Luxon's Coalition Stumbles in Early Weeks With Policy Reversals and Messaging Missteps
• Luxon's new coalition government stumbled out of the gate, mishandling communications around reversing anti-smoking measures to fund tax cuts
• Additional self-inflicted crises emerged, like the deputy PM attacking media and leaks about repealing fair pay legislation
• Such missteps are common for new governments and Luxon has time to course-correct by 2026
• There's an inherent risk in the coalition's focus on undoing previous policies without a proactive agenda
• Luxon must articulate a vision beyond repeals to avoid further tough weeks