Both the Defence Force's Boeing 757s are potentially out of operation. Wednesday day trip is Luxon’s first meeting another nation's leader as Prime Minister and will still go ahead, but the issue with the planes will likely mean a smaller media contingent goes with him. Asked today why his position had changed, he said the 757s meant more media were able to join the trip. Luxon said the same issue that affected Peters’ trip was threatening his. “Look, I think it’s incredibly embarrassing ... we’re not sending people to the moon, just trying to get them to Australia,” he said.

Source: New Zealand Herald December 18, 2023 06:31 UTC