“Summary details of the September quarter Household Labour Force Survey results, which show unemployment at 5.2% were released in error this morning. The normal embargo on this material is 10.45 am on the day of release. I have been provided with a copy of the Statistics New Zealand Media Release through the news media.

“I will be briefed by Statistics New Zealand this morning in line with the Department’s normal practice and will issue a statement after the embargo has been lifted. At this point, based on the Statistics New Zealand media release I have seen, it does appear that the economy continued to experience modest employment growth and that there has been a slight reduction in the number of unemployed. This is welcome news and reflects the fundamental strength of the economy,” Steve Maharey said.

Ends

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>