Now he is prime minister, and he and his curious collection of coalition colleagues are in power, there is not much evidence yet that he has any regard for New Zealanders’ wellbeing and health, especially if you happen to be Māori.
The much-hyped Dr Shane Reti has also started in very disappointing fashion as Minister of Health. As we expressed last week, the Māori general practitioner has been eating dead rats particularly on the government’s planned reversal of the smoke-free New Zealand legislation, hardly an edifying spectacle to watch.
We wonder if he is enjoying his new job and how the intentions of Mr Luxon and his coalition cadre are really sitting with him.
If the smoke-free debacle were not enough to contend with, there is the threatened abolition of Te Aka Whai Ora — Māori Health Authority, the reintroduction of the $5 prescription charge and now the suggestion that future Covid-19 vaccinations may no longer be free.
The prime minister suggested earlier this week that charging for Covid jabs is just one issue Dr Reti is looking at. In fact, Mr Luxon went on to say Dr Reti is now busy working out how to deliver necessary health services to people.
When the two of them launched National’s health policy, the plan was to reintroduce health targets to ensure shorter stays in emergency departments, faster cancer treatment, immunisation, and shorter waiting times to see specialists and for treatment and surgery.
We have not heard too much about that plan since then. In fact, there has not been much positive on the health front at all.
The reinstatement of the prescription fee stands out as the pettiest policy new Finance Minister Nicola Willis has yet pursued, despite a recent Talbot Mills poll showing 86% of those surveyed supported fees-free scripts.
Mr Luxon says it is not right wealthier people should not have to pay when that $5 could go towards new cancer drugs. That seems like a compelling rebuttal which almost hints at empathy, but like quite a few things with this new government, the details of that would probably benefit from some independent fact-checking.
Charging people for a Covid-19 jab gives the message that it is not important enough for the government to fund it. The proposal puts up more barriers against vaccination.
Have another deceased rodent, Dr Reti.
And another thing
Let’s face it. Whatever else you might think of Dunedin, it does "grand" well. Really well.
Could there be a more stunning natural environment for any city elsewhere in the world? The blue and orange-tinged hills. The roaring, foamy southern ocean. Mt Cargill wearing its swirling cloak to keep warm when that biting nor’easter roars down Otago Harbour.
The amazing birdlife and sea creatures you are sharing the beach with. The Southern Lights shimmering, the long summer twilights. Impressive historic buildings at every turn. Culture, literature, bands, great food and local beers. And friendly locals, of course.
Only one thing is really missing – consistently good weather. But even that appears to be getting better with the years. Character-building anyway and in line with that Gothic Scottish vibe which permeates the city.
The Dunedin City Council’s latest promotional campaign, "It’s just Dunedin", seeks to balance all that majesty with the more sardonic, self-deprecating wit generally associated with southerners.
The council says it wants to "lean into the quirk that is Dunedin". A series of short videos will be released during the next year, with an estimated annual cost of $150,000 over three years.
It is early days yet to fully gauge how successful the new campaign might be. Our initial ambivalence may well resolve into something stronger as it progresses.
