| Information about the Government Current Transactions |
Availability
| Valid From: .. | 06/30/1990 |
| To: .. | Ongoing |
| Frequency: .. | Quarterly |
Design
Purpose: Government Current Transactions is a component of the Services item of New Zealand's Balance of Payments statement.
This item covers defence and diplomatic transactions where at least one party to the transaction is either the New Zealand or a foreign government.
The credit entries include estimates of sales of capital assets excluding land, estimated expenditure of foreign embassies in New Zealand, the portion of the New Zealand Government's international aid spent in New Zealand, and government's receipts from immigration fees.
Debit entries comprise the operational expenses of New Zealand's embassies overseas, and the costs of New Zealand defence forces stationed overseas.
General Information ..Population covered
Government current transactions data are sourced from government departments, a 1990/91 benchmark survey of the expenditure of foreign embassies in New Zealand, and the Central Government Enterprise Survey.
Data is collected in the form of a letter from external suppliers and via a spreadsheet from the Government Sector division of Statistics New Zealand.
NA/CG/1A - Central Government Enterprise Survey
Output Variables
Output variables are pieces of individual information that can be extracted from the survey/output data. Often output variables can be cross tabulated with other output variables, for example sales by industry classification. The list below contains all current and past output variables which have been released for this survey/output.
| Variable Name | Description |
 | |
| Government Transaction Credits | This is the total of foreign government transactions, government aid spent internally, government receipts and government overseas asset sales. |
| |
| Foreign government transactions | This is a constant figure updated from a survey carried out in 1998/99 that asked for all annual spending by foreign embassies in New Zealand. |
| |
| Government aid spent internally | The portion of the New Zealand Government's international aid spent in New Zealand. |
| |
| Government receipts | This includes receipts from immigration fees and the sale of passports, visas and certificates. |
| |
| Government overseas asset sales | The estimates of overseas sales of capital assets excluding land. |
| |
| Government Transaction Debits | This is the total of government expenditure overseas and defence overseas. |
| |
| Government expenditure overseas | This is the operational expenses of New Zealand's embassies overseas. |
| |
| Defence (spending) overseas | This is the costs of New Zealand defence forces stationed overseas. |
Changes in Output Variables over time
Guide to Interpreting Data
Summary of Changes to Survey/Output ..Prior to 1989/90, Government Transactions were based on moving the previous period by collecting where available, details of the programme expenditures of the government departments. The former OET record formed the basis upon which the movements were made. The major departments contributing to this component were the Ministries of External Relations and Trade and Defence.
A quarterly survey of Central Government Enterprises was established during 1989/90. Since 1/7/96 this data has been collected electronically via the Treasury's Crown Financial Information System.
A minor change in coverage occurred in 1989/90. The change was the result of this component now being more narrowly defined than previously. It now consists of only the government's diplomatic and defence relations with other countries, such as the income and expenses of embassies, consulates and the defence forces. International services carried out by the government not included here are recorded under "other services".
The Reserve Bank's Overseas Exchange Transaction record was the primary data source for foreign government expenditure in New Zealand up to 1985/86. Since then the data has been extrapolated. In 1990/91, an annual survey of foreign embassies was undertaken and this survey data now represents the primary data source.
In 1998/99, an annual survey of foreign embassies was undertaken and this survey data has updated the data estimate for the June 1997 quarter onwards.
Usage and Limitations of the Data ..
Related Data Sources ..Government Sector division publications
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Ministry of Defence
Sampling Errors ..Not applicable.
Non-sampling errors Non-sampling errors in the data may result from respondent error, mistakes made during processing results and non-response imputation. The department adopts procedures to detect and minimise these types of errors but they may still occur and they are not quantifiable.
Caveats on Release ..None.
Catalogue & Reference Numbers
Other Comments
Classification(s) used
Glossary of Terms
Contact Details
Liability
Statistics New Zealand gives no warranty that the information or data supplied contains no errors. However, all care and diligence has been used in processing, analysing and extracting the information. Statistics New Zealand shall not be liable for any loss or damage suffered by the customer consequent upon the use directly, or indirectly, of the information supplied in this product.