PM Christopher Luxon announces Sir Brian Roche as next Public Service Commissioner at post-Cabinet press conference

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the appointment of Sir Brian Roche as the next Public Service Commissioner.

Roche will begin his new role on November 4. His appointment is until June 2027, a term of two years and eight months.

Luxon is hosting his weekly post-Cabinet press conference this afternoon – one year on from the 2023 election that thrust his party into Government with coalition partners NZ First and Act.

The press conference will be live-streamed at the top of this article from 4pm.

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On the appointment of Roche as Public Service Commissioner, Luxon said he had “built the trust and confidence” of ministers.

Speaking about inflation, Luxon said “we certainly aren’t out of the woods yet” but “the contours” of an economic recovery was starting to take shape.

Luxon is fresh back from a trip to Laos for the East Asia Summit (EAS) where he met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the first time as he continues his efforts to secure a free trade agreement (FTA) with the populous Asian nation.

During the election campaign a year ago, Luxon promised a deal would be secured in his first term.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Finance Minister Nicola Willis arrive for today's post-Cabinet press conference in Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell

1News Verian poll results released today show 30% of people think the country is in better shape than on election day a year ago, 40% think it is in worse shape and 26% think little has changed.

1News says the full poll results will be released tonight.

As 1News reported, one question in the poll had asked about the shape of the country a year on: “Do you think the country is in a worse shape or a better shape or no different than it was before the election?”

In response, 40% said it was in worse shape, 30% said in better shape and 26% said no different. Just 4% did not know or refused to say.

This is the second political poll to be released in a matter of days. On Friday, the Taxpayers’ Union-Curia poll for October showed National’s support had dropped and Labour’s increased as the gap between the two parties narrowed.

While National’s support dropped 4.1 percentage points to 34.9% – its lowest result in 15 months from the polling outfit – Labour’s 30.3% result was up 3.6 points on the last poll in September.

Luxon himself was down 5 percentage points to 27.7% in the preferred PM rankings and Labour leader Chris Hipkins jumped 4.3 points to 16.9%.

The poll, conducted between October 3 and 7, came amid protest action against the Government’s decision concerning the redevelopment of Dunedin Hospital and its progression of fast-track consenting legislation.

Asked about the dipping poll result while in Laos, Luxon said “I just don’t care.”

“Whether we go up or down in the polls, as you know, I have the same position, which is I just don’t care.

“I’m focused on making sure I deliver for New Zealanders and we’ve got a plan – our plan is starting to work – and my job is to demonstrate to New Zealanders for 2026 that the country’s in better hands and is in a better place as a result of our Government.”

Julia Gabel is a Wellington-based political reporter. She joined the Herald in 2020 and has most recently focused on data journalism.