Watch: Luxon to front post-Cabinet press conference
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will speak to media at the penultimate post-Cabinet press conference of the parliamentary term in the Beehive at 4pm.
Luxon will provide an update on the economy alongside Education Minister Erica Stanford, who is expected to discuss student assessment figures.
A livestream can be viewed at the top of this article.
It is the second-to-last post-Cabinet press conference before Parliament rises for the election campaign.
MPs are in Wellington for Parliament’s last two-week sitting block, with the House expected to sit under urgency as the Government pushes through the final pieces of its legislative agenda.
It comes as Stats NZ prepares to release GDP figures on Thursday, with results from the June 2026 quarter.
The latest GDP figures for the quarter to March 2026 showed a 0.8% bump in both quarterly and annual growth.
Luxon has been around the country in recent weeks fronting public meetings.
He was in Auckland on Friday alongside Mayor Wayne Brown opening the much-anticipated $5.5 billion City Rail Link.
Speaking to Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking this morning, Luxon said the project will make things “much more dynamic” and bolster public transport by 50%.
“It’s a real opportunity now. Look, yep, it took 10 years, it’s probably cost more than it should have. Now we’ve got to make the thing work,” he told Newstalk ZB.
Key education data was released last week, with the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results showing a halt in a post-Covid collapse in education and a narrowing equity gap.
Luxon may also face questions about Labour’s KiwiSaver policy, which the party unveiled yesterday, pledging to make employer contributions compulsory even if employees pause or reduce their own contributions.
Labour would also lift the rate to 6% by 2032 if re-elected in November, and ban new total remuneration contracts which include KiwiSaver contributions in salaries.
The Herald reported yesterday that some of Labour’s policy echoes what National proposed in June with its KiwiSaver policy – notably, providing a KiwiSaver contribution for parents on paid parental leave (though Labour’s would come a year later) and extending employer contributions to workers beyond the age of 65.
Ethan Manera is a Wellington-based journalist covering Wellington issues, local politics and business in the capital. He can be emailed at ethan.manera@nzme.co.nz.
Take your Radio, Podcasts and Music with you
Get the iHeart App
Get more of the radio, music and podcasts you love with the FREE iHeart app. Scan the QR code to download now.
Download from the app stores
Stream unlimited music, thousands of radio stations and podcasts all in one app. iHeart is easy to use and all FREE
