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New Zealand’s trade and tourism sectors continue to go from strength to strength, driving billions into the economy.
New figures show tourism spending reached $46.6 billion in the year to March 2025, while exports surged to $29.2 billion in the December quarter, up $2.2 billion in the same period last year.
Tourism and trade are two of New Zealand’s most important economic drivers. When they grow, businesses expand, creating jobs and lifting wages across the country.
More trade and tourism is part of our long-term plan to fix the economy and get it growing so Kiwis can better manage the cost of living through more job opportunities and higher wages.
We’ve reduced income tax, so hardworking New Zealanders keep more of what they earn. At the same time, we’ve reined in wasteful government spending, saving more than $21 billion on unnecessary costs such as excessive use of consultants.
This has helped lower inflation to 3.1 per cent and lower mortgage rates, meaning households with an average mortgage are saving around $10,000 a year. Rents are also beginning to fall for the first time in a decade.
Alongside growing trade and tourism, our economic growth plan includes building new roads, schools, and hospitals and cutting red tape that slows businesses – to create jobs and increase wages.
Trade remains vital to the economy, supporting one in four New Zealand jobs. Since National came into government, exports have increased by more than $17 billion, driving growth and supporting businesses and communities.
There are signs our plan is working. The economy is now growing, and it’s expected that an additional 240,000 new jobs will be created over the next four years, with wages rising faster than inflation.
A Labour, Te Pāti Māori and Green government would take New Zealanders backwards with more spending, more borrowing and more tax. A growing economy is the key to easing the cost of living and helping Kiwis get ahead.
We’ve also been working hard to fix the basics in law and order and build a future where all New Zealanders can feel safe in their communities.
We’ve recently announced move on orders, so that police have an extra effective tool to deal with disorderly behavior in public places.
Our main streets and town centers are facing constant disruption and disturbance. Businesses are being harmed as some bad behavior goes unchecked. It needs to stop.
Move-on orders will mean police can require someone to leave a specified area for up to 24 hours and will connect people with any support services they need.
Move-on orders will help ensure our main cities are kept safe from disorderly, disruptive, threatening or intimidating behavior.
We’ve also just had the latest numbers come through from the Crime and Victims survey, and they show the progress we are making in restoring law and order.
In the year to October 2025 there were 49,000 fewer victims of violent crime than there were two years ago.
There has also been a 22% drop in serious repeat youth offending since National took office, and ram raids are down 85%.
This is a direct result of our tough on crime approach. We’ve reformed our sentencing laws to make sure people face proper consequences for their actions, banned gang patches and given police more tools to go after them, restored three strikes and more.
We know there is more work to do. Our Crimes Act reforms are making their way through the house, which will ensure criminals face stronger penalties for attacking first responders, coward punches, human trafficking and retail crime. Work to toughen up trespass laws is also beginning shortly.
We make no apologies for being tough on crime. Labour left New Zealand in a state of lawlessness and would do it again – they have opposed every action we have taken to restore law and order.