Christopher Luxon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable Christopher Luxon MP
Campaign portrait, 2023
42nd Prime Minister of New Zealand
Incumbent
Assumed office 27 November 2023
Monarch	Charles III
Governor-General	Cindy Kiro
Deputy	Winston Peters David Seymour
Preceded by	Chris Hipkins
5th Minister for National Security and Intelligence
Incumbent
Assumed office 27 November 2023
Prime Minister	Himself
Preceded by	Chris Hipkins
15th Leader of the National Party
Incumbent
Assumed office 30 November 2021
Deputy	Nicola Willis
Preceded by	Judith Collins
40th Leader of the Opposition
In office 30 November 2021 – 27 November 2023
Prime Minister	Jacinda Ardern Chris Hipkins
Deputy	Nicola Willis
Preceded by	Judith Collins
Succeeded by	Chris Hipkins
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Botany
Incumbent
Assumed office 17 October 2020
Preceded by	Jami-Lee Ross
Majority	16,337 (43.91%)
Personal details
Born	Christopher Mark Luxon (1970-07-19) 19 July 1970 (age 55) Christchurch, New Zealand
Political party	National
Spouse	Amanda ​ (m. 1994)​
Children	2
Alma mater	University of Canterbury (BCom; MCom)
Occupation	Politician business executive
Signature

Christopher Mark Luxon (born 19 July 1970) is a New Zealand politician and former businessman. He is the 42nd prime minister of New Zealand, a role he has held since 2023. He is also the leader of the New Zealand National Party.

Before becoming a politician, Luxon was the chief executive officer (CEO) of Air New Zealand. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Botany area since 2020. From 2021 to 2023, he was the Leader of the Opposition.

Luxon led the National Party to win the most seats in the 2023 general election. Because National did not win enough seats to govern by itself, it formed a government with two other parties, ACT New Zealand and New Zealand First.

Early life and education

Christopher Mark Luxon was born in Christchurch on 19 July 1970. His family has Irish, Scottish, and English roots. When he was seven, his family moved to Howick in Auckland. His father, Graham, was a sales executive, and his mother, Kathleen, was a counsellor.

Luxon attended several schools, including Christchurch Boys' High School, where he was good at debating. From 1989 to 1992, he studied at the University of Canterbury and earned a Master of Commerce degree. While he was a student, he had part-time jobs at McDonald's and as a hotel porter.

Career before politics

Working at Unilever

From 1993 to 2011, Luxon worked for Unilever, a large company that makes consumer goods. He started as a trainee in Wellington. His job took him to many places around the world. He worked in Sydney, London, Chicago, and Toronto, where he became the president of Unilever's Canadian operations.

Leading Air New Zealand

In 2011, Luxon joined Air New Zealand and became its chief executive officer (CEO) in 2012. The CEO is the person in charge of the whole company. Under his leadership, Air New Zealand became very successful and profitable. In 2019, Luxon announced he was leaving Air New Zealand and was thinking about a career in politics with the National Party.

Becoming a politician

Member of Parliament

In 2019, Luxon was chosen as the National Party candidate for the Botany electorate in Auckland. An electorate is a local area that elects a Member of Parliament (MP) to represent them. In the 2020 election, Luxon won the seat for Botany.

In his first speech in Parliament, Luxon spoke about his Christian faith. He said that being a person of faith should not stop someone from being in public life. He was given roles in the shadow cabinet, which is the team of MPs from the opposition party who follow the work of the government ministers.

Leader of the Opposition

On 30 November 2021, Luxon became the new leader of the National Party. This also made him the Leader of the Opposition. The Leader of the Opposition is the leader of the largest party that is not in government. He focused on issues like the rising cost of living and the economy.

Prime Minister of New Zealand

Premiership of Christopher Luxon
27 November 2023 –
Charles III
Cabinet	Sixth National Government
Party	National
Election	2023
Appointer	Cindy Kiro
Seat	The Beehive
← Chris Hipkins •
Coat of Arms of New Zealand

Luxon with Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro at the appointment of the new government, 27 November 2023

In the 2023 general election, the National Party won 48 seats, more than any other party. However, this was not enough to form a government alone. To get a majority in Parliament, National formed a coalition government with two other parties: ACT and New Zealand First. Luxon was sworn in as prime minister on 27 November 2023.

Leading a government with three different parties can be challenging, as the parties sometimes have different ideas.

Key goals as Prime Minister

The economy

One of Luxon's main goals was to improve New Zealand's economy. His government lowered taxes and reduced public spending. He said these changes would help businesses grow and improve life for all New Zealanders. The government also wanted to support industries like tourism and farming.

Law and order

Another priority for the government was to reduce crime. They introduced new laws to deal with gangs, such as banning gang patches in public. They also brought back a "three-strikes" law, which gives tougher sentences to people who repeatedly commit serious crimes. The government also funded more prison beds and corrections officers.

Health and education

The government made changes to the health system to try and make it more efficient. In education, a new maths curriculum was introduced in schools in early 2025. The goal was to improve students' results in the subject.

Environmental issues

After Cyclone Gabrielle caused major damage in 2023, Luxon's government provided millions of dollars to help clean up the Hawke's Bay and Gisborne District regions. They focused on repairing important roads and helping communities recover.

Foreign policy

As Prime Minister, Luxon has travelled to other countries to build relationships, especially with Australia, the United States, and countries in Asia. His government has aimed to strengthen ties with traditional partners like the Five Eyes alliance (which includes Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US).

In response to the Gaza war, Luxon's government condemned the attacks by Hamas and said Israel had a right to defend itself. He also confirmed that New Zealand would follow the decisions of the International Criminal Court (ICC), showing support for the international rules-based system.

Political positions

Luxon describes himself as a centre-right politician. This generally means supporting lower taxes, less government spending, and a strong economy. He supports creating military-style boot camps for young offenders and having tough laws for gangs.

• Conversion therapy: Luxon has called the practice of conversion therapy "abhorrent." In 2022, he voted in favour of a new law that banned it in New Zealand.
• COVID-19 pandemic: During the pandemic, he said that he strongly supported vaccination as the best way to protect people and their families.
• Māori issues: Luxon has called the Treaty of Waitangi New Zealand's "founding document." He has said that he believes Māori gave up their sovereignty to the British Crown when they signed the Treaty.
• Monarchy: Luxon has said he is a "soft republican," meaning he thinks New Zealand will probably become a republic in the future. However, he does not think it will happen while he is Prime Minister.
• Transgender rights: Luxon has said that he supports the rights of New Zealand's transgender community. He believes that sporting bodies, not the government, should decide on rules for transgender people in sports.

Personal life

Luxon is married to his wife, Amanda. They met at a church youth group and have a son and a daughter.

He is a Christian and has said that his faith is personal to him and does not guide his political agenda. In his free time, Luxon enjoys doing DIY projects, listening to country music, waterskiing, and fishing. He is a fan of the Crusaders rugby team.

Awards

• In 2015, Luxon was named CEO of the Year for his leadership at Air New Zealand.
• In 2019, he won a BLAKE Award for his work on sustainability at Air New Zealand.

See also

In Spanish: Christopher Luxon para niños