Hon Kiri Al an
MP for East Coast
Minister of Justice
Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage
Associate Minister for the Environment
Associate Minister of Finance
01 November 2022
Craig Innes
[FYI request #20794 email]
Tēnā koe Craig
Sexual harassment and workplace bullying
Thank you for your email of 8 October 2022, requesting, under the Official Information Act
1982 (the
Act) information on sexual harassment and workplace bullying at the Waitangi
Tribunal. Specifically, you requested:
“…all information relating to the issue of workplace bullying and sexual harassment
occurring within the Waitangi Tribunal Unit (the body within the Ministry of Justice that
provides administrative and support services to the Waitangi Tribunal -not the Waitangi
Tribunal itself), since 2017. This request includes all the papers or documents relating
to each respective Minister of Justice and Associate Minister of Justice since 2017.”
I am aware that you made an identical request to my predecessor, Hon Kris Faafoi, who
refused your request under section 18(e) of the Act as the information did not exist.
As noted in Hon Kris Faafoi’s response of 3 February 2022, Ministers would not ordinarily be
involved in decisions on internal policies or matters relating to individual staff, including
subjects of workplace bullying and sexual harassment. I am therefore also refusing your
request under section 18(e) of the Act as the information requested does not exist.
If you are not satisfied with my response, you have the right to complain to the Ombudsman
under section 28(3) of the Act. The Ombudsman may be contacted by email at
[email address] or by calling 0800 802 602.
Nāku noa, nā
Ben McLachlan
Senior Ministerial Advisor
Private Bag 18041, Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6160, New Zealand
+64 4 817 8732 |
[Kiri Allan request email] |
beehive.govt.nz