From a rusty old car, to one already missing its windows where the engine has now dropped out …
Labour deputy leader Carmel Sepuloni says National’s leadership turmoil has exposed a Government struggling to hold itself together, despite Christopher Luxon surviving another challenge to his position as Prime Minister.
National MPs gathered behind closed doors on Wednesday before backing Luxon in a confidence vote, his second leadership test in just four months.
For Labour, the extraordinary events have provided fresh ammunition heading towards the November 7 general election.
Sepuloni says National’s problems have gone well beyond the image of a Government simply needing a political tune-up.
The picture now being painted is of a rusty old car that was already struggling down the road, then lost its windows — and now has had the engine drop out.
Luxon may still be sitting behind the wheel, but Labour’s argument is that National is finding it increasingly difficult to convince voters the vehicle can make it to election day, let alone carry the country through another three-year term.
The leadership crisis has also distracted National at a time when households are confronting unemployment, cost-of-living pressures and uncertainty about the direction of the economy.
The political drama comes as National struggles to build momentum in the polls.
The latest 1News Verian poll has National on 29 percent, one point behind Labour on 30 percent.
ACT climbed three points to 9 percent, while New Zealand First dropped three points to 8 percent. The Greens were sitting on 12 percent.
The poll also delivered another warning for Luxon personally, with his preferred prime minister rating slipping one point to 17 percent.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins was also down one point at 15 percent, while more than a third of those surveyed could not name a preferred prime minister.
Potential National leadership contender Erica Stanford increased one point to 2 percent.
The biggest disruption, however, came from the Opportunity Party, which jumped three points to 8 percent and crossed the five-percent threshold in a 1News Verian poll for the first time.
Those numbers point towards an increasingly complicated election contest where neither of the traditional political blocs can take forming the next government for granted.
For Sepuloni and Labour, National’s challenge now is much bigger than convincing its own MPs to keep Luxon in the driver’s seat.
It has to convince voters that a Government battered by internal leadership questions can still focus on jobs, household costs, health, education and the economy.
Luxon emerged from the caucus room still Prime Minister and still National leader.
But Labour’s attack line is becoming increasingly clear.
What started as a rusty old car now has windows missing and an engine lying on the road.
And with Election 2026 approaching fast, the question for voters is whether National can get it moving again.
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