Chris Hipkins pushes back against Luxon’s ‘negative, wet, and whiny’ comments

The Prime Minister has snapped back at Christopher Luxon’s description of New Zealand as “a very negative, wet, whiny, inward-looking country”.

During today’s post-Cabinet briefing, Hipkins remarked, “I guess it makes a change that [Luxon is] running New Zealand down in New Zealand rather than overseas”.

The Leader of the Opposition made the comments during a meeting with farmers in Helensville today while announcing his party’s agricultural emissions policy.

“We have become a very negative, wet, whiny, inward-looking country and we have lost the plot,” Luxon said.

Luxon can be heard on a 1 News video telling farmers: “We have become a very negative, wet, whiny, inward-looking country.

“We [New Zealand] have lost the plot, and we have to get our mojo back.”

This is the second time in under a week that Luxon’s comments have raised eyebrows.

During an infrastructure event in Christchurch on Thursday, Luxon said New Zealanders should start having more babies.

He later described it as a tongue-in-cheek comment.