Luxon thinks helping poor people is Bottom Feeding

Written By: - Date published: 11:38 am, March 22nd, 2022 - 81 comments
Categories: Christopher Luxon, poverty, tax, uncategorized - Tags:

Christopher Luxon’s class prejudices are showing.  After a tax policy release that ignored completely the poorest 1.1 million taxpayers and delivered to the majority of taxpayers no more than $2 a week National has engaged in rhetoric to suggest that it was to help kiwis get through inflation induced pressures.  Even though for most it would not do anything meaningful.

Surely this was a miscalculation.  Surely Luxon would revert to the John Key manual of how to win over middle voters and talk about help for the underclass?  At least shouldn’t he try and create the perception that he cared?

Apparently not.  He has been caught on Newstalk ZB (H/t Lying ex tobacco lobbyist) using a turn of phrase which shows a definite class hostility to the poor amongst us.

The text of what he said is:

We are determined we want to realise our maximum potential economically, socially and environmentally, and we want to be a place everyone can flourish.  And if you want to have a go and you want to make something of yourself then don’t just do bottom feeding and just focus on the bottom, we focus on people who want to be positive, ambitious and aspirational and confident, right?

Thanks for clearing that up Chris.  It is clear now why you prefer tax cuts for the rich and nothing for the poor.

81 comments on “Luxon thinks helping poor people is Bottom Feeding ”

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  1. Clive Macann 1
    22 March 2022 at 11:48 am

    I am guessing that includes all those with health issues who were High earners and are now unable to do that. Eg Is my wife for instance is now in a "Bottom Feeder" group?

    A group that Luxon has discarded as not worthy of help.

    • James Simpson 1.1
      22 March 2022 at 11:54 am

      If he said "don't do bottom feeding" you would be correct.

      But he said "don't just do bottom feeding"

      • Blazer 1.1.1
        22 March 2022 at 12:14 pm

        Indeed he did…translation…don't just feed those who are hungry….give more 'food' to those that have already got …more than..enough.devil

        • James Simpson 1.1.1.1
          22 March 2022 at 1:18 pm

          Maybe – Or he is talking to middle New Zealand, that isn't exactly flush with the 'food' you talk about.

          • SPC 1.1.1.1.1
            22 March 2022 at 2:36 pm

            Do a majority only get $2 or not is the question?

            How small is this middle New Zealand …

            • Bob 1.1.1.1.1.1
              22 March 2022 at 2:48 pm

              The biggest beneficiaries of tax cuts under National earn over $180K pa – is that our middle class?

              • alwyn …
                22 March 2022 at 8:58 pm

                That will include all the MPs won't it?

                • mickysavage …
                  22 March 2022 at 9:04 pm

                  Not all but they will all receive a healthy tax cut. Do you support the tax cuts? Labour MPs don’t/

                  • alwyn …
                    23 March 2022 at 12:30 pm

                    Labour MPs don't?

                    Gosh. I suppose they all independently came to that decision./sarc

                    If I was a back bench MP who was looking at the polling numbers I would be desperately trying to find a way that kept me out of the bottom 20 or so in next election's list. There are probably that many of them who are going to be looking for another job after the election and they will be very carefully obeying the instructions of the more senior figures in the pecking order. There is no way at all that they are not tailoring every publicly expressed comment they might make so that they don't diverge by even a micron from the official viewpoint.

                    Do I support the tax cuts? Well let me put it this way. Given the quite crazy way that the current Government are splashing our money round and achieving nothing useful I am thoroughly in favour of cutting the stupid things that money is being wasted on and giving the money back to the taxpayer. Even if the only thing that was done was indexing the tax brackets I would say we will be better off.

                    After all, just look at something as simple as mental health. Have we got anything at all from the $1.9 billion or so that they have wasted that wouldn't have achieved more by letting the public keep their money to pay the prices that are being inflicted on us by Robertson's nutty policies?

