Ardern touts New Zealand as investment 'safe haven'

Ardern touts New Zealand as investment 'safe haven'

New Zealand's success in curbing the coronavirus has given it a "safe haven" advantage, allowing the country to be open for investment, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Wednesday.

Libby Hogan reports

New Zealand's prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, says its success in fighting the coronavirus makes it a 'safe haven' for investment.

Her comments came after Microsoft Corp announced plans to set up its first data center region in New Zealand.

"Our decision to go hard and go early on the health front for COVID-19 has been our best economic response.

Now it's about positioning New Zealand to recover and building on investment opportunities such as this one.

More broadly, it is my view that by tackling the virus we have positioned our economy to be able to rebuild ahead of many others globally, that is our safe haven, strategic advantage." With only two new infections this week the country appears to have largely held down community transmission of the virus.

It's had a strict lockdown that brought the country to a standstill for more than a month.

New Zealand's economy has slowly hummed back to life with locals lining up at their favourite takeaway and coffee shop after the lockdown lifted though many limits remain in place including limits on mass gatherings and non-essential travel.

Ardern will decide next week whether to ease them back further.