‘Lucky’ still waiting for his break

Adroll social media comment once referred to the then-freshly elected National Party leader Christopher Luxon as “Old Lucky” and the sobriquet gets droller by the day.

At the annual National Party conference on Sunday, a relaxed Luxon declared his party united, committed and “really humming”.

On Monday night, more good vibes flowed with his party favoured by 37 per cent, ahead of Labour on 33 per cent, in the latest 1 News/ Kantar political poll.

After some confusion over tax cuts and spending priorities, National appeared to have tidied up the messaging and was making grounds with public concerns over rising inflation, a worker shortage and a health sector crisis.

But the humming broke into discord on Monday when Luxon was informed of new Tauranga MP Sam Uffindell’s brute past.

In the moments ticking down to Stuff breaking the story, Luxon and his deputy Nicola Willis were told Uffindell had been kicked out of Kings College — or “asked to leave” — when he was 16 after a cowardly pack beating of a 13-year-old third former.

An interview with the victim voiced scepticism about whether an apology Uffindell offered last year was genuine or expedience.

What Uffindell did was repugnant but — given his apparently sincere apologies, repeated to media in the past 48 hours — not unforgivable. It is understandable a victim of such an attack would be appalled that the perpetrator would be selected as a candidate to be an MP. It is, naturally, up to Uffindell’s victim whether he forgives. Less forgivable is the way this has been handled by the National Party. The Tauranga selection panel reportedly knew of the episode but did not inform the leadership.

Uffindell was given ample opportunity to disclose during the by-election and since, but kept schtum. An interview with the Bay of Plenty Times offered the best chance, when he was asked what was his biggest mistake. His response: that he did not bring his family home to New Zealand sooner.

As a political novice with a party believing it is the right one to lead a country, he should have received better advice.

Uffindell has now been “put up” for media questioning about his school “thuggery” and his actions since. This suggests he has been pushed into the headlights by a party machine prepared to step back and let him fight for survival.

Luxon says the party conducted “a deep exploration”. If so, it should have understood how damaging eventual disclosure would be. Those who decided to sit on this cut their leader off at the knees.

In wrapping up his speech to the conference, Luxon said: “This is a great country and all of us are so, so lucky to live here.” One has to wonder whether he truly feels lucky some days.