Winston Peters, Christopher Luxon and Shane Jones at Rātana Pā, January 2024. Photo: Angus Dreaver / RNZ
Neale and Brigitte discuss the latest cigarette controversy, with associate health minister Casey Costello seeking advice on a three-year freeze on the inflation-adjusted tax on smoking tobacco products. And Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has made an appearance at Rātana, promising to “honour” the Treaty of Waitangi. ACT leader David Seymour says he expects Waitangi commemorations will be "more tense" than usual this year.
Neale Jones was Chief of Staff to Labour Leader Jacinda Ardern, and prior to that was Chief of Staff to Andrew Little. He is the director of public affairs firm Capital.
Brigitte Morten is a director with public and commercial law firm Franks Ogilvie and a former senior ministerial advisor for the previous National-led government, a National Party member and currently volunteering for the party's deputy leader, Nicola Willis.
