Luxon's NZDF flight defence sidesteps political neutrality questions

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon defended using an NZDF King Air to fly from a National Party fundraiser in Whanganui to Auckland on 23 July, saying no commercial flights were available and pilots needed flight hours regardless of cost. Labour's Chris Hipkins called it a "personal taxi service." Luxon's cost argument leaves open whether military transport should serve legs originating from partisan events under Cabinet Manual guidance.