You know, Australia isn’t forecasting a surplus at any point in the future,” Willis says. “But it’s also been the case that as our economy recovers, more people choose to stay, which is another reason why the economy really matters.”Willis is optimistic that the trend has shifted. “Obviously, exports have stayed strong, and we have managed the tariffs as an economy really well. The New Zealand economy is now going to be hit with massive tariffs and the world’s in flux? “What I’m looking for is not a rock star economy, I just want a rock-solid economy,” she says.

Source: New Zealand Herald December 19, 2025 19:04 UTC