Live politics 21.04
Peters calls National's vote 'egotistical rubbish', and claims to know how many MPs backed Luxon
NZ First leader Winston Peters says National's dramas are "not good", and have brought the Government's stability and priorities into question.
Asked if he was concerned about the stability of the Government with National's Tuesday morning confidence vote, he said: "Well, look, it doesn't look good, does it? I mean, it's just not good."
He said it wasn't smart of Luxon to call his own confidence vote.
"There's always inevitable consequences. It's not the [last] time this is going to happen, you see...
"All I'm saying is this is a very bad move. There's going to be consequences for that," he said.
Peters is also claiming to know how many National Party MPs supported Luxon as leader, but he won't provide any evidence to back up that claim.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins says Luxon must reveal how many MPs voted no confidence in his leadership, because it could impact the stability of the Government. Hipkins asked the prime minister in question time about the vote, but was unable to force him to reveal the numbers.
Peters, asked for his response to National's leadership vote, said: "Look, it's not good. The public is entitled to expect stability of a government. That's what our responsibilities are.
"[We should be] focusing on the main issues that concern the public's cost of living, power prices - not this egotistical rubbish."
Stuff asked if he believed the National party was focused on those cost of living issues.
Peters replied, "Well, I mean, this is a horrible distraction. We've got some serious issues internationally ... we've got to deal with it and stop wasting our time with this sort of stuff."
Asked if he was concerned about the stability of the Government with National's Tuesday morning confidence vote, he said: "Well, look, it doesn't look good, does it? I mean, it's just not good."
He said it wasn't smart of Luxon to call his own confidence vote.
"There's always inevitable consequences. It's not the [last] time this is going to happen, you see...
"All I'm saying is this is a very bad move. There's going to be consequences for that," he said.
Peters is also claiming to know how many National Party MPs supported Luxon as leader, but he won't provide any evidence to back up that claim.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins says Luxon must reveal how many MPs voted no confidence in his leadership, because it could impact the stability of the Government. Hipkins asked the prime minister in question time about the vote, but was unable to force him to reveal the numbers.
Peters, asked for his response to National's leadership vote, said: "Look, it's not good. The public is entitled to expect stability of a government. That's what our responsibilities are.
"[We should be] focusing on the main issues that concern the public's cost of living, power prices - not this egotistical rubbish."
Stuff asked if he believed the National party was focused on those cost of living issues.
Peters replied, "Well, I mean, this is a horrible distraction. We've got some serious issues internationally ... we've got to deal with it and stop wasting our time with this sort of stuff."
Meanwhile, Hipkins also criticised National for being "focused on all the wrong things".
"We already had a cost of living crisis before the fuel crisis started and the National Party's busy fighting amongst themselves," he said.
He said Luxon, as prime minister, had an "obligation" to reveal how many National MPs did not support him to be leader.
"If more than seven national MPs voted against him, he no longer enjoys a majority support amongst the House," Hipkins said.
National deputy leader Nicola Willis said every National MP would support Luxon to be prime minister, given he won the confidence vote.
Luxon did not take questions from reporters on his way into the debating chamber today.
"We already had a cost of living crisis before the fuel crisis started and the National Party's busy fighting amongst themselves," he said.
He said Luxon, as prime minister, had an "obligation" to reveal how many National MPs did not support him to be leader.
"If more than seven national MPs voted against him, he no longer enjoys a majority support amongst the House," Hipkins said.
National deputy leader Nicola Willis said every National MP would support Luxon to be prime minister, given he won the confidence vote.
Luxon did not take questions from reporters on his way into the debating chamber today.