              • Kathryn Tiplady …
                25 March 2022 at 10:55 pm

                National's proposed tax cuts equate to an annual tax saving of $112 per year for those on $45k, $800 per year for those on $55k. Anyone on $85k or above will get $1043 per year. The median wage is about $58k per year. Those earning the least will get about $2 a week, those in the middle will get about $15 a week, and those who earn the most will get about $20 per week. So actually, these tax cuts amount to a pittance really. $20 will likely be unnoticed by most people on higher incomes and $2 won't help much at all for those on the lowest incomes. Not much of a solution to the rising cost of living for those earning the least when it amounts to enough to buy a packet of chewing gum!

            • James Simpson 1.1.1.1.1.2
              22 March 2022 at 3:15 pm

              Middle New Zealand – everyone who isn't paying that top tax bracket – 95% of us

              • SPC …
                22 March 2022 at 3:28 pm

                So your middle New Zealand includes bottom feeders, does Chris know?

                • James Simpson …
                  23 March 2022 at 9:30 am

                  The point of my comment may have been to subtle. The election will not be won at the fringes. Labour hates rich pricks. National hates bottom dwellers. That's a fact and nothing will ever change there.

                  Both parties are preaching to their bases when they say those sorts of things.

                  But if we want a Labour government post 2023, its not the people at the bottom or the top who will determine that. Those demographics will in the main vote as they always have. Its the rest of New Zealand that determines election results.

                  Luxon's comment acknowledges that in an odd kind of way.

                  • SPC …
                    23 March 2022 at 9:45 am

                    He seems to think middle New Zealand is too dumb to know the difference between an average and a median.

  2. Dean Reynolds 2
    22 March 2022 at 11:50 am

    What a tool

  3. Shanreagh 3
    22 March 2022 at 12:04 pm

    What a muddle, but I guess even a stopped clock is right twice a day and Luxon may one day, or even on two days, be able to express what he means so we can understand.

    Plenty to critique on the mechanics of use of the English language as well as the meaning (latter related to the former)

    Anyway care for those outside of the 'bootstraps kids' and the already wealthy is way outside National's brief.

  4. Warwick 4
    22 March 2022 at 12:08 pm

    Lets not forget this master manager of other peoples capital assets, has chosen to put all his own money into property. This means his talk about productivity is hypocrisy. We have to do the productive work. He gets an indolent lifestyle based on appreciation in a non productive asset class.

  5. Mike the Lefty 5
    22 March 2022 at 12:24 pm

    So take Luxon's quote a step further and it really alludes to the fact that National still believe that if you focus on "the people who want to be….." the benefits will flow on down to the bottom, the old trickle down theory that hardly anybody believes any more.

    I thought that the idea should be to give people who are not confident, not positive….etc. more hope by helping them to develop their skills and thereby contribute to society and to the economy.

    But perhaps National think this is too much like hard work and they just want an easy job next time they become government.

    • tc 5.1
      22 March 2022 at 1:50 pm

      It's the hollowmen and backers who decide what gets done.

      Easy when you do another's bidding knowing you'll be ok and get looked after with a few board roles etc.

    • Hongi Ika 5.2
      23 March 2022 at 6:59 am

      Trickle Down Theory ?

      • Ken Clark 5.2.1
        24 March 2022 at 4:54 am

        "Trickle Down" is a now discredited economic theory where you give rich people big tax cuts and that extra money will be used to employ poor people or buy their goods and services so the money will trickle down to the poor.

        The application of this theory in the UK, US and New Zealand has shown the rich get the tax cut and then put that money into overseas banks where the interest income is non taxable by NZ, House Farming and other passive income projects.

        • Kathryn Tiplady 5.2.1.1
          25 March 2022 at 11:07 pm

          The tragedy here is that no-one actually wins with policies like the proposed tax cuts. Those who earn the least are only better of by $2 per week, and those who earn the most (>$85k) get an extra $20 per week. Policies like this are just a ploy to win votes. Put the money into health or something else for goodness sake, or come up with a policy that helps those doing it the toughest right now. Rising costs are shocking for a lot of us, but it doesn't mean we can't afford to eat. There are many people who were already on the edge financially and the rising costs have pushed them over the edge. Throwing them $2 a week is ridiculous. The fact that people can't see through it is a tragedy.

