National’s most senior Māori MP, Tama Potaka, has publicly backed Prime Minister Christopher Luxon as the party’s caucus prepares to meet in an urgent hui at Parliament this morning.
The caucus is due to meet at 9.30 am amid speculation over Luxon’s leadership following a series of leaks and reports of discontent within the party.
Speaking to Aukaha on Tuesday afternoon, Potaka said he supported Luxon as National leader.
“Kei te tautoko ahau i a Kiritopa Luxon kaiarahi mō te Pāti Nāhinara. Koira tāku i āmene atu i tērā tau i te wā i uru ahau ki te Whare Pāremata.”
Asked how he expected the hui to go, Potaka replied: “Tāria te wā ka mōhio.”
When asked whether other caucus members had approached him about supporting another leader, he did not directly answer, saying:
“E hoa! Kei te hui tahi atu ki reira, kei te tautoko ahau i te kaiārahi o te Rōpū Nāhinara me te Pirimia.”
The leadership speculation comes less than three months before the general election on November 7.
It follows a confidence vote on Luxon’s leadership on April 21, which he called after weeks of speculation about his position. After a more than two-hour caucus meeting, Luxon said MPs had backed him “clearly and decisively”. The detailed result was not released.
Erica Stanford and Chris Bishop have been mentioned as potential successors, although senior ministers have continued to publicly support Luxon.
The last sitting New Zealand prime minister to be replaced by their own party was National’s Jim Bolger, who was ousted as National leader on December 8, 1997, after losing the support of his caucus.
Jenny Shipley was elected National leader and became prime minister the same day.
The caucus meeting will determine whether Luxon retains the support of National MPs as the party prepares for the election campaign.
