Prime Minister Chris Luxon says he hopes to yield tens of billions from a national investment summit staged in Auckland to help build infrastructure in New Zealand.
More than 100 firms, representing roughly $NZ6 trillion in wealth, assembled at Auckland's waterfront Hyatt Hotel on Thursday as Mr Luxon attempted to court foreign capital.
Mr Luxon told delegates New Zealand was "open for business" and notably, given growing unrest around the world, it was a safe place to invest and live.
"New Zealand has been and will continue to be a poster child for social and political stability in a more volatile and challenging world," he said.
"That reputation is long-standing, but in challenging times, it has come into sharper focus.
"We stand up for our values and live by them, too. That means respecting civil liberties, private property and private life, and the democratic and social institutions that underpin them."
The prime minister has put growth at the centre of his political ambitions this year after presiding over anaemic GDP figures in 2024.
New Zealand suffered one of the worst contractions in the developed world last year, with the economy shrinking by 2.1 per cent in the middle six months.
Mr Luxon's right-wing coalition is embarking on a number of reform projects as it aims to jump out of the slump, including axing regulations and planning hurdles to projects.
He told journalists after the function that he wanted to partner with overseas capital - including sovereign wealth funds or super funds - to help build roads like the major arterial route north of Auckland.
"Tens of billions is what we're looking for," he said.
"It's billions of dollars that we need to invest, but unlocks billions of dollars more for a region like Northland that will be the single biggest transformative thing that we can do."
This weekend, Mr Luxon will continue his growth focus by taking a business delegation to India, a country he has pledged to seal a free trade agreement with.
