1. Question No. 1—FinanceWILLOW-JEAN PRIME (Labour) to the Minister of FinanceORAL QUESTIONSQUESTIONS TO MINISTERSQuestion No. 1—FinanceWILLOW-JEAN PRIME (Labour): Thank you Mr Speaker. My question is to the Minister—[Interruption] SPEAKER: Order! Minus two.1. WILLOW-JEAN PRIME (Labour) to the Minister of Finance: What recent reports has he seen on the New Zealand economy?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): On Monday Treasury released the Crown financial statements for the nine months to the end of March showing that the Government continues to manage the books responsibly. The accounts show a surplus of $2.5 billion in the operating balance before gains and losses over the nine months $329 million above forecast. Net core Crown debt as at 31 March was also below forecast at 20.6 percent of GDP compared to the 20.9 percent expected. These results demonstrate the solid underlying fundamentals of the New Zealand economy.Willow-Jean Prime: What other reports has he seen about the fundamentals of the economy?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: This morning Statistics New Zealand released labour market statistics for the March quarter showing the unemployment rate fell to 4.2 percent. This means that the last nine months have seen the lowest unemployment rate in over a decade. The underutilisation rate also fell to 11.3 percent the lowest it has been since December 2008. Meanwhile according to the quarterly employment survey wages grew at 3.4 percent well above the annual inflation for the quarter of 1.5 percent. The data released today does reinforce the tightness of the labour market but it also shows an economy that is delivering for more New Zealanders on the back of solid underlying fundamentals.Willow-Jean Prime: What reports has he seen on international risks to the New Zealand economy?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Eurozone GDP data for the March quarter came out overnight showing growth of 0.4 percent and annual growth of just 1.2 percent. The data reaffirmed the message that I heard at the IMF and World Bank meetings last month that the global economy while still growing is doing so more slowly than the highs seen in recent years amidst risks from geopolitical and trade uncertainty. Hon Amy Adams: Risks of bad Government.Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: As a relatively small—you should leave your negativity in the caucus room Ms Adams—open nation we are not immune to the challenges posed by the international outlook. That's why we're continuing to manage the books responsibly while implementing our plan for a modern and resilient economy based on productive sustainable and inclusive growth. SPEAKER: Question No. 2 the—Rt Hon Winston Peters: Supplementary question. I thought they wanted to take one.SPEAKER: The Rt Hon Winston Peters.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Thank you Mr Speaker for your consideration. Can I ask the Minister of Finance: do these stats indicate that rather than gloom and doom so beloved of some the economy in New Zealand is being seriously soundly managed?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I am far too modest to respond to the second part of the member's question but what I can say is that this is an economy that is resilient that is strong and that in the face of international headwinds this Government is committed to making sure that it's more productive more sustainable and more inclusive and the management is down to everyone on this side of the House.