Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): According to Statistics New Zealand, electronic card transactions were up in March compared to the previous quarter, showing that New Zealanders are continuing to show confidence in the economy. This was better than expectations, given the increased alert levels in the earlier part of the month. Responding to the Statistics New Zealand report, the ANZ Bank noted that there were several pluses on the retail spending front, including the improved balance sheet position of households, high levels of employment, and low interest rates.