The Data: Coverage, Periodicity, and Timeliness

Coverage characteristics

Data are published on in millions of New Zealand dollars. The figures are as at the last working day of the month for “Total Government securities on issue” (D1) and last working day of the quarter for “Ownership of New Zealand’s Government securities by institutional group” (D2). Data are obtained from NZClear and Computershare systems.

D1 data series include Government bonds by maturity, Treasury bills by maturity, and other Government issues. D2 data series show a breakdown of New Zealand’s internal public debt as per the Reserve Bank’s Registry.

Periodicity

Monthly for D1 and quarterly for D2.

Timeliness

During the second week of the month after the end of the reference period.

Access by the public

Advance release calendar

The “Advance Release Calendar” is updated and released each Friday on the website. This is a long-term plan of scheduled releases.

Integrity

Dissemination of terms and conditions under which official statistics are produced, including confidentiality of individual responses

Although there is no law that requires the RBNZ to compile and publish this data, the data are disseminated by the RBNZ as a service to the public.

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand Act 1989 (The Act), Section 36, provides for confidentiality of institutions by stating: “A financial institution shall not be required to supply data or information under this section relating to the affairs of a particular customer or client.”

Provision of information about revisions and advance notice of major changes in methodology

Provisional data are italicised. Data are deemed provisional when a series is under review. New data, or revised data, are in bold font. Revisions are generally published when the table is next due to be updated and released. Should revisions need to be made more promptly, a note is posted on the website under “Revisions to Tables”. Any major changes in methodology are posted on the website as a note.

Quality

Dissemination of documentation on methodology and sources used in preparing statistics.

The data is obtained from NZClear, Computershare systems and New Zealand Debt Management Office (NZDMO)

Dissemination of statistics that support statistical cross-checks and provide assurance of reasonableness