Luxon rejects Hipkins’ ‘Air NZ Managers’ claim

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has dismissed as “ridiculous” Chris Hipkins’ claim that he once compared National’s backbench MPs unfavourably with Air New Zealand middle managers.

Hipkins told Parliament he had heard about the alleged remark from an Auckland businessperson several years ago, while acknowledging he had no evidence beyond that person’s account.

According to a report in state media, Luxon denied making the comment and accused the Labour leader of manufacturing a distraction from Labour’s tax policies. The exchange continued during Question Time, where Hipkins pressed Luxon over the recent unsuccessful leadership challenge involving Chris Penk and asked whether other ministers had wanted him to resign.

Luxon maintained that Penk had acted alone and rejected Winston Peters’ criticism of National MPs as inexperienced and self-absorbed, joking that Peters may have confused his “Chrises”.