Kia ora Ti Lamusse

 

 

Thank you for your Official Information Act request dated 5 April 2019 for
the following information:

 

1.    The number of investigations initiated into benefit fraud per annum,
as far back as records permit. If possible, please break this down by the
ethnicity and gender of the suspect.

2.    If possible, please break this down by the type of fraud (e.g.
relationship) -The number of charges laid for beneficiary fraud per annum,
as far back as records permit. If possible, please break this down by the
ethnicity and gender of the suspect.

3.    If possible, please break this down by the type of fraud (e.g.
relationship) -The total estimated and, if possible, actual cost of
beneficiary fraud, per annum.

4.    The total amount of beneficiary debt forgiven/wiped per annum, as
back as records permit.

 

 

First we want to confirm we are interpreting your questions correctly. Are
they supposed to read as follows:

 

1.    The number of investigations initiated into benefit fraud per annum,
as far back as records permit. If possible, please break this down by the
ethnicity and gender of the suspect. If possible, please break this down
by the type of fraud (e.g. relationship)

2.    The number of charges laid for beneficiary fraud per annum, as far
back as records permit. If possible, please break this down by the
ethnicity and gender of the suspect. If possible, please break this down
by the type of fraud (e.g. relationship)

3.    The total estimated and, if possible, actual cost of beneficiary
fraud, per annum.

4.    The total amount of beneficiary debt forgiven/wiped per annum, as
back as records permit.

 

 

If this is the case, we are intending to answer your questions in the
following manner:

 

1.    The number of investigations initiated into benefit fraud per annum,
as far back as records permit. If possible, please break this down by the
ethnicity and gender of the suspect. If possible, please break this down
by the type of fraud (e.g. relationship)

 

We would like to address the intent of your request however the Ministry’s
reporting does not allow for us to consistently pull data in the exact way
you have requested. Instead we are proposing to provide you with the
number of investigations completed by financial year broken down by line
of enquiry (type of fraud) and the number of people these investigations
relate to broken down by gender and ethnicity.

 

2.    The number of charges laid for beneficiary fraud per annum, as far
back as records permit. If possible, please break this down by the
ethnicity and gender of the suspect. If possible, please break this down
by the type of fraud (e.g. relationship)

 

We are intending to provide the number of prosecutions completed broken
down by line of enquiry and the number of people prosecuted broken down by
gender and ethnicity.

 

3.    The total estimated and, if possible, actual cost of beneficiary
fraud, per annum.

 

We are intending to provide the total number of overpayments

 

4.    The total amount of beneficiary debt forgiven/wiped per annum, as
back as records permit.

We are intending to provide the total number of debt write-offs.

 

 

If you could please confirm we have interpreted your request correctly and
are happy for us to proceed with the above approach. If you wish to
discuss your request with us over the phone, please provide us with a
contact phone number and a time to call that suits you.

 

 

Nā mātou noa, nā

 

Emma

 

Official and Parliamentary Information team   |  Ministerial and
Executive Services

Ministry of Social Development

 

Our Purpose:
We help New Zealanders to be safe, strong and independent
Manaaki Tangata, Manaaki Whānau

 

------------------------------- This email and any attachments may contain
information that is confidential and subject to legal privilege. If you
are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, distribution or
duplication of this email and attachments is prohibited. If you have
received this email in error please notify the author immediately and
erase all copies of the email and attachments. The Ministry of Social
Development accepts no responsibility for changes made to this message or
attachments after transmission from the Ministry.
-------------------------------

Kia ora Ti Lamusse

 

Thank you for your email. Questions three and four have been redefined as
follows:

 

3. the total number of overpayments and the dollar amount of these
overpayments as far back as records allow.

 

4. the total number of debt write offs and the dollar amount of these
write offs as far back as records allow.

 

Nā mātou noa, nā

 

Emma

 

Official and Parliamentary Information team   |  Ministerial and
Executive Services

Ministry of Social Development

 

Our Purpose:
We help New Zealanders to be safe, strong and independent
Manaaki Tangata, Manaaki Whānau

 

------------------------------- This email and any attachments may contain
information that is confidential and subject to legal privilege. If you
are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, distribution or
duplication of this email and attachments is prohibited. If you have
received this email in error please notify the author immediately and
erase all copies of the email and attachments. The Ministry of Social
Development accepts no responsibility for changes made to this message or
attachments after transmission from the Ministry.
-------------------------------

Kia ora Ti Lamusse

 

 

On 5 April you emailed the Ministry requesting, under the Official
Information Act 1982, the following information:

 

1.    The number of investigations initiated into benefit fraud per annum,
as far back as records permit. If possible, please break this down by the
ethnicity and gender of the suspect.

2.    If possible, please break this down by the type of fraud (e.g.
relationship) -The number of charges laid for beneficiary fraud per annum,
as far back as records permit. If possible, please break this down by the
ethnicity and gender of the suspect.

3.    If possible, please break this down by the type of fraud (e.g.
relationship) -The total estimated and, if possible, actual cost of
beneficiary fraud, per annum.