  6. Patricia Bremner 6
    22 March 2022 at 12:32 pm

    As a window into his politicking to his base, it is clearly a signal to those who believe in "Devil take the hindmost".

    He clearly sees himself as a "Top feeder" able to look after himself and never mind the rest, they are responsible for themselves, and it is up to them to get into the bracket to benefit from the changed loaded rules of tax cuts…..

    Nothing for bottom feeders, $2 for most , and for the top group $180 per week.

    A clear call to the greedy top feeders/sharks, "I will change it back for you" (The Dismantler “Hear Ye Hear Ye”)

    He has John Key's ideas without his veneer.

    Most Kiwis recognise that, but he has promised to take the brakes off greed, and the self interested might take the bait.

    Of real concern is his apparent cavalier attitude to covid. It is not mentioned except to say it is "over"… even while he has a case!! That is the height of blind denial.

    His business first, self first, ignore a pandemic is undermining society. Painting our situation as a failure is politicking of the worst kind. "Eyes open Kiwis"

    He was so angry and attacking from day one of his promotion, showing his hatred towards the Prime Minister in a truly abhorrent display of glaring and gripping his podium 'till his knuckles were white.

    That was a call to those affected by lockdowns and mandated vaccinations. Though it was obvious from his gimlet eyes it was not just theatre.

    When the protests began…. the call had been answered by the disaffected who will be ignored once the vote is in.

    • Anne 6.1
      22 March 2022 at 2:03 pm

      Well said Patricia Bremner.

      The real Chris Luxon has stood up and God forbid he ever becomes PM. And a Born Again Christian to boot. Sheesh!

  7. roblogic 7
    22 March 2022 at 12:37 pm

    He's following the John Key playbook. On planet Key we used to sweep all the inconvenient facts about poverty inequality and crime under the carpet. We pretended that we had a rockstar economy when it was all fizz created by Aussie banks pumping NZ full of debt. Amazingly, the underclass that Key talked about in his 2008 campaign, just seemed to magically disappear. Instead we got a meth panic and a mass sell-off of state houses to National's rich developer mates. Also, inconvenient reporters like Nicky Hager got raided and annoying academics like Mike Joy got slandered for daring to point out that maybe there are a few cracks in National's whitewashing job.

    It’s like Governor Grey telling the victims of Parihaka to think positive as he drags them off in chains to be imprisoned.

  8. Barfly 8
    22 March 2022 at 12:53 pm

    Scumbags are as scumbags do angry

    (hat tip Forrest Gump)

  9. Tony Veitch (not etc.) 9
    22 March 2022 at 12:59 pm

    Even the term 'bottom feeders' is a derogatory term and an indication of what Luxon really thinks!

    To elect a Natz/Act government in 2023 would be an act of national suicide!

  10. Reality 10
    22 March 2022 at 1:18 pm

    From day one of his anointment as leader of National he let us know exactly what he would be like. To have a hired Mercedes to drive 200 metres said it all.

  11. aj 11
    22 March 2022 at 1:20 pm

    He's clearly suggesting the 'bottom feeders' are not worthy…they are not positive, ambitious, confident…

    …we don't just do bottom feeding and just focus on the bottom. We focus on people who want to be positive and ambitious and confident.'

  12. Macro 12
    22 March 2022 at 1:26 pm

    I guess he learnt all he needs to know from his mother in a small town in NZ.

    Margaret Thatcher quote: One of my favourite quotations is: 'That which thy father...

    We all know how that ideology worked out in the UK, and they are still suffering the consequences.

  13. ozaki 13
    22 March 2022 at 1:29 pm

    Bottom feeders like all those on min wage? ie the essential workers who've not had a break this whole pandemic? He might be the worse Nat leader yet.

    • tc 13.1
      22 March 2022 at 2:08 pm

      So far he's perhaps the most honest about their intentions.

      Looked at the Twitter thread to see a comment 'Very Christian -not!' and thought now there's a good line of question.

      Maybe granny can follow up after we get an update on max keys latest activities.

