing the government of the day does is to provide New Zealand workers, whatever their ethnicity, to advance and progress in their lives and do it well,” Key said.
Skykiwi.com
John Key lavished praise on Chris Luxon.
The comments came in an interview conducted through Zoom by Skykiwi, a Chinese-language news site.
The interview was uploaded to the site’s Facebook page on Monday.
Luxon, the former CEO of Air New Zealand, is now running for National’s Botany constituency, currently in the hands of Jami-Lee Ross.
Luxon is already a future leader and his business experience has made comparisons between him and Key.
“Whoever the prime minister of the day is, we will ultimately beat Covid-19, but the challenge it represents economically will be very significant and will be with us for quite some time,” Key said.
Making comparisons between him and Luxon, Key said “for me that’s where the main similarities lie: we both know that unless you know there is a strong economy in the end, people don’t have the confidence and the options to take care of themselves and their families. “
One of the show’s presenters, Ping Chen, joked about the similarities between Luxon and Key.
“Today I am honored to have Sir John Key Mark I and Chris as John Key Mark II on the show,” she said.
Neither of them rejected the comparison.
Chen recalled a previous conversation between her and Luxon: “Chris used to tell me that Mark was prettier but Mark II is more handsome.”
Key disagreed. “You just have to look at your screen. Clearly, I win both ways,” he said.
Key’s lavish praise for Luxon comes at a time when Bridges, the practicing national leader, has faced criticism for a poorly-timed and poorly timed response by lifting the level 4 lock.
FAKE IMAGES
National Party leader Simon Bridges has come under fire for his response to the lifting of the level 4 blockade.
He has spent the week defending himself against suggestions of a leadership coup.
Luxon and Key discussed aspects of New Zealand’s diplomatic and economic relationship with China, including banning the sale of residential homes to non-resident foreign buyers.
“I never agreed with the ban on foreign buyers. I always thought it was more about the politics of envy than it was about the good economy,” Key said.
He said that the number of houses sold to foreign buyers was exaggerated and that many foreign buyers also contributed investments to create jobs.
