Letter to John Sutton.pdf

27 May 2021
45 Pipitea St
PO Box 805
Wellington 6140
John Sutton
Phone +64 4 495 7200

Fax +64 4 495 7222
Via email: fyi-request-15052-
Website dia.govt.nz
[email address]
Tēnā koe John
Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) request dated 1 April 2021 (ref OIA 20/21 0561)
Thank you for your OIA request dated 1 April 2021 to the Department of Internal Affairs
(Department). You requested –
“Can You please provide copies of any reports, audits or investigations that You have
conducted into The Masse Cuesports Club”
The Department notes that the club was called the Waikato Snooker & 8 Ball Club Inc until
2012, then Masse Foundation Inc from 2012 to 2013, and finally, it has been known as
Masse Incorporated from 2013 to the present. Further details can be found by searching the
the Incorporated Societies Register.

Documents in scope of your request
The Department has identified 49 documents within scope of your request, which are
summarised in the table attached to this letter.
Please note, to provide you with the most relevant information in a timely manner, the
Department has excluded administrative emails such as those setting up meetings.
Principle of availability
The guiding principle for considering your request for official information is the principle of
availability (section 5 of the OIA), that is, information must be made available on request
unless there is good reason for withholding it. “Good reason” for withholding is defined in
the OIA under a number of grounds. It is against these grounds that the Department
considered whether to withhold official information in this case.
Withholding grounds applicable under section 9(2) of the OIA
The Department has considered the other reasons for withholding information that are
subject to the public interest test, listed in section 9(2) of the OIA. The following grounds for
withholding information apply to the redacted information to the extent outlined in
Appendix A of this letter and in the documents themselves: section 9(2)(a) and section
9(2)(ba)(i) of the OIA.

Before deciding to withhold information under these sections the Department considered
whether the withholding of information was outweighed by any public interest
considerations under section 9(1) of the OIA. The Department acknowledges the public
interest in the transparent conduct of public affairs and in holding officials to account for
their actions.
In this case, it has been decided that the public interest in favour of disclosure of the
redacted information in question does not outweigh the need to withhold the redacted
information for the reasons set out in section 9(2) of the OIA. Therefore, sections 9(2)(a) and
9(2)(ba)(i) provide good reasons for withholding the redacted information in question.
If you are dissatisfied with the Department’s decision on your request for information, you
have the right, under section 28 of the OIA, to make a complaint to the Office of the
Ombudsman. The Office of the Ombudsman can be contacted by phone on 0800 802 602,
via post at PO Box 10152 Wellington or via email to [email address].
Ngā mihi
Susan Allen
Deputy Director Operations
Regulatory System Gambling

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Appendix A
Document
Title
Date
Comments
number
Document 1
Photograph of age restriction
4/02/2004
Released in full.
sign: Waikato Snooker and 8 Ball
Club
Document 2
Job sheet: visit to Waikato
2/09/2004
Released with some information
Snooker & 8 Ball Club
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
the OIA.
Document 3
Investigation Criteria Checklist:
17/09/2004
Released in full.
Waikato Snooker and 8 Ball Club
Document 4
Job sheet: Waikato Snooker & 8
07/10/2004 –
Released with some information
Ball
15/10/2004
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
the OIA.
Document 5
Job sheet: visit to Waikato
20/10/2004
Released in full.
Snooker & 8 Ball Club
Document 6
List of transactions for gaming
02/03/2005 –
Released with some information
account and club account
15/02/2007
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
the OIA.
Document 7
Minutes of Waikato Snooker and
23/02/2006
Released with some information
8 Ball Club management
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
committee meeting
the OIA.
Document 8
Letter from the Department to
7/06/2006
Released with some information
the Waikato Snooker & 8 Ball
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
Club
the OIA.
Document 9
Job sheet: Waikato Snooker & 8
9/11/2006
Released in full.
Ball Club financial viability
Document 10
Job sheet: Complaint regarding
24/07/2008 –
Released with some information
AGM meeting
05/08/2008
withheld under sections 9(2)(a)
and 9(2)(ba)(i) of the OIA.
Document 11
Memo: Summary of complaints
5/08/2008
Released with some information
regarding Waikato Snooker and 8
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
Ball Club
the OIA.
Document 12
Job sheet: visit to Waikato
07/09/2008 –
Released in full.
Snooker & 8 Ball Club
09/09/2008
Document 13
Department email chain
04/11/2008 –
Released with some information
regarding key person suitability
19/01/2009
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
the OIA.
Document 14
Job sheet: Meeting with
12/01/2009
Released with some information
President and venue manager of
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
Waikato Snooker & 8 Ball Club
the OIA.
Document 15
Memo: Complaint regarding
6/03/2009
Released with some information
Waikato Snooker and 8 Ball Club
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
the OIA.

