New Zealand has avoided a recession from its Delta outbreak and lengthy Auckland lockdown, returning to growth in the December quarter.
The Kiwi economy shrunk by 3.6 per cent in the September quarter last year, but rebounded by 3.0 per cent for the final quarter of 2021, according to Stats NZ data released on Thursday.
Annual gross domestic product (GDP) growth for the calendar year 2021 was 5.6 per cent.
Finance Minister Grant Robertson said the government's actions - including a wage subsidy scheme and other support payments - helped the return to growth.
"The economy remains resilient as we look to the next stage of the recovery with the opening of our borders and return of tourists," he said.
"It's a strong starting point for 2022 as we face the challenges of Omicron, a global energy crisis and ongoing supply chain disruptions from the pandemic."
Business services, manufacturing, construction and retail all surged ahead, each sector growing by more than $NZ300 million ($A281 million)
Despite the return to growth, the agricultural sector went backwards by 3.8 per cent, or $NZ120 million ($A113 million), fuelled by contractions in beef and dairy.
New Zealand retained tight border controls for the December quarter, with some domestic restraints - including a three-week nationwide lockdown - following the arrival of the Delta strain of the coronavirus in August.
Auckland - home to a third of NZ's population and two-fifths of the Kiwi economy - retained stay-at-home restrictions for 107 days through to December.
Mr Robertson said New Zealand outperformed the US (1.7 per cent growth), Canada (1.6), Japan (1.1), the UK (1.0) and the Euro area (0.3) during the December quarter.
"Only Australia grew by more, up 3.4 per cent," he said.
