Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was the first lucky passenger of the Highlands Motorsport Park’s newest Lamborghini at a business lunch on Thursday.

Hosted by Business South, the prime minister also raced go carts with Waitaki MP Miles Anderson (whom he lost to), and visited Cromwell College.

The invitation-only event for about 70 business leaders from Queenstown Lakes, Central Otago and Dunedin was an opportunity to hear directly from the Prime Minister as he discussed Government plans to turbo charge the economy.

Luxon said on a Facebook video with Anderson that the whole region was in growth mode, “and with that comes challenges around infrastructure, health and education, but we are working our way through that.”

Having just returned from Vietnam, he said the high quality of Central Otago cherries had been given a special mention by business leaders overseas.

Business South navigator Amanda Cushen said the Prime Minister was very inspiring and enjoyed his ride in the Lamborghini, “being the first new bum on the seat other than the driver” - reaching speeds of up to 215km/hr.

Business South chair Dewald de Beer said what he took from the Prime Minister’s speech at the lunch was the need to focus on growth and take action. 

“As businesses, we must view economic growth as our responsibility. The government's ability to fund and assist is limited due to the significant debt and the current size of our economy. The government's role should be to create an environment where businesses can thrive,innovate, and take decisive action.”

Dewald said if we want a sustainable and prosperous future for generations to come, we must take the initiative. 

“We are lagging behind countries like Ireland, Estonia, and Denmark, which are similar in size but have higher productivity. Productivity isn't just about working harder; it's about working smarter and faster. For example, Ireland is now twice as wealthy as New Zealand, whereas it used to be the other way around. We need to become the masters of our own destiny.

“We are situated in one of the most dynamic regions in the world, and as a country, we need to prepare and seize the opportunities it presents. We must find innovative ways to fund growth that will benefit us in the long run, making us more competitive and less reliant on external funding.”

On Friday the Prime Minister also attended the Wanaka A&P Show.