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Document 16
External email chain regarding
27/10/2009 –
Withheld in full under section
Waikato Snooker & 8 Ball Club
11/11/2009
9(2)(ba)(i) of the OIA.
committee
Document 17
Job sheet: Waikato Snooker & 8
11/11/2009
Released with some information
Ball Club complaint
withheld under sections 9(2)(a)
and 9(2)(ba)(i) of the OIA.
Document 18
Email regarding Waikato Snooker
23/12/2009
Released with some information
& 8 Ball Club committee member
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
resignation
the OIA.
Document 19
Job sheet: investigation regarding 04/06/2010 –
Released with some information
Waikato snooker & 8 Ball and
15/10/2010
withheld under sections 9(2)(a)
Waikato Snooker and Billiards
and 9(2)(ba)(i) of the OIA.
Association
Document 20
Letter from lawyer acting for
10/06/2010
Released in full.
Waikato Billiards and Snooker
Association to Waikato Snooker &
8 Ball Club
Document 21
Email of complaint to the
22/06/2010
Withheld in full under section
Department
9(2)(ba)(i) of the OIA.
Document 22
Job sheet: Waikato Snooker & 8
2/07/2010
Released with some information
Ball complaint
withheld under sections 9(2)(a)
and 9(2)(ba)(i) of the OIA.
Document 23
Job sheet: Waikato Snooker & 8
07/03/2011 –
Released in full.
Ball - Aggravated robbery
08/03/2011
Document 24
Department property receipt
18/03/2012
Released in full.
Document 25
Page from gambling equipment
29/08/2012
Released in full.
fault / player dispute report form:
Waikato Snooker & 8 Ball Club
Document 26
Page from gambling equipment
30/08/2012
Released with some information
fault / player dispute report form:
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
Waikato Snooker & 8 Ball Club
the OIA.
Document 27
Job sheet: theft of gaming
05/09/2012 –
Released with some information
machine money at Waikato
27/11/2012
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
Snooker and 8 Ball Club
the OIA.
Document 28
Letter from the Department to
23/10/2012
Released with some information
Crown Solicitor
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
the OIA.
Document 29
Letter from the Department of
26/10/2012
Released with some information
Internal Affairs to lawyers for
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
individual charged with theft
the OIA.
Document 30
Email exchange between
12/11/2012 –
Released with some information
Department and Waikato
03/12/2012
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
Snooker & 8 Ball Club
the OIA.
representative regarding problem
with EGM jackpot
Document 31
Job sheet: Description of inquiries 29/11/2012
Released with some information
completed
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
the OIA.

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Document 32
Internal Department letter
1/12/2012
Released with some information
regarding investigation into
withheld under sections 9(2)(a)
player complaint
and 9(2)(ba)(i) of the OIA.
Document 33
File note regarding interview with  24/01/2013
Released with some information
individual concerning stolen
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
gaming machine money
the OIA.
Document 34
File note regarding interview with  25/01/2013
Released with some information
individual concerning stolen
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
gaming machine money
the OIA.
Document 35
Email from Crown Solicitors
25/01/2013
Released with some information
attaching letter
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
the OIA.
Document 36
Receipt showing repayment of
29/01/2013
Released with some information
stolen gaming machine money
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
the OIA.
Document 37
Letter from the Department to
31/01/2013
Released with some information
individual in relation to theft of
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
gaming machine money
the OIA.
Document 38
Letter from the Department to
31/01/2013
Released with some information
individual in relation to theft of
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
gaming machine money
the OIA.
Document 39
Letter from Crown Solicitor to the  8/03/2013
Released with some information
Department of Internal Affairs
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
the OIA.
Document 40
Receipt showing repayment of
13/03/2013
Released with some information
stolen gaming machine money
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
the OIA.
Document 41
Letter from the Department to
18/03/2013
Released with some information
individual in relation to theft of
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
gaming machine money
the OIA.
Document 42
Letter from the Department to
18/03/2013
Released with some information
the Waikato Snooker & 8 Ball
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
Club
the OIA.
Document 43
Letter from the Department to
21/03/2013
Released with some information
Waikato Snooker & 8 Ball Club
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
the OIA.
Document 44
Department property receipt
22/03/2013
Released with some information
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
the OIA.
Document 45
Interview transcript with
no date
Released with some information
individual concerning stolen
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
gaming machine money
the OIA.
Document 46
Memo: Waikato Snooker and 8
no date
Released with some information
Ball
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
the OIA.
Document 47
File note from meeting with
no date
Released with some information
Waikato Snooker & 8 Ball Club
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
committee member
the OIA.

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Document 48
File note containing questions
no date
Released with some information
relating to Waikato Snooker & 8
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
Ball Club
the OIA.
Document 49
Department of Internal Affairs vs
no date
Released with some information
Levi James Newport: Summary of
withheld under section 9(2)(a) of
Facts
the OIA.

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