OECD Economic Surveys: New Zealand Volume 2009/4, April 2009

The global crisis is hitting New Zealand at a time when difficult domestic adjustment is underway. Its economy is among the most indebted in the OECD. Falling asset prices and a slump in credit demand mean that a process of debt reduction has started. Nevertheless persistent, large current-account deficits and a high external debt render the economy especially vulnerable. In this report, OECD projects that the economy will remain in recession through 2009, and recover only hesitantly in 2010. The report includes coverage of the macroeconomic situation, structural policies, and a detailed examination of health care reform.