PM’s rapid backtrack over GDP

The Prime Minister’s office is insisting she has not had advance notice of official statistics, after she said in an interview that she was ‘‘pleased’’ by what economic growth figures will show tomorrow.

In an interview with NewstalkZB, Ardern was asked about gross domestic product (GDP) numbers due out this week, and whether she had seen them.

‘‘I get a hint, yes,’’ Ardern said.

Host Mike Hosking asked if the numbers were good. ‘‘I’m pretty pleased,’’ Ardern said.

Ardern’s office swiftly denied she had seen the figures, which are meant to be under strict embargo until 10:45am tomorrow when they are released by Statistics New Zealand.

‘‘The Prime Minister made a mistake,’’ a spokesman said. ‘‘She has not seen, because we do not receive, the GDP numbers.’’

The spokesman said she ‘‘wasn’t giving any indication’’ of what the figures would show.

Instead, she was referring to unaudited financial results of the New Zealand Government, otherwise known as the Crown accounts.

Hosking clearly asked Ardern about ‘‘the GDP numbers’’.

National Party leader Simon Bridges said Ardern appeared to have been distracted by the troubles of the coalition government, saying he had listened to the interview live.

‘‘I heard, quite clearly, a question on GDP [gross domestic product] from Mike Hosking,’’ Bridges told reporters, before National’s weekly caucus meeting.

‘‘I know what he was asking, I think most listeners would know what he was asking, and the reality is, she mistook what he was saying.’’

Bridges said it appeared the comments had an impact on the New Zealand dollar.

‘‘She needs to get that right – that she didn’t shows that she is distracted, she’s focused on the shambles of the coalition, rather than what matters to New Zealand.’’

Speaking to reporters, Ardern maintained that she was talking about the Crown accounts, but acknowledged that was not clear to listeners and that Hosking was talking about something different.

‘‘Of course the prime minister does not get the GDP figures. Nor should they. Those are held by Statistics [New Zealand]. I could not comment on those because I had not seen them.’’

Government Statistician Liz MacPherson was adamant there were ‘‘absolutely not’’ any hints to anyone, including the prime minister, before the release of economic growth figures.

Economists are expecting the figures will show the economy picked up slightly in the three months to June 30, and may have expanded by up to 0.9 per cent in the quarter.

However, if the economy grew by less than forecast, annual growth will have fallen to about 2.5 per cent. That is the level at which Reserve Bank governor Adrian Orr suggested he would consider cutting the official cash rate to all-time lows.

‘‘She needs to get that right – that she didn’t shows that she is distracted.’’ National leader Simon Bridges