      • ozaki 13.1.1
        22 March 2022 at 2:25 pm

        He's what they call a 'Prosperity Christian' the one where Christ is a winner & you get rewarded with money. "Success" means you are blessed. I doubt he's honest, it's just the mask slipped, perhaps guard let down while being charmed by McIvor? He thought he was in the Koru lounge?

        • Anne 13.1.1.1
          22 March 2022 at 2:35 pm

          And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money changers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

          He doesn't know his bible very well does he. 😉

          • UncookedSelachimorpha 13.1.1.1.1
            22 March 2022 at 3:06 pm

            No, no no.

            If you pray hard enough and admire winners, the Lord'll cough you up your very own stack of loot.

            I'm sure that's in the bible somewhere – it must be, so many Christians seem to believe it. Book of Timothy xx:xx??…or was it the book or Brian or Chris? Can’t recall

        • Hongi Ika 13.1.1.2
          23 March 2022 at 7:06 am

          Following the hot money from ASIA and John Key, investing in House Farming here in NZ ?

          [Did you enjoy your morning spray & dump here? Don’t spam the site with duplicate comments; they’re not that important or valuable – Incognito]

        • Hongi Ika 13.1.1.3
          23 March 2022 at 7:07 am

          Is he a White Brian Tamaki ? Seiious Question ?

        • Obtrectator 13.1.1.4
          23 March 2022 at 10:28 am

          He's what I think of as an Old Testament Christian – very hot on vengeance and seeing off your enemies (in the name of the Lord, of course), less so on the "love thy neighbour as thyself" part.

          "For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath." (Matthew 25:29)

  14. Psycho Milt 14
    22 March 2022 at 1:29 pm

    CEOs who aren't politicians usually manage to avoid making their opinions of the different social classes this explicit, but the CEO who is one just blurts it out like an idiot. Apparently, a significant proportion of NZ's population thinks someone this incompetent and obnoxious is the best available choice for Prime Minister- go figure.

    • tc 14.1
      22 March 2022 at 2:01 pm

      Captain's pick and we all know how well the captains choices have been over the last few years. Bridges muller, Collins etc

      Chosen to lead the rabble that is national and showing how out of touch he is at the same time. Win win as Mr 7 houses can't resist the stick it would seem.

      • Psycho Milt 14.1.1
        22 March 2022 at 5:39 pm

        I'm kind of surprised at just how unpleasant his policies and statements are – was picturing much better attempts at concealment.

      • Hongi Ika 14.1.2
        23 March 2022 at 7:09 am

        A packet of Oddfellows ? 8 x Houses not 7 I thought ?

  15. Bearded Git 15
    22 March 2022 at 2:11 pm

    I caught part of that interview on ZB. I heard him say something like "on average taxpayers will benefit by 750 dollars from National’s proposed tax cuts."

    What he fails to acknowledge here is that the rich and fairky rich will gain in the region of 1500 dollars while the poor get bugger-all.

    Devious; slimy.

    • ozaki 15.1
      22 March 2022 at 2:28 pm

      Lol he also said only "25% of taxpayers" fund social services, "nearly half", fark knows what he's on about.

  16. Policy Parrot 16
    22 March 2022 at 2:48 pm

    You could can be "hardworking" and "well-qualified" and ambitious all you like, but that doesn't automatically mean you become a high earner/well to do.

    And just as much, there are a lot of people who are the opposite to this, lazy, stupid, and entitled yet will benefit enormously from Luxon's proposed "self-gift".

  17. lprent 17
    22 March 2022 at 3:46 pm

    …we focus on people who want to be positive, ambitious and aspirational and confident…

    Somehow even within his own terms, he seems to be forgetting that the children need to have room to become "positive, ambitious and aspirational and confident" as adults. Living in poverty and poor schooling seldom engenders that.

    In the Luxton happy future, it seems like he seems to think that having the opportunity to be "positive, ambitious and aspirational and confident" should only happen to people who can afford private schools or live next to high decile schools. Never go to school hungry.

    A quick peek at his bio would tend to confirm that the arrogant fucker had a easy early life and exclusively high decile schools – at least as far as high school goes.

