(Wellington) – Rating agency, Fitch Ratings, has assigned ‘AA’ long term foreign currency and ‘AAA’ long term local currency ratings to New Zealand.A short term rating of ‘F1+’ has also been assigned. The outlook on New Zealand’s long term international credit ratings is Stable, the country’s ratings underpinned by one of the strongest public finances of any country rated by the firm. Consistent budget surpluses have reduced public debt from over 70 percent of GDP in 1993 to around 31 percent currently.