Finance Minister Bill English remains confident about the prospects for economic growth, despite recent dairy woes.
English yesterday addressed business leaders' concerns at the Mood of the Boardroom breakfast event at the Langham Hotel.
"While our confidence is being tested a bit by international events including [the] dairy price downturn, there is a fundamental confidence there and I think that's well deserved, and I think it will serve us well through the next two or three years with this softening economy," English said.
"The other reassuring aspect of it is agreement about the long-term issues we've got to deal with regardless of the cycle, around infrastructure, around housing, around skills.