Just how did the former Newshub political editor’s first morning on Breakfast go? Tara Ward finds out.
“Welcome to the first day at the new school,” a cheery Christopher Luxon told Tova O’Brien this morning. It was just one hour into O’Brien’s first shift on TVNZ’s early morning news and current affairs show, and the prime minister was her first big interview at the Breakfast desk. The pair were about to dive into the government’s response to the war in the Middle East, but first, O’Brien agreed that yes, it did feel like the first day of a new school. Then, to more important things: “Is there a world in which our navy goes up the guts of the Strait of Hormuz?”
It may have been her first day on the job, but O’Brien was going right up the guts of Breakfast. “There’s been no one who’s been more dedicated to watching the show over the past few months,” co-host Chris Chang revealed as he welcomed her to the role. O’Brien admitted she’d set four alarms that morning, and thanked Chang and fill-in host Ali Pugh for teaching her everything she knows. That’s nice, but O’Brien comes to TVNZ as an already award-winning political journalist and broadcaster with an impressive career across television and radio, including senior roles at Newshub, Today FM and Stuff. This is the same reporter who famously skewered former politician Jami-Lee Ross, found out she lost her job live on air, and waited for a lift with Winston Peters and lived to tell the tale.
Despite O’Brien’s wealth of news and political experience, this morning’s Breakfast remained a typically random mix of topics. There were the big issues of the day, like petrol price rises and an Australian proposal to ban under-16s from e-scooters, but there was also a sponsored travel segment about cruise ships (“happy birthday to my dear friend Melanie”, gushed Caro from World Travellers) and a bizarre news item about a Barbiefest event in Fort Lauderdale (“where’s the Ken booth?” Chang piped up). It wasn’t until the second hour when Luxon appeared that O’Brien gave a hint of what Breakfast could really become: a thorough, well-considered morning news show where influential New Zealanders are held to account over the issues of the day.
O’Brien’s interview with Luxon showed the potential Breakfast has to go beyond cruise ship promos and deliver morning news with depth and rigour. She switched seamlessly from topic to topic, and after Luxon said no, he didn’t think we’d go up the guts of the Strait of Hormuz, he also said that no, the government wasn’t planning to cut GST on petrol. He also confirmed that there was no deep thinking behind why the government wasn’t using the Beehive theatrette for their official fuel crisis updates, and it definitely had nothing to do with being spooked by the ghosts of Covid briefings past.
“Can I be really honest? We’re working 20 hours a day, seven days a week on this issue,” Luxon said as he defended his government’s performance. Sure, but do they set four alarms every morning? O’Brien then asked Luxon if he had intentionally taken more of a leadership backseat in recent days. He shook his head. “My job is the CEO,” he began. O’Brien cheerily pushed back: “Your job is the prime minister.”
CEO, prime minister, Ken, it’s all the same. “My job last week was hitting the phones – hard,” Luxon continued, describing how he’s been flat out on the blower with international leaders. He also said he signed off on a plan and delegated some authority, and there’s a cabinet update every Monday. So, you know, heaps on.
“We’ve actually got on to it quite quickly,” Luxon argued about the fuel crisis response, and said that other international leaders he’d spoken to are struggling. “There are also others who have arguably got onto it much faster as well,” O’Brien bounced back, before moving on to her next question in the very same breath. “Do you think Nicola Willis is a better communicator in a time of crisis, and that’s why you’re putting her forward?” Luxon shook his head again, this time with a smile. “No no Tova, it’s just simply a different approach.”
Nothing offers a different approach better than a teen on an e-scooter, and Luxon was quick to bring the other bloke at the table into the conversation about banning under-16s from riding them. “Chris, what do you say, mate? What do you reckon?” he asked. Then it was time for Luxon to skedaddle, though probably not on an e-scooter. “Enjoy the rest of the day at school!” the nation’s leader chuckled at O’Brien, as the highly experienced broadcaster prepared for the ad break.
Two more hours of news, weather and interviews followed, with O’Brien’s first morning at the Breakfast desk eventually overshadowed by the announcement that Tottenham Hotspur will play in Auckland and the arrival of ex-Wiggle Emma Memma in the studio. At precisely nine o’clock, O’Brien’s first show was done and dusted, and Chang told his new co-host that she’d smashed it. “I’m just going to crumble into a little pile,” O’Brien joked as the credits rolled. Set those alarms again – she’ll see you tomorrow morning, New Zealand.
Breakfast streams on TVNZ+ and screens on TVNZ1 on weekdays from 6am.
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