Broadly, there was an even split between regions showing improved economic confidence and regions showing weakened confidence.
Regions with a rural backbone are generally more confident than the large metropolitan
centres, said Westpac senior economist Nathan Penny.
However, recent bad weather (flooding in Canterbury and drought in eastern regions)
has led to a narrowing in the gap.
Waikato's strength was not surprising, he said.
"The region's manufacturing and construction industries are charging ahead. Underpinning those sectors are the hot housing market as well as the strong
agriculture sector."
The farmgate milk price was very healthy level, while the region experienced some of country's best growing conditions over the quarter.
Second most confident region was Gisborne/Hawke's Bay, although it had dipped from the previous quarter - probably due to drought weighing on the farming sector and labour shortages worrying fruit growers.
Taranaki was third equal (with Southland) but saw the biggest fall in confidence through the quarter.
Auckland, while near the middle of the pack, saw a big lift in confidence as it emerged from lockdown and the construction sector continued to surge.
"At the current pace Auckland is building enough houses to eat into its housing shortage," Penny said.
The construction boom has also ignited the regions' manufacturing sectors, which are running hot, he said.
Though still in positive territory, Canterbury saw the biggest fall in confidence for the quarter.
That was likely due to the severe flooding that the region experienced in early June, Penny said.
"Looking beyond the floods, the region's key sectors are performing well. The underlying activity in the manufacturing, construction and agricultural sectors is firm. On this basis, we expect the economic confidence of households to rebound next quarter."
Confidence in Northland dipped into negative territory over the June quarter.
However, this move went against the tide of firm economic data over the quarter, Penny said.
"The region's housing market is red hot, with prices rising more than 20 per cent in annual terms. And the region's primary industries are generally performing well.
"Perhaps we could link the dip in confidence to announcements on the cancellation of four-laning of State Highway 1 near Whangarei and/or the news that Marsden Point will move to an import only operation."
