26 January 2021
Huw Morgan
[FYI request #14416 email]
Reference: OIA-2020/21-0281
Dear Huw Morgan
Official Information Act request relating to money spent on public polls/focus groups
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) request received on 7 January
2021. You requested:
I would like to know how much money the Labour government has spent on public
polls/focus groups of both voting intention and around specific policy ideas, since they
took office in late 2017.
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) does not hold the information
requested, as this information is created by the activities of a political party. I suggest that the
Labour Party would likely hold this information.
Information held by the Labour Party, including during the period of time since the Party
formed the Sixth Labour Government in 2017, is not “official information” as defined by
section 2(a) of the Act. Agencies or organisations that are subject to the Act can be found in
Schedule 1 of the Ombudsman Act 1975 or Schedule 1 of the Act. Please note that official
information does not include information which is held by a Minister in their capacity as a
member of a political party.
Therefore, I am refusing your request for information pursuant to section 18(g)(i) of the Act
as the information is not held by DPMC, nor do I believe it is held by another agency subject
to the Act.
You have the right to ask the Ombudsman to investigate and review my decision under
section 28(3) of the Act.
We do not intend to publish this response on the Department of the Prime Minister and
Cabinet’s website.
Yours sincerely
Clare Ward
Executive Director
Strategy, Governance and Engagement
Executive Wing, Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand 6011
4335260
64 4 817 9698 www.dpmc.govt.nz