4.    The total amount of beneficiary debt forgiven/wiped per annum, as
back as records permit.

 

On 23 April 2019 your request was redefined as follows:

 

1.    The number of investigations initiated into benefit fraud per annum,
as far back as records permit. If possible, please break this down by the
ethnicity and gender of the suspect. If possible, please break this down
by the type of fraud (e.g. relationship)

2.    The number of charges laid for beneficiary fraud per annum, as far
back as records permit. If possible, please break this down by the
ethnicity and gender of the suspect. If possible, please break this down
by the type of fraud (e.g. relationship)

 3. The total number of overpayments and the dollar amount of these
overpayments as far back as records allow.
 4. The total number of debt write offs and the dollar amount of these
write offs as far back as records allow.

 

This letter is to advise you that the Ministry has received your request,
however requires more time to respond to this request. In accordance with
section 15(1) and 15A of the Official Information Act, the Ministry’s
decision will be with you no later than 23 May 2019.

 

The reason for the extension is that consultations necessary to make a
decision on the request are such that a proper response to the request
cannot reasonably be made within the original time limit.

 

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
[1]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or 0800 802 602.

 

If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request with us, including this
decision, please feel free to contact [2][MSD request email]

We will respond to you sooner if able to.

Nā mātou noa, nā

 

 

 

Official and Parliamentary Information team   |  Ministerial and
Executive Services

Ministry of Social Development

 

Our Purpose:
We help New Zealanders to be safe, strong and independent
Manaaki Tangata, Manaaki Whānau

 

 

------------------------------- This email and any attachments may contain
information that is confidential and subject to legal privilege. If you
are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, distribution or
duplication of this email and attachments is prohibited. If you have
received this email in error please notify the author immediately and
erase all copies of the email and attachments. The Ministry of Social
Development accepts no responsibility for changes made to this message or
attachments after transmission from the Ministry.
-------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/
2. mailto:[MSD request email]

Ti Lamusse

[1][FOI #10012 email]

 

 

Dear Ti Lamusse

 

On 5 April you emailed the Ministry requesting, under the Official
Information Act 1982, the following information:

 

 1. The number of investigations initiated into benefit fraud per annum,
as far back as records permit. If possible, please break this down by
the ethnicity and gender of the suspect.
 2. If possible, please break this down by the type of fraud (e.g.
relationship) -The number of charges laid for beneficiary fraud per
annum, as far back as records permit. If possible, please break this
down by the ethnicity and gender of the suspect.
 3. If possible, please break this down by the type of fraud (e.g.
relationship) -The total estimated and, if possible, actual cost of
beneficiary fraud, per annum.
 4. The total amount of beneficiary debt forgiven/wiped per annum, as back
as records permit.

 

On 18 April 2019, you confirmed the Ministry’s interpretation of the
request as follows:

 

 1. The number of investigations initiated into benefit fraud per annum,
as far back as records permit. If possible, please break this down by
the ethnicity and gender of the suspect. If possible, please break
this down by the type of fraud (e.g. relationship).
 2. The number of charges laid for beneficiary fraud per annum, as far
back as records permit. If possible, please break this down by the
ethnicity and gender of the suspect. If possible, please break this
down by the type of fraud (e.g. relationship).
 3. the total number of overpayments and the dollar amount of these
overpayments as far back as records allow.
 4. the total number of debt write offs and the dollar amount of these
write offs as far back as records allow.

 

The Ministry has decided to grant your request in part, namely information
which relates to investigations and prosecutions of benefit fraud.
However, it will take some time to prepare this information for release.
The information will be sent to you by 24 June 2019. The Ministry will
withhold information which relates to the numbers lower than six under
section 9(2)(a) of the Official Information Act. The need to protect the
privacy of these individuals outweighs the public interest in this
information.

 

If you wish to discuss this decision with us, please feel free to contact
[2][MSD request email]

 

If you are not satisfied with this decision, you have the right to seek an
investigation and review by the Ombudsman. Information about how to make a
complaint is available at [3]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz  or 0800 802 602.

 

Yours sincerely

Official and Parliamentary Information team   |  Ministerial and
Executive Services

Ministry of Social Development

 

Our Purpose:
We help New Zealanders to be safe, strong and independent.
Manaaki Tangata, Manaaki Whānau.

 

------------------------------- This email and any attachments may contain
information that is confidential and subject to legal privilege. If you
are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, distribution or
duplication of this email and attachments is prohibited. If you have
received this email in error please notify the author immediately and
erase all copies of the email and attachments. The Ministry of Social
Development accepts no responsibility for changes made to this message or
attachments after transmission from the Ministry.
-------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[FOI #10012 email]
2. mailto:[MSD request email]
3. http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/

Tçnâ koe Ti Lamusse

 

Please find attached the Ministry’s response to your Official Information
Act request.

 

Nâ mâtou noa, nâ

 

Official and Parliamentary Information team | Ministerial and Executive
Services

Ministry of Social Development

 

Our Purpose:
We help New Zealanders to be safe, strong and independent
Manaaki Tangata, Manaaki Whânau

 

------------------------------- This email and any attachments may contain
information that is confidential and subject to legal privilege. If you
are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, distribution or
duplication of this email and attachments is prohibited. If you have
received this email in error please notify the author immediately and
erase all copies of the email and attachments. The Ministry of Social
Development accepts no responsibility for changes made to this message or
attachments after transmission from the Ministry.
-------------------------------