What New Zealand Isn't Being Told About Its Prime Minister

Amanda Luxon is probably best known as the wife of the Prime Minister. But she also has her own story, her own perspective, and a really thoughtful way of looking at life, relationships, and what actually matters.

Not to mention some really strong opinions on critical thinking and it's importance.

Amanda is a self-described introvert and typically does her best to stay out of the spotlight which makes this podcast appearance a rarity.

Due to the nature of politics, you might already have an opinion on Amanda Luxon.

This long form conversation will either change your opinion or reinforce what you already think, and either of those outcomes are fine. I just appreciate you being open to give this episode a listen.

Some of the ground we cover in this conversation includes: What it’s really like living alongside one of the most demanding jobs in the country – the reality behind the negative headlines, the polls, the rumours and how you make a relationship work when one person is essentially “on duty” 24/7.

Amanda shares some of the philosophies that shaped their children, from teaching them whose opinions actually matter, to why the first thing you say to your child when they screw up is more important than anything that comes after.

And there are some really human moments in here as well… from dance parties in the kitchen to Christophers annoying habit of sharing memes and the story behind that viral election night photo of her biceps.

It’s honest, it’s reflective and it gives you a side of public life that we don’t often get to hear.

*** 0:00 Introduction: Privacy and public scrutiny 0:45 Welcome and podcast debut 2:13 Introversion vs. extroversion and social batteries 6:15 Communication tools and parenting styles 8:23 Maintaining relationships with adult children 9:45 Lessons in problem-solving 12:12 Navigating the "season" of being a political spouse 14:10 Adjusting to the demands of the Prime Minister's role 22:33 The importance of critical thinking and diverse opinions 28:25 Managing online negativity and the decision to avoid comments 29:56 The viral election night photo and body image 45:15 Life behind the scenes and family flexibility 46:05 Early life and the transition to the Luxon name 1:07:20 Philosophies on parenting and handling mistakes 1:10:06 Self-reflection through the parenting journey 1:14:06 Protecting children from public attention 1:15:54 Relationship origins and the "weird" habit of annual planning 1:25:03 Managing household logistics 1:25:35 Why she insists on "Christopher" and avoiding nicknames 1:29:13 The importance of generosity in a long-term partnership 1:30:00 Navigating disagreements and shared joy 1:32:56 Her perspective on his hardest moments as Prime Minister 1:42:46 Reflections on the future and the reality of their schedule 1:46:58 Handling household habits and the challenge of fatigue 1:52:01 Living with purpose and maintaining health 1:52:32 Defining a "great" Prime Minister 1:55:53 Final thoughts on privacy and the importance of relationships 1:58:27 Conclusion and sign-off