Summarised by Centrist
Political commentator Luke Malpass says Labour got tossed hard as the party’s vote halved from over 50% to just above 26%. Those that wanted change are getting it.
The Luxon-led coalition signifies a shift towards conservatism, which is to say, the leaders believe the state has wandered away from core and appropriate functions “to a whole bunch of things that sit on the periphery of most people’s concerns”.
Some key changes include commitments to basic education, stricter law enforcement, reduced public spending, decreased emphasis on Māori language and names, and the abandonment of “woke” policies.
The real test for the Government comes if there’s a decline in the polls because people don’t like the results, which could prompt a change in plan.
“If it goes the distance, this Government will certainly change New Zealand,” says Malpass.