Christopher Luxon quick to rule out sharing PM role

National leader Christopher Luxon is standing by his election strategy, denying his party went too negative too early with attacks over tax."No, I don't think so, because there is a real issue here," he told Nine to Noon in an extended interview on Thursday."We are in a really difficult, challenging time. It would be easy as a politician to come out and promise a whole bunch of stuff, but if you're going to have an $18 billion hole and you're going to end up increasing taxes and debt ..." he said, but host Kathryn Ryan interrupted, noting the some of those figures were disputed."Well it's not, we can look at that," he insisted, but Ryan moved on.In health, Luxon said he wanted to improve outcomes, and pointed to record investment in GP funding - but it's still short of the approach recommended by the Sapere report former health minister Shane Reti had committed to.When Ryan brought up the issue of just 54 nurses hired over the past two years, Luxon disputed it."I disagree with that, we can argue that all day long," he said, pointing to other changes his government had progressed."Broadening out what a nurse practitioner can do, nurse prescribers, first responders, pharmacists, telehealth going in 24/7, a 120 spots coming up at the medical school in Waikato in 27/28, hundred extra going into Otago and Auckland, and also you know we've had doctors here ... from overseas... and we've opened up 100 places for those by getting the medical council to change those those requirements."Luxon responds to recent pollThe latest RNZ-Reid Research poll was released earlier on Thursday, showing the governing party falling below the 25 percent mark - collecting just 24.8 points as it nears the home stretch to 7 November.Luxon told Nine to Noon there were "lots of polls roaming around saying lots of different things"."I think the reality and the takeaway very clearly is in an MMP world, and particularly in this campaign, there's no doubt about it's going to be a very, very tight election and a very, very close election."He said his message was to "stick with the plan that is working ... it's about economic growth, it's about growing the pie".He disagreed with Ryan that people weren't feeling the effects of the economic turnaround he kept talking about."I disagree. I mean, I've been around the country. I've spoke to 8000 people in 20 town hall meetings. I've been up and down the country, obviously campaigning the last few weeks, and yeah, I get to have privilege having lots of conversations with people."It's been a challenging time the last three years, right? We're in unprecedented economic challenges. We've got high debt."Ryan said it wasn't unprecedented as "the 70s were way worse". Luxon acknowledged that, but pointed to inflation at a 32-year high under the last government."The goal has to be a more prosperous, wealthier New Zealand where we lift our collective living standards. Over 30 years under successive governments, we've fundamentally failed to do that. We're working hard, but we're not getting wealthy."I'm trying to say to you, we have a very hopeful future because New Zealand's going to do exceptionally well in the next three to four years, no doubt about it. It's a very chaotic, volatile world out there. Yes, we get hit with shocks from time to time, but New Zealand has an outstanding pathway going forward. Absolutely."Luxon pointed to growth outpacing the US, Canada, the EU, the UK and Australia."The answer is that ... you want to move from a two-cylinder into a six-cylinder, you can get twice as many doctors, twice as many nurses, twice as many teachers in Singapore per se because of that wealth."National will make 'phased' superannuation age changes if agreement can be foundRyan challenged Luxon on his finance minister's comments about superannuation age at the Budget this year, given National's lack of a firm policy on changing the age at this election."We'd love to move the age from 65 to 67 ... the policy's very simple, is that you've got to have political consensus for that to happen."Ryan asked if he would make any changes if National was able to reach a cross-party agreement in the next term."Well, we, I don't think there, I don't think there, you know, we can, we'll probably have a conversation about in the next term," he said."I think the reality of it is, I mean, I hope that that would be the case. Of course, I'd go as fast as I possibly can, but the bottom line is I don't think we're going to be able to lift the age next term at all."Ryan clarified: Would he legislate changes if he could, in the next term?"Of course, we would. I mean, but you'd start a process. But again, if you're going to move it from 65 to 67, you need to do it in a very staggered, phased way with lots of advance notice and do it gradually."Luxon rules out sharing PM roleLuxon was also asked about the prospect of minor party leaders being prime minister for part of the term, but he's quick to rule that out, saying: "No."Ryan: Absolutely not countenancing that at all?Luxon: "Absolutely."Asked about the role of finance minister, Luxon said: "That'll be a National Party MP and that will be Nicola Willis."That is despite Willis being at risk of not re-entering Parliament if National wins as many or more electorates as the seats its party vote would entitle it to.