Finance Minister Grant Robertson believes inflation is now past its peak.

Stats NZ figures show consumer prices have risen 7.2 percent in the year to December, the same increase recorded in the year to September.

The price of housing, household utilities and food are driving the historically high inflation rate.

But Robertson told Tim Dower with prices increasing 1.4 percent in the December quarter, compared to 2.2 percent in the previous quarter, things are trending in the right direction.

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