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Francesca Rudkin: Luxon's State of the Nation speech sounded like he’s found his groove · Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: If you didn't pick up on Christopher Luxen's State of
• 0:02
  Speaker 1: the Nation's speech yesterday, the Prime Minister is looking to
• 0:05
  Speaker 1: grow the economy because the country desperately needs economic growth.
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: Just in case you missed that, And yes, I am
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: being a little facetious. Actually, I thought the Prime Minister's
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: performance yesterday was good, both the speech and afterwards during
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: the press conference. Sure, he stuck to was message like
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: a self help guru trying to manifest an outcome, but
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: after taking a while to look comfortable or natural as
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: a politician, yesterday he sounded more authentic, like his founders groove.
• 0:29
  Speaker 1: He's confident in the direction he's taking the country, and
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: he's not trying to appeal to everyone. For a speech
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: designed to set the tone for the year, he did
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: a good job. Last year we saw the coalition government
• 0:39
  Speaker 1: repeal and reform everything from education to water and health
• 0:42
  Speaker 1: to greyhound racing. While there is still a way to
• 0:45
  Speaker 1: go with some of these, this year, the Prime Minister
• 0:47
  Speaker 1: has made as clear it's about dialing up the volume
• 0:49
  Speaker 1: on creating competition, allowing more foreign investment, and pushing for
• 0:53
  Speaker 1: government organizations to be more future focused. The Prime Minister
• 0:58
  Speaker 1: also suggested we need to grow up and shake off
• 1:00
  Speaker 1: our culture of saying no and start saying yes to
• 1:02
  Speaker 1: things like expanding the port of Totonger and more concerts
• 1:05
  Speaker 1: at Eden Park and unloading the dishwasher. Nope, that was
• 1:08
  Speaker 1: just me talking to my children. Luxon also used the
• 1:11
  Speaker 1: speech to make some announcements, the creation of invest New Zealand,
• 1:14
  Speaker 1: an agency to attract foreign investment, major reforms to Crown
• 1:18
  Speaker 1: Research Institutes, and their disestablishment of the Callahan Innovation, which,
• 1:22
  Speaker 1: due to Collins bluntly said at her post speech press conference,
• 1:25
  Speaker 1: had had its day. The new announcements are needed. National
• 1:29
  Speaker 1: Party MPs have been sounding very well media trained recently,
• 1:32
  Speaker 1: sticking to their messaging, avoiding answering questions with detail and
• 1:35
  Speaker 1: you know, the drill. As a result, they've been sounding
• 1:38
  Speaker 1: a little bit empty. When there's a lot of talking
• 1:40
  Speaker 1: but nothing has really been said, it's easy to lose interest.
• 1:43
  Speaker 1: But what struck me yesterday was how well the Prime
• 1:45
  Speaker 1: Minister was across questions thro anidom. Instead of reverting back
• 1:49
  Speaker 1: to the big picture, bland key messages, he can often
• 1:51
  Speaker 1: fall back on who throughout detail and examples. There will
• 1:55
  Speaker 1: be some pushback to some of his ideas such as
• 1:57
  Speaker 1: mining and gene technology. Making money is one thing, but
• 2:00
  Speaker 1: many New Zealanders will still want the government to balance
• 2:03
  Speaker 1: their pragmatic approach with consideration and respect for affected communities,
• 2:07
  Speaker 1: the environment, and the treating There is also perhaps wishful
• 2:10
  Speaker 1: sense from the Prime Minister that tax cuts, lower inflation
• 2:13
  Speaker 1: and falling ocr mean New Zealanders can move on from
• 2:15
  Speaker 1: focusing on the cost of living. I doubt he'll be
• 2:18
  Speaker 1: let off the hook that easily rises and rents, rates,
• 2:22
  Speaker 1: insurances and other costs are still impacting household budgets. Making
• 2:26
  Speaker 1: New Zealand a great place to live in years to
• 2:29
  Speaker 1: come is important. Love me some vision, but that doesn't
• 2:32
  Speaker 1: mean we should lose sight of today. But hey, if
• 2:34
  Speaker 1: the Side of the Nation speech is about getting out
• 2:37
  Speaker 1: the message, it's all about economic growth so we can
• 2:39
  Speaker 1: have better lives than got it loud and clear. Job done.
• 2:44
  Speaker 1: For more from early edition with Ryan Bridge. Listen live
• 2:47
  Speaker 1: to News Talks It be from five am weekdays, or
• 2:50
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