19 May 2023
Mr. ED Hirsche
[FYI request #22525 email]
Tēnā koe Mr. ED Hirsche
Official Information Act (OIA) request: Monthly Inflation
Thank you for your email dated 21 April 2023, in which you requested the fol owing information
under the Of icial Information Act 1982 (the Act):
•
Please tell me if you have ever estimated how much it would cost to survey, calculate
and publish inflation on a monthly basis, rather than the current quarterly basis. If so,
please tell how much it would cost and also release any records of decisions that your
senior leaders or Ministers have made about this topic.
Please also release any related information you might hold about quarterly and monthly
inflation surveying.
Your request has been processed under the Act and I wil answer each part of your request in
turn:
Please tell me if you have ever estimated how much it would cost to survey, calculate
and publish inflation on a monthly basis, rather than the current quarterly basis. If so,
please tell how much it would cost and also release any records of decisions that your
senior leaders or Ministers have made about this topic.
I can confirm that Stats NZ has not estimated how much it would cost to survey, calculate and
publish inflation on a monthly basis, rather than the current quarterly basis. As such, your
request for this information is refused under section 18(e) of the Act as this information does
not exist or, despite reasonable efforts to locate it, cannot be found.
Please also release any related information you might hold about quarterly and monthly
inflation surveying.
Al related Information Stats NZ holds about quarterly and monthly inflation surveying is
publicly available, as outlined below. As such, your request for this information is refused under
section 18(d) of the Act because the information requested is already publicly available.
[Statistics New Zealand request email]
toll-free 0508 525 525
stats.govt.nz
8 Willis Street, Wellington
PO Box 2922, Wellington 6140
The 2013 Consumers Price Index (CPI) Advisory Commit ee met in May 2013 to undertake
an independent review of the CPI and provide recommendations. Monthly CPI was one of
the proposals that was consulted on but not approved. A paper outlining Stats NZ’s decisions
and progress on implementing the 2013 CPI Advisory Committee’s recommendations is
publicly available on our website here:
https:/ statsnz.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p20045coll27/id/26/.
Stats NZ is currently seeking feedback on our proposed data quality plan for measuring an
inclusive and sustainable economy - including the frequency of CPI, among others. In our
current context of recent high inflation there are renewed cal s for a timelier measure of
consumer prices, e.g., a monthly CPI with New Zealand now the only member of the OECD
to not produce a monthly CPI.
A link to Stats NZ’s consultation document is available on our website here:
https://www.stats.govt.nz/reports/measuring-an-inclusive-and-sustainable-economy/. You
may provide your feedback or ask questions via an email address at
[email address]. We are also in the process of finalising the details of face-
to-face (or online) events. If you are interested in being notified about these events, please
email us at
[email address].
Should you wish to discuss this response with us, please feel free to contact Stats NZ at:
[email address].
If you are not satisfied with this response, you can contact us on the email above to discuss
the response and/or you have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman
of this decision. Information about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Please note that it is our policy to proactively release our responses to official information
requests where possible. This letter, with your personal details removed, wil be published on
the Stats NZ website. Publishing responses creates greater openness and transparency of
government decision-making and helps better inform public understanding of the reasons for
decisions.
Nāku noa, nā
Mike Webb
Senior Manager – External & Government Relations | Office of the Chief Executive
Stats NZ Tatauranga Aotearoa
stats.govt.nz
[Statistics New Zealand request email]
toll-free 0508 525 525
stats.govt.nz
8 Willis Street, Wellington
PO Box 2922, Wellington 6140
