6 May 2020
James Watson
By email: [FYI request #12481 email]
Tēnā koe Mr Watson
Request under the Official Information Act 1982
I refer to your refined request made to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet
on 20 March 2020 under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act). On 3 April, parts
of your request were transferred to me given the close alignment with the functions of
my portfolio as the Minister for Māori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti.
You requested the following information:
(a)
all Cabinet papers since 2005 which discuss the constitutional status of the
Treaty of Waitangi;
(b)
all Cabinet papers relating to the foreshore and seabed act 2004; and
(c)
all Cabinet papers relating to the establishment of the Māori-Crown portfolio.
I am responding to part of Part (a) and all of Part (c) of your request only. Regarding
Part (a), my response relates to relevant Cabinet papers lodged since 2018 – the year
the Māori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti portfolio was established.
Attached as Appendix One,
is a list of Cabinet papers that fall within the scope of your
request. Your request has been refused pursuant to section 18(d) - the information
requested is or will soon be publicly available.
The Cabinet papers you have requested can be found on the Te Arawhiti
(https://tearawhiti.govt.nz/) and Ministry of Justice
(www.justice.govt.nz) websites.
Of the Cabinet papers I refer to in Appendix One, you will note that one is not currently
publicly available. This paper will be available
on the Te Arawhiti
(https://tearawhiti.govt.nz/) website by the end of May 2020.
You have the right under section 28(3) of the Act to seek an investigation and review
by the Ombudsman about the decision to withhold certain information. Information
about how to do this is available a
t www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800
802 602.
Nāku noa, nā
Hon Kelvin Davis
Minister for Māori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti
Appendix One – List of Cabinet papers
RELEASED /
DOCUMENT
DATE
DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION
WITHHELD /
NOTES
NUMBER
REFUSED
1
21/10/2019 Cabinet paper – Treaty of Waitangi Refused under Relevant to Part (a) of request.
Guidance
s18(d)
Can be found on Te Arawhiti website.
2
4/11/2019
Cabinet
paper
–
Roles
and Refused under
Responsibilities of Te Puni Kōkiri
Relevant to Part (a) of request.
and Te s18(d)
Can be found on Te Arawhiti website.
Arawhiti
3
5/03/2018
Cabinet
paper
-
Initial
scope
of Refused under Relevant to Part (c) of request.
Crown/Māori Relations Portfolio
s18(d)
Can be found on Ministry of Justice
website.
4
18/09/2018 Cabinet paper – Proposed final scope of Refused under Relevant to Part (c) of request.
the Crown/Māori Relations portfolio and a s18(d)
Can be found on Te Arawhiti website.
Crown/Māori engagement framework and
guidelines
5
2/11/2018
Cabinet paper – Establishment of the Refused under Relevant to Part (c) of request.
Office for Māori Crown Relations
s18(d)
Will soon be available on Te Arawhiti
website.