GDP data delayed for another week

Statistics NZ needs more time to crunch the numbers after originally planning to release GDP data last month. File photo / Thinkstock

Statistics New Zealand, the government statistician, has delayed the release of first-quarter gross domestic product data by another week.

The department needs more time to analyse the data having previously pushed out the scheduled June 23 release after the Canterbury earthquakes, which have severely damaged its Christchurch office.

The GDP release was scheduled for tomorrow, and will now be announced on July 14.

"The results of GDP are finalised very close to the release date" due to Stats NZ's target for timely releases, deputy government statistician Colin Lynch said in a statement.

"In this case, it means we have had to make the decision to postpone close to the scheduled release date."

The department got an extra $58 million over the next four years from this year's budget to replace an ageing IT system.

The department is seeking more funds and government statistician Geoff Bascand last year told Parliament's Government Administration Committee its resources were stretched to the limit and key statistics were at risk.