26 November 2020
Robert Whitaker
[FYI request #13833 email]
Dear Mr Whitaker
Thank you for contacting Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities on September 2020,
requesting the following information under the Official Information Act 1982 (Act):
Please provide to me any documentation relating to the potential renovation or
repair of the Gordon Wilson and McLean flats buildings in Wellington, formally
owned by Housing New Zealand.
I am interested in any reports, memos or other documents that include any
assessment of the viability and cost of resolving the buildings’ problems to allow
them to be re-occupied and/or relating to their sale.
The documents you requested relating to the potential redevelopment and ultimate sale of
the Gordon Wilson and McLean Flats in Wellington to Victoria University are not kept in a
central location. To provide this information would require a search through a significant
number of electronic and archived physical files. Therefore, I am declining your request
under section 18(f) of the Act as
“the information cannot be made available without
substantial collation or research”. However, Kāinga Ora was able to identify some key documents related to your request,
which are attached to this letter:
Housing New Zealand Corporation Board paper: McLean Flats and Gordon Wilson
Flats (29 August 2013)
Housing New Zealand Corporation Board paper: Gordon Wilson / McLean
Divestment Strategy Update (6 March 2014)
Housing New Zealand Corporation Board Investment Committee paper: McLean
Flats Redevelopment Project (14 March 2016)
Some information has been withheld under the following sections of the Act:
9(2)(a)
the withholding of the information is necessary to protect the privacy
of natural persons, including that of deceased natural persons
9(2)(i)
to enable a Minister of the Crown or any public service agency or
organisation holding the information to carry out, without prejudice
or disadvantage, commercial activities
9(2)(j)
to enable a Minister of the Crown or any public service agency or
organisation holding the information to carry on, without prejudice or
disadvantage, negotiations (including commercial and industrial
negotiations).
With respect to information that has been withheld under section 9 of the Act, I do not
consider there are any other factors which would render it desirable, in the public interest,
to make the information available.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this
response. Information about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or Freephone 0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely
Rachel Kelly
Manager Government Relations