Luxon Invites Trump to Play Golf in New Zealand

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is hopeful that US President Donald Trump will accept his invitation to visit New Zealand for a round of golf at one of the country’s top-rated courses.

Tara Iti Golfcourse

Luxon extended the offer while meeting Trump during the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) summit, inviting him to play at Tara Iti, a world-renowned course north of Auckland.

Speaking with Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking, Luxon said Trump appeared interested. “He knew a lot about the golf assets that are here in New Zealand, you know, the golf courses. He has heard about them. They generally are in the top 10, 15 in the world,” he said.

Luxon added that he would welcome Trump if he visited the region. “If he’s going to come down to Australia and New Zealand and this part of the world, then, you know, we should certainly welcome him here.”

He described their conversation as informal but positive. “That was a good meeting because he had very formal meetings with China and Korea. And then he met with us just informally or me personally, which was great. So he was very good.”

During the summit, Luxon also met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, emphasizing that New Zealand remains a key partner for China. He described the bilateral relationship as “important” and “complex,” with opportunities for collaboration but also areas where New Zealand would continue to “call out differences publicly and privately.”

Back home, Luxon addressed criticism of the Government’s proposed curriculum reforms for years 1–10. He pushed back against union opposition, arguing that higher standards are crucial to improving educational outcomes.

“I feel very strongly about this,” he said. “There is a stack of high-paying jobs out there in the world, and we need them to come to New Zealand. And what’s been happening is actually our standards have been slipping versus lots of other countries.”

Luxon also accused unions of remaining silent during the previous Labour government’s tenure. “The unions, there’s a consultation period — be constructive, don’t be political, get in behind. But where were you the last six years calling out the poor performance?”

Meanwhile, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford announced a new policy allowing Chinese tourists with valid Australian visas to enter New Zealand without applying for a separate visitor visa. They will instead be able to obtain an Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA).

Stanford said the move could attract up to 50,000 extra visitors annually, offering a significant boost to tourism. Previously, Chinese travellers were required to pay $441 and wait up to two weeks for a visa.

Health Minister Simeon Brown also revealed that four hospitals — Middlemore, Waikato, Wellington Regional, and Nelson — will open new wards in the second half of next year. The rapid-build projects will add 140 new beds across the country, with another ward already planned for Hawke’s Bay Hospital.

“These new wards will make a real difference for both patients and staff,” Brown said. “They will ease pressure on emergency departments, support faster admissions and discharges and improve patient flow right across the hospital.”