Confidence amongst the country’s leading business leaders has climbed in this year’s Mood of the Boardroom Survey.<\/p>\n
The annual survey by the NZ Herald is based on the views of around 150 of the country’s top business executives.<\/p>\n
It asks them to rate their confidence in the New Zealand economy on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the least optimistic.<\/p>\n
Respondents to this year’s survey rated the domestic economy at 3.37 out of 5. That’s up on last year’s 2.82 out of 5.<\/p>\n
Optimism about the global economy was weaker with just a 2.52 rating out of five.<\/p>\n
The NZ Herald survey also traditionally ranks the performance of political leaders, with 74% of respondents rating Nicola Willis as a credible finance minister, 20% saying she wasn’t and 6% unsure.<\/p>\n
Education Minister Erica Stanford was rated by respondents as the top Cabinet minister, with 56 percent of respondents rating Stanford’s ministerial performance as “very impressive”. That saw her rating out of 5 hit 4.38.<\/p>\n
Others rated as very impressive, included Todd McClay and Mark Mitchell.<\/p>\n
Like last year, however, Christopher Luxon did not make the top 10, scoring just 2.52 out of five for his overall political performance as prime minister.<\/p>\n
When asked whether Luxon would remain leader should the coalition be re-elected, those surveyed gave him an average rating of 2.27 out of 5.<\/p>\n
However, when asked which leader had the strongest capacity to drive growth, Luxon fared better, winning the backing of 65% of chief executives and company chairs.<\/p>\n
That is compared to just 3% for Labour leader Chris Hipkins. A further 13% favoured someone else, while 19% were unsure.<\/p>\n
The survey also asked who CEOs trusted most to manage the economy through another economic shock.<\/p>\n
Willis topped the list with 60% backing, ahead of Luxon with 57%.<\/p>\n
Labour’s finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds attracted 30% support, just behind David Seymour at 33%.<\/p>\n
Winston Peters scored 15% support.<\/p>\n