The prime minister has apologised for his comments to the Rotorua business community last week, saying he was sorry they "did not properly acknowledge the challenges that many small business owners are facing"."I know many small business owners are doing it tough right now," Christopher Luxon said on Monday at the post-cabinet media conference.Watch the post-cab conference here:At a Rotorua Business Chamber event last week, its chief executive Melanie Short told Luxon some were questioning how long they could hang on as they grappled with escalating costs.Luxon told the audience some businesses had a "parent-child mentality" and too often looked to the government for help.In reference to his comments today, he said "I got that wrong" and that he could have expressed himself better."I didn't want to cause any offence. That's not what I intended to do."Luxon began his media conference with opening remarks about the Northland Expressway, before discussing business confidence.He said the government's job was to keep "backing that confidence" with a long-term economic plan that supports the economy to grow."That's why it's good news that the economy is forecast to grow on average 2.7 percent a year for the next four years," Luxon said.He then added: "On that note, I do want to take this opportunity to apologise for my remarks at the Rotorua Business Chamber breakfast last week."I know many small business owners are doing it tough right now. They're working long hours. They're managing financial pressures, looking after their staff, and doing everything they can to grow their businesses."Luxon said he had enormous respect and admiration for people who are out there "backing themselves, taking a risk, and building a business".He said small businesses were the "backbone of our economy", that they create jobs and support families and are making an "enormous contribution to communities right across New Zealand"."So I am sorry if my comments did not properly acknowledge the challenges that many small business owners are facing, and that I got that wrong."Asked by reporters what made him change his mind, after he did not apologise for the comments during an interview on Morning Report, Luxon said he had considered the transcript and thought he could have expressed himself better.Asked if he'd had feedback from his caucus colleagues, Luxon said: "I've had a couple of comments," but most of the comments came from the media.He said they weren't "deep conversations" with colleagues, and that he himself could read the headlines and social media feedback.Finance Minister Nicola Willis, who was also speaking at post-cab, said she believed the prime minister was "absolutely" in touch with the experience of business people. She said she had not had feedback from business leaders directly on the comments.Luxon earlier told Morning Report he acknowledged businesses were doing it tough, but his point to the Rotorua audience was that they and the government needed to work together.Luxon's lack of action over Winston Peters following his tirade towards a Chinese-born MP in Parliament last week has also been criticised.Luxon told Morning Report the comments were racist.Luxon said this afternoon that he spoke to Peters today but would not be drawn on what was said.