By email
Shed 39, 2 Fryatt Quay
Pipitea, Wel ington 6011
PO Box 11646
1 November 2019
Manners Street
Wel ington 6142
T 04 384 5708
File Ref: OIAP-7-13179
F 04 385 6960
www.gw.govt.nz
Tony Randle
[FYI request #11372 email]
Dear Mr Randle
Request for information 2019-331
I refer to your request for information dated 3 October 2019, originally received by Greater Wellington
Regional Council (GWRC) on 3 October 2019. You have requested the following information:
“The Greater Wellington Regional Council meet of 2nd of October 2019
(http://www.gw.govt.nz/committee-meetings-calendar/detail/7530) included consideration of a
number of Public Excluded Items under Report 19.453 including:
"3. Business Case for Long Distance Rolling Stock"
and
"5. Land purchase – Paremata"
1) Can I please have a copy of the section of Report 19.453 that covers Item "3. Business Case
for Long Distance Rolling Stock" ?
2) Can I please have a copy of any supporting presentation, costings or other supporting
information provided to councillors about Item "3. Business Case for Long Distance Rolling
Stock" ?
3) Can I please have a copy of any Business Case(s) or equivalent report(s) associated with
Item "3. Business Case for Long Distance Rolling Stock" ?
4) Can I please have a copy of the detailed benefit calculations and detailed cost calculations
used to support any Business Case(s) or equivalent report(s) associated with Item "3. Business
Case for Long Distance Rolling Stock" ?
5) Can I please have a copy of the section of Report 19.453 that covers Item "5. Land
purchase – Paremata"
6) Can I please have a copy of any Business Case or equivalent report associated with Item
"5. Land purchase – Paremata" ?
If the requested information is held in electronic form, it is preferred that it is provided in its
complete and original electronic format. It is also preferred that all correspondence on this
information request is via the FYI web site.”
RESPONSE TO OIA 2019-331 TONY RANDLE
GWRC’s response follows:
We have considered your request for information and have made a decision on your request to release
the following documents:
• Report to Council PE19.446 – Fleet capacity and renewal - rail
• Attachment to report PE19.446 - Lower North Island Longer-Distance Rolling Stock Business
Case
• Report to Council PE19.445 - Land Purchase Paremata
Although not presented at the meeting of Council on 2 October 2019, we are also providing you
with a copy of the presentation made to the Sustainable Transport Committee on 7 August 2019 -
Longer Distance Rolling Stock – Draft Business Case.
The report, the draft business case, and the related presentation contain detailed and sensitive costing
information relating to the future procurement and contracting of rail services in the Wellington
Region. The detailed and sensitive costing information from these documents will be withheld under
section 7(2)(i) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (the Act) on the
ground that withholding the information is necessary as the release of this information would be likely
to prejudice or disadvantage the ability of GWRC to carry on negotiations with potential suppliers of
rolling stock for the Metlink public transport network.
The purchase of land at Paremata is currently being negotiated with the New Zealand Transport
Agency and the report contains detailed and sensitive information relating to the current negotiations.
Parts of this document are being withheld under section 7(2)(i) of the Act.
While we have made a decision on your request, we are currently preparing the documents for release
and we will provide these to you by Monday 11 November 2019.
You have also requested a copy of the detailed benefit calculations and detailed cost calculations used
to support any business case(s) or equivalent report(s) associated with the business case for Long
Distance Rolling Stock. There are a number of spreadsheets that contain this information and the
amount of redaction that would be required to remove commercially sensitive information and data
would make the information meaningless. We have therefore decided to withhold this information in
full under section 7(2)(i) of the Act on the ground that withholding the information is necessary as the
release of this information would be likely to prejudice or disadvantage the ability of GWRC to carry
on negotiations with potential suppliers of rolling stock for the Metlink public transport network.
We have considered whether the public interest in the requested information outweighs GWRC’s need
to withhold certain aspects of the requested information. As a result, we do not consider that the
public interest outweighs GWRC’s reasons for withholding certain information under the ground
identified above.
RESPONSE TO OIA 2019-331 TONY RANDLE
PAGE 2 OF 3
If you have any concerns with the decision(s) referred to in this letter, you have the right to request an
investigation and review by the Ombudsman under section 27(3) of the Act.
Yours sincerely
Greg Pollock
General Manager, Public Transport
RESPONSE TO OIA 2019-331 TONY RANDLE
PAGE 3 OF 3
