Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The Auckland retail sector experienced a boost in spending with the easing of restrictions at alert level 3, step 2. Kiwibank reported that the number of credit card transactions in Auckland rose 35 percent over the first five days at step 2, with the value of spending rising 62 percent. The BNZ reported that for the week ending Tuesday, 16 November, card spending rose 27 percent on the previous week, which brings it 7 percent higher than pre-Delta levels. Economists say the lift we have seen in retail spending indicates that a solid rebound in activity will occur as the country moves into the COVID protection framework in the next few days.