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Donations to US think-tanks

Alex Harris made this Official Information request to Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

The request was successful.

From: Alex Harris

Dear Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade,

On September 6, the New York Times reported that countries were donating to US think-tanks as a way of buying influence and lobbying power in Washington ("Foreign Powers Buy Influence at Think Tanks", New York Times, 6 September 2014). I would like to request the following information under the OIA:

* Has the NZ government donated money to a US think-tank or NGO within the last five years? If so, I'd like a list of the think-tanks, the amounts, and the dates, as well as any agreement with the think-tank(s) concerned.

I would prefer to receive an electronic response. Queries about this request will be automatically forwarded to me by the fyi.org.nz website.

With regards to s12 of the OIA, I am an NZ citizen and in NZ.

Yours faithfully,

Alex Harris

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From: ENQUIRIES
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

[UNCLASSIFIED]

Dear Alex Harris,

Thank you for your OIA request, this email confirms receipt and advises that your request has been sent to the appropriate division for response.

Kind regards,

MFAT ENQUIRIES
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

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From: WILL, Don (DS IDG/ESD)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

[UNCLASSIFIED]

8 October 2014

 

 

Alex Harris

[1][OIA #1998 email]

 

 

 

Dear Alex Harris

 

Thank you for your email of 9 September 2014 in which you requested, under
the Official Information Act, the following information: 

·         Has the New Zealand Government donated money to a US think-tank
or NGO within the last five years?  If so, I’d like a list of the
think-tanks, the amounts, and the dates, as well as any agreement with the
think-tank(s) concerned.

 

Due to consultations required to respond to your OIA request, and the need
to search through and consider a significant amount of material, the time
limit for providing this information will need to be extended by up to
five working days, to 15 October 2014.

 

Under section 28(3) of the Official Information Act you have the right to
ask the Ombudsman to review this notice of an extension.

 

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

D. G. Will

for Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade

 

 

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From: WILL, Don (DS IDG/ESD)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Attachment img X15142532 0001.pdf
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[UNCLASSIFIED]

Dear Alex Harris

We refer to your email of 9 September and our email of 8 October concerning your Official Information Act request seeking information about whether the NZ Government has donated money to any US think-tank or NGO within the last five years.

Please find attached the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade's response to your OIA request.

Yours sincerely,

D G Will
for Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade

"The information contained in this email message is intended only for the addressee and is not necessarily the official view or communication of the Ministry. It may be legally privileged. If you are not the intended recipient you must not use, disclose, copy or distribute this message or the information in it as this may be unlawful. If you have received this message in error, please email or telephone the sender immediately."

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