    Luxon was born in Christchurch on 19 July 1970[5] and lived there until age 7 when his family moved to Howick in Auckland. His father worked for Johnson & Johnson as a sales executive and his mother worked as a psychotherapist and counsellor. After a year's schooling at each of Saint Kentigern College and Howick College, the family returned to Christchurch and Luxon spent three years at Christchurch Boys' High School.[6][7][8]

    What a complete plonker. It almost makes me nostalgic for John Key. At least he was less of a damn pious sermon sprouting hypocrite.

    • roblogic 17.1
      22 March 2022 at 9:03 pm

      He's revealed an ugly class-based resentment (and probably race-based too) all too common amongst Parnell real estate agents and members of the Koru Club. They really have no idea what life is like on min wage or benefits. NZ is only "the best country in the world" as Luxon claims, if you are one of the lucky PMC's/bougies sitting on a million dollar property and don't have to worry about the price of everything going up and your earning power going down.

      https://twitter.com/styler/status/1506057046931562496?s=20&t=hmjgo4PaVSUdFB8IAjsYTQ

    • Patricia Bremner 17.2
      23 March 2022 at 8:06 am

      devil We agree. He is not PM material any more than the other offerings were.,just a shinier wrapping.

  18. Barfly 18
    22 March 2022 at 4:22 pm

    Synonyms include

    riffraff, scum, loser and lowlife

    The contempt is palpable

  19. Anker 19
    22 March 2022 at 5:11 pm
    • I looked up bottom feeders in the dictionary. It means the lowest status or those who take opportunities from others

    There is no other way to regard Luxon’s statement other than an insult. Disgusting. He has just shown that he regards the most vulnerable/needy with contempt

  20. DB Brown 20
    22 March 2022 at 7:26 pm

    This statement continues the tone of everything we've heard of Luxon so far – meaningless drivel is what it is:

    "We are determined we want to realise our maximum potential economically, socially and environmentally"

    What does that even mean? Maximum potential environmentally. What a ridiculous statement. Nothing he says holds up to scrutiny just bumper sticker slogans from an empty headed dolt.

    • Anne 20.1
      22 March 2022 at 8:16 pm

      Will this help you DB Brown?

    • mac1 20.2
      23 March 2022 at 8:43 am

      "We are determined we want"

      FFS, how does one get determined to want something? Why 'want'? It's a parody of corporate speak. Anne at 20.1 cites Peter Sellers. Two lines of that have always stuck in my memory. "We must build, but we must build surely" and "Let me say, right away, that I regard existing conditions as unlikely."

      After all that, I am determined to want another cup of tea…….

  21. Tiger Mountain 21
    23 March 2022 at 9:30 am

    Luxury Luxon with his 7 pads-and unapologetically proud of it-would likely have been gone by lunchtime already if not for his active mentor Mr Slippery, aka one John Phillip sirKey.

    • weka 21.1
      23 March 2022 at 9:35 am

      please pay attention to name and email fields when commenting from whatever device this comment was made from. Typos end up in the filter and mods have to release manually.

    • DB Brown 22.1
      23 March 2022 at 11:35 am

      Shinier than usual in that clip. Some might think it was a flop sweat.

    • SPC 22.2
      23 March 2022 at 3:57 pm

      So only those in state houses can be bottom feeders because they are not paying rent to a multiple property owner like himself …

  23. Hongi Ika 23
    23 March 2022 at 3:39 pm

    Could get sunbernt with the glare off his head ?

  24. orbital panda 24
    12 April 2022 at 1:00 pm

    Two point here;

    1.Very dumb for an ex CEO to say that. Embarrassing communication skillset. Sort of like saying Air NZ doesn't want poorly dressed or smelly people on its planes.

    2. I have heard him say we need to go to uni and get qualifications, get confident, lift ourselves up-like he did. So who does our low paid jobs? Cleaning, caregiving, labouring, hort, agri, service industries. So does he value these jobs or should we all aspire to better? Should those jobs be liveable? His comments are simplistic and inane!

    As a hardworking kiwi I wouldn't let him anywhere near my small business.

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