Prime Minister Christopher Luxon backed away from Trade Minister Todd McClay’s unsupported claim that the Green Party had joined foreign actors to attack New Zealand. The allegation related to a climate-change complaint lodged with the European Commission; the Greens denied involvement, and RNZ reported that McClay offered no evidence for it.
What was the claim about the Greens?
McClay accused the Greens of “joining with foreign actors to attack New Zealand” over a climate-change complaint lodged with the European Commission. The accusation was not established as fact: the Greens denied involvement, and RNZ reported that McClay provided no evidence for it. RNZ’s report, published on 2 October 2026, described the episode.
Green co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick called the allegation “bizarre” and said McClay had provided “zero evidence,” according to Scoop’s report carrying RNZ’s coverage. She also accused the government of blaming others for the consequences of its climate policy. Those were Swarbrick’s responses; they do not establish who lodged the complaint or resolve its merits.
How did Luxon respond?
Asked for evidence, Luxon said it was for reporters to establish whether Swarbrick was involved: “That’d be up for you guys to ascertain whether she has or hasn’t,” as quoted in 1News’s account of the RNZ report.
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Luxon then suggested the media had raised the possibility of Green involvement first. When reporters told him the Greens had not been involved, he replied: “Great, great. That’s good to hear. That’s good that you’ve bottomed that out. Well done, well done… Good job.” RNZ characterized this exchange as a walk-back. It also reported that Luxon wrongly suggested the media had first raised the involvement claim. The report does not say that Luxon used the word “retract.”
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is known about the European Commission complaint?
The complaint was lodged with the European Commission and concerned climate change. Luxon defended New Zealand’s adherence to its free-trade obligations, saying the country took them seriously. Former British high commissioner to New Zealand Laura Clarke told RNZ that the legal action put New Zealand’s “100% Pure” brand at risk.
The available reporting does not establish the complaint’s legal merits or outcome, or verify every participant’s characterization of it. Luxon also said, “When any other country gets to 96.3 percent renewable electricity, then you might want to throw some stones at us.” That figure is Luxon’s quoted claim, not an independently verified statistic here.
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What the exchange does—and does not—establish
- Established in the reporting: McClay made the accusation; the Greens denied involvement; RNZ said McClay provided no evidence; and Luxon accepted reporters’ clarification that the Greens were not involved.
- Not established: that the Greens joined foreign actors, who was behind the complaint, or whether the complaint has legal merit.
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