Chris Luxon's standing by his comments telling struggling business owners to take more responsibility for themselves.

The National party leader told a Rotorua business function on Friday to "be adult", responding to a question about the city's struggling economy. 

He says they had a "parent-child mentality" - and that he didn't wait for the Government when he was Air NZ's CEO. 

Luxon told Mike Hosking that his government's trying to empower businesses.

He says they've partnered with businesses through the fuel crisis, which is different to Labour's approach of dictating to businesses through Covid.

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