National Party members are gathering in Lower Hutt this weekend for the party's Annual General Meeting, with the economy expected to dominate discussions and a new election policy announcement anticipated from party leader Christopher Luxon.
Report by elocal
The AGM comes at a critical time for the governing party as it seeks to build momentum heading towards the November election while managing the political and economic fallout from New Zealand's ongoing fuel crisis.
RNZ reports that Luxon is expected to unveil a new election policy on Sunday, with indications that the announcement will focus on economic issues.
Economy Front And Centre
The conference programme places a strong emphasis on economic management, with Finance Minister Nicola Willis scheduled to deliver a keynote address and chair a forum focused on jobs and incomes.
Joining Willis will be Chris Bishop, Louise Upston and Todd McClay as National seeks to reinforce its economic credentials ahead of the election campaign.
Luxon has pointed to recently released GDP figures as evidence that the economy was building momentum before the fuel crisis emerged.
According to RNZ, Luxon said the government had entered the fuel crisis from a position of relative economic strength and remained confident about future growth prospects.
The Prime Minister highlighted Budget forecasts projecting average annual economic growth of 2.7 percent over the next four years, arguing New Zealand's projected performance compares favourably with many other developed economies.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis. Photo: RNZ / Louis Dunham
Health, Education And Campaign Strategy
Alongside the economy, delegates will hear from senior ministers responsible for key public service portfolios.
Matt Doocey, Simeon Brown, Erica Stanford and Penny Simmonds are scheduled to participate in a forum covering health and education issues.
Campaign chair Simeon Brown will also address delegates as the party begins shifting into full election mode.
National's AGM is the first major party conference of the election year, with Labour and ACT holding their annual gatherings next weekend, followed by New Zealand First and the Green Party next month.
Campaign chair Simeon Brown. Photo: RNZ / Louis Dunham
Candidate Announcements Ahead Of Election
Ahead of the AGM, National confirmed that Speaker Gerry Brownlee and list MP Nancy Lu will contest the election as list-only candidates.
Brownlee said he would continue carrying out his Speaker responsibilities outside parliamentary sitting periods while also assisting National's election campaign.
Nancy Lu, who entered Parliament following the Port Waikato by-election, said she would continue working with ethnic communities and encouraging party vote participation.
Lu highlighted her work on visa settings, mental health funding and community engagement as key achievements during her time in Parliament.
List MP Nancy Lu. Photo: VNP / Phil Smith
Looking Back To 2023
National's last election-year AGM in 2023 occurred while the party was still in opposition.
At that gathering, members were challenged to achieve 45 percent of the party vote.
The party ultimately secured approximately 38 percent and formed a coalition government with ACT and New Zealand First.
elocal Analysis
The significance of this AGM extends beyond the internal business of the National Party.
With polling remaining competitive and the coalition government entering the final stretch before the election, National needs to convince voters that it can deliver sustained economic growth while navigating the lingering effects of the fuel crisis and broader cost-of-living pressures.
The focus on economic management is unlikely to be accidental. Historically, National has sought to campaign on economic competence, jobs, business confidence and growth. Sunday's expected policy announcement may provide an early indication of the themes the party intends to build its election campaign around.
For voters, the key question will be whether the coalition's economic record over the past three years matches the promises being made for the next three.
Giles Dexter
Original RNZ reporting:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/
Report by elocal
This report is based on original RNZ reporting and includes additional context and analysis prepared by the elocal editorial team.