Finance Minister Grant Robertson is rejecting a claim our businesses are rightly pessimistic.

National's finance spokeswoman Amy Adams says we have the second lowest business confidence figures in the developed world.

But Robertson says he sees quite a lot of optimism.

"The last time Labour was in government business confidence levels were even lower than they are now, and average growth was at 3.2%."

LISTEN ABOVE AS GRANT ROBERTSON SPEAKS TO MIKE HOSKING