13 June 2022
By email:
[FYI request #19342 email]
Dear Luke
Official Information Act request
Our Ref: OIA353/1
1.
On 14 May 2022, by email, you made the following request under the Official
Information Act 1982 (
the Act) to the Crown Law Office:
This is an Information Request relating to [CIV-2021-485-756].
Please release the Crown's most recent Statement of Defence that was provided to
the applicants (Waters Users' Group (NZ) Incorporated).
Please also release the expenditure of the law office on this particular case to date
and the expected total spend.
2.
Please find
attached a copy of the Statement of Defence as filed on 2 May 2022.
3.
In respect of your request for the expenditure of the Crown Law Office to date as at 31
May 2022, the Crown Law Office has bil ed $37,467 (exclusive of GST) to the Department
of Internal Affairs in relation to this matter. It has also billed $5,416 of disbursements
to the Department of Internal Affairs (this includes filing fees and external counsel costs)
(exclusive of GST).
4.
In relation to the request regarding the expected total spend we refuse your request
under section 18(a) of the Act. This is because legal professional privilege is a good
reason for withholding information under section 9(2)(h) of the Act and, in the
circumstances, it is not outweighed by other considerations which render it desirable in
the public interest to make that information available.
Level 3 Justice Centre, 19 Aitken Street, Wel ington 6011 | PO Box 2858 or DX SP20208, Wel ington 6140, New Zealand | +64 4 472 1719 | crownlaw.govt.nz
6882146_1
2
5.
You have a right under section 19(b) of the Act, by way of complaint to the Ombudsman
under section 28(3), to seek an investigation and review of the refusal of your request.
Yours faithfully
Crown Law
Amy Bowden
Crown Counsel
6882146_1