Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): The Government's efforts to secure our recovery have been reflected in the latest measure of the country's economic health. Statistics New Zealand reported last week that GDP rose by 1.6 percent for the March 2021 quarter—exceeding the expectations of even the most optimistic commentators. New Zealanders' confidence in the recovery saw a boost in retail spending, particularly on big-ticket household items, hospitality, and holiday accommodation. Importantly, activity in the construction sector returned to near record levels, while business investment in plant and machinery jumped by over 15 percent. The higher COVID-19 alert levels during the quarter only had a limited impact on the economy thanks to the quick response which provided cash flow and confidence. Quarterly activity in March has now exceeded the December 2019 quarter pre-pandemic level. Nevertheless, the data does show the volatility that New Zealand has to deal with during the pandemic. This 1.6 percent increase followed a 1 percent decline in the December quarter and a record 14.1 percent increase in the September quarter.