Not to be outdone, the National leader and his finance spokesperson Nicola Willis summoned reporters to Parliament on Sunday for what it quickly became clear was a non-announcement. The true purpose of the announcement is to pressure Labour leader Chris Hipkins into setting out his own party’s “fiscal guardrails”, as Willis put it. A day earlier, Luxon stood alongside Willis and National Party president Sylvia Wood to reveal its final list of candidates. The National leader mentioned the eight NZ-Indian candidates contesting the election as an example of how the party was appealing to different communities. Wood said the National Party board “absolutely” had confidence in its leader, while Luxon himself appeared disinclined towards further self-reflection.