1. Question No. 1—FinanceBARBARA EDMONDS (Labour—Mana) to the Minister of FinanceORAL QUESTIONSQUESTIONS TO MINISTERSQuestion No. 1—Finance1. BARBARA EDMONDS (Labour—Mana) to the Minister of Finance: What recent reports has he seen on the New Zealand economy? Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): The Government's efforts to secure the recovery have been reflected in the latest employment figures. Statistics New Zealand reported that seasonally adjusted filled jobs grew 0.4 percent in May 2021 compared with a month earlier. The number of jobs is now 0.6 percent above its pre-COVID peak. On an annual basis the biggest gains have been in the health social assistance and construction sectors. The sectors that had been affected by the closure of the border in response to COVID such as hospitality are still down on pre-COVID levels. Westpac bank commented that The overall demand for labour is strong at the moment as demonstrated by the sharp rise in job advertisements in recent months. The monthly employment indicator along with the decline in Jobseeker Benefit payments suggests that those positions are being filled." The Government is playing its part in supporting businesses and workers including through Budget 2021 boosting skills and training initiatives to allow people to transition more easily into different types of work. Barbara Edmonds: What other reports has he seen on the economy? Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Well the primary sector is supporting the recovery strongly and the latest Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey found farmer confidence rose for the third consecutive quarter to remain in positive territory. The number of optimists outnumbered pessimists with a net 10 percent of farmers expecting the rural economy to improve in the next 12 months mainly due to rising prices for New Zealand's agricultural products. Farmers' expectations about their own farm performance also rose increasing to a net 16-plus percent from 7 percent in the previous quarter. Hon David Bennett: Nothing about the Government though. Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The optimists are on the farms Mr Bennett; clearly not on that side of the House. Rabobank commented that prices for New Zealand's key agriculture exports are expected to remain strong moving into the second half of the year. Farmers do continue to operate in a volatile market and growing outbreaks of COVID around the world mean that the environment does remain uncertain. Barbara Edmonds: What is the Government doing in response to the economic impact of the alert level rise? Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The short-term absence payment and the COVID-19 leave support scheme remain in place for the businesses and workers at whatever level New Zealand is at. The extension of the alert level in the Wellington region to alert level 2 has meant that eligible businesses nationwide can now take up the resurgence support payment. In order to qualify for the payment businesses must show a 30 percent drop in revenue over a seven-day period. The payment includes a core per-business rate of $1500 plus $400 per employee up to a total of 50 full-time equivalents. That is a maximum payment of $21500. Sole traders can receive a payment of up to $1900. Businesses will be able to apply for this resurgence support payment from 8 a.m. this Thursday via the Inland Revenue website."