By Anneke Smith of RNZ
National’s deputy leader says Christopher Luxon was joking when he encouraged people to “have more babies”.
Luxon was answering questions about New Zealand’s immigration settings while outlining National’s infrastructure policies in Christchurch yesterday.
“Immigration’s always got to be linked to our economic agenda and our economic agenda says we need people.
“I mean, here’s the deal, essentially New Zealand stopped replacing itself in 2016.
“I encourage all of you to go out there, have more babies if you wish, that would be helpful.”
Speaking to reporters today, the party’s deputy leader Nicola Willis was asked if she believed people needed to have more babies in New Zealand
“No, that is the decision for individuals depending on their desires and their family circumstances. I think what you’re referring to is a joke that Christopher Luxon made.”
Willis said National would never be a party that told people what the right size for their family was.
“The National Party does not have a policy that we want to encourage women to change their decisions about their family size or change guidance to men for that matter either and to suggest otherwise is ridiculous.”
“He made a joke.”
Luxon’s comments follow a spat between both major parties after the Labour’s campaign chair Megan Woods likened National’s prescriptions policy to the dystopian TV show and novel The Handmaid’s Tale.
From cutbacks to hīkoi, it's been a big year for politics.