Labour MPs are gathering in Palmerston North for their annual caucus retreat this morning, off the back of a favourable poll result.
The political year began in earnest this week, with National and Labour holding caucus retreats ahead of Ratana celebrations on Friday.
The new year has already brought a disappointing poll result for National that saw it drop below 30% of the general vote.
The latest Taxpayer's Union-Curia poll shows support for Labour has inched ahead of National for the first time since April 2023.
The prime minister has now reshuffled his Cabinet, shifting the beleaguered health portfolio to new hands, in an attempt to reset his team for the year ahead.
Christopher Luxon has signalled economic growth is a key focus for 2025 and will likely flesh this out in his State of the Nation speech this afternoon in Auckland.
The coalition has made it clear it will move away from the former government's 'higher value' approach to visitors, saying it wants "all tourists" to come to Aotearoa.
Further south in the Manawatū, Labour leader Chris Hipkins will catch up with his caucus at its away retreat before speaking to reporters this afternoon.
This time last year Labour was still reeling from its brutal election defeat.
Hipkins said Labour would take stock of the campaign result and work to build a policy platform it can sell in 2026, saying all ideas were on the table as the party explored "a new era".
One year on, Labour is yet to make any significant policy announcements and anyone expecting big headlines out of this year's retreat would be well advised not to hold their breath.
It's not expected the party will make any policy announcements as it continues to work through how and when it will broach tax reform ahead of the next election.
Hipkins refloated the possibility of campaigning on a capital gains or wealth tax last year after ruling it out ahead of Election 2023.
It is clear some Labour MPs are very keen for tax reform, but varying opinions within caucus and the wider party will make getting to the point of announcing anything a difficult task.
Last week's poll result shone favourably on Labour, indicating its slow and steady pace this term is working, but it is hard to see how an election victory is achievable by continuing along this path.
