Kia ora John,

I’ve talked a lot about how we need to look beyond GDP when measuring how well our country is doing. It’s also important to look at the things that affect New Zealanders every day — things like being able to get the healthcare you need, earn a decent wage, and have a warm, dry place to call home.

But, although GDP should never be our sole focus, it’s important the Government manages the books responsibly. That’s why today, I want to give you a quick update on how we’re doing.

The great news is we’re in good shape. Our economy is growing and performing well, better than Australia, Canada, the UK and Japan. 

Unemployment is down (falling to 3.9% in the June 2019 quarter — the lowest it’s been since the last Labour Government!). Since we took office, 92,000 more New Zealanders are in work. Export revenue has soared to record levels in the last two years, up over $9 billion, and wages are up — 4.4% in the last year, the biggest rise in a decade.

The figures show we’re keeping the economy on track. Of course, as a small country in a big ocean, we will, at times, face global issues that are out of our control. Our way through the rough weather ahead is to focus on fixing the issues that have been ignored for too long — the things that can’t be measured by GDP, but make a big difference for New Zealanders. 

No matter what comes our way, we’ll continue to manage the economy responsibly, while tackling the long-term challenges facing our country. 

I’ll be in touch again soon to let you know how we’re making progress in other areas. In the meantime, the team has put together a short animation highlighting our achievements so far. For a closer look at what our economy is delivering, check out the animation here.

Thanks,

Jacinda

 

P.S. Will you help us share the good news about our economy? Share our animation on Facebook here.

P.P.S. I’m really proud of everything we’ve achieved so far — but there’s more to do. With your help, we can continue taking on the biggest challenges facing New Zealand. Can you chip in to support our 2020 campaign?