Quake: Delay to Statistics - Update

Due to the earthquake Statistics New Zealand’s two Christchurch offices are currently running a skeleton staff. We are still assessing the overall impact but the following statistical releases, managed by our Christchurch office, have been affected:

The Economic Survey of Manufacturing: June 2010 quarter and Value of Building Work Put in Place: June 2010 quarter due to be released Wednesday 8 September will now be published at 10.45am Thursday 9 September. The media conference will go ahead and the media conference room will be open from 10.00am as per usual.

Electronic Card Transactions: August 2010 due to be released on Thursday 9 September is deferred until further notice.

Overseas Trade Index (Volumes) and Overseas Trade Index (Prices),both due out on Friday 10 September, will be published as per usual.

The Accommodation Survey: July 2010 due out Friday 10 September will be deferred until further notice.

At this stage, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Balance of Payments releases due out later this month are expected to be released on schedule.

We will provide an update on the release schedule later this week.

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BUDGET 2012:
Parliament Debate Live - Video Of Budget 2011
Keith Ng Interactive Graphic: How the Budget Breaks Down
BUDGET 2012 - FULL COVERAGE: Reports / Analysis - Press Kit - Reaction (from everybody) - Previews (from everybody) - Pre-Budget Announcements

Gordon Campbell: On the Budget’s Spreadsheet Victories

It wasn’t as if expectations were sky high, exactly. Chances are, it was always more likely that we’d be seeing Bigfoot rampage through the Beehive lock-up than catch a glimpse of a credible growth agenda from this government. More >>

Sludge Budget Report - Short The Dollar! MEMO: To international bankers FROM: C.D. Sludge Please short the dollar! It'll be good for both you and us. And you know you want to. Greexit, Eurogeddon... watch out... flight to quality and all that. Follow your instincts. The NZ Debt Management Office has been so surprised at the unprecedentedly low interest rates that it can borrow at that it has already entirely pre-funded the 2013 fiscal deficit - all $8 billion of it! More >>

Pattrick Smellie Comment: Doddling along the best we can hope forCriticising Budgets for lacking vision or imagination is like shooting fish in a barrel, but even so, this year's Budget again feels like a missed opportunity. Perhaps it's the intrusion of real world needs that means the government couldn't make better political use of the $558.8 million it expects to gather in its first partial asset sale. More >>