James
Via FYI.org
10 February 2023
Dear James
OIA 22-23-17: Costs and selection process of DJ Sir-Vere performing at Expo 2020 Dubai
Thank you for your email of 9 December 2022, received 12 December 2022, making a request
under the Of icial Information Act 1982 (the Act) for information about the costs and selection
process of DJ Sir-Vere performing at Expo 2020 Dubai and NZ at Expo communications with
Clarke Gayford. On 30 January 2023, we extended the time for response to 17 February 2023.
You requested the following:
1. Please provide all communications, including but not limited to emails, texts and phone
calls etc relating to the nomination, selection and appointment of DJ Sir Vere as the
successful DJ chosen for the NZ Pavil on in Dubai.
2. Please provide all details and information relating to the DJ shortlist of potential DJ’s. If
no shortlist was created, please explain the reasoning. If DJ Sir Vere was recommended,
please provide all details and information concerning that recommendation.
3. Please provide all communications including but not limited to texts, emails and phone
calls between NZTE, its managers and anyone at all associated with World expo and
Clarke Gayford
4. Please provide the name of the person, title and role, responsible for the appointment of
DJ Sir Vere at the Dubai expo.
5. Please provide all details of DJ Sir Vere’s remuneration package. Including but not limited
to, flights, transport, accomodation (name of hotel), performance fee, length of contract.
Answers to your questions are as follows.
1. NZTE conducted a keyword search of its email system and found none to contain any
information relating to the nomination, selection or appointment of DJ Sir-Vere. The Expo
2020 Team has been disbanded. We do not believe there would be any contact in any other
form due to this occurring external to NZTE, as explained in number 2 below.
2. DJ Sir-Vere’s appearance at the Street Art Installation at the New Zealand Pavilion at Expo
2020 Dubai was part of New Zealand’s Entertainment and Cultural Programme. NZ at Expo
appointed internationally renowned choreographer, entrepreneur, dancer, singer, and
director, Parris Goebel, to fil the part-time/consulting role of Entertainment and Cultural
Programme Curator. As part of this role, Parris was responsible for the selection and
appointment of all artists that made up the Entertainment and Cultural Programme, including
DJ Sir-Vere.
3. NZTE conducted a search of its systems and found no evidence of any emails between
Expo 2020 staff members and Clarke Gayford. The Expo 2020 Team has been disbanded
since the end of the project. However, the New Zealand Commissioner-General to Expo
2020 has had no contact with Clarke Gayford and is not aware of any team member having
had any contact.
4. As stated in the response to question 2, Parris Goebel as Curator of New Zealand’s
Entertainment and Cultural Programme at Expo 2020, appointed DJ Sir-Vere to perform as
part of the Programme.
5. DJ Sir-Vere’s remuneration in the contract included a fixed performance fee and the
following expenses, to be paid directly by NZTE to the provider of each service, rather than
being reimbursed directly to DJ Sir-Vere:
• One return economy class flight between Auckland and Dubai;
• Nine nights of accommodation in Dubai at an official NZTE vetted and approved
accommodation provider;
• A daily contribution towards meals of NZ$80pp per day where no meal is provided on
site while in Dubai;
• Direct Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ) charges charged by the MIQ provider
upon return to New Zealand (if required);
• Pre-departure PCR (viral testing) in both New Zealand and Dubai for the Service
Provider;
• Travel insurance in respect of travel to and from Dubai and during any time that the
Service Provider is undertaking the Services in Dubai; and
• Ground transport while in Dubai between the airport, hotel and the Expo Park for
provision of the Services.
The amounts for these matters were as follows.
The Performance Fee in the contract covered the provision of “DJ services to accompany
NZTE’s live street art installation from the 28 January to the 31st January 2022, including a
“meet and greet” each day”. We are withholding the performance fee under section
9(2)(b)(ii) of the Of icial Information Act, as the release of this information would be likely
unreasonably to prejudice the commercial position of the person who is the subject of the
information. The expenses were:
• Total flight cost was NZD $2089.99
• Total accommodation cost was AED 10,040. We are withholding the name of the hotel
under section 9(2)(b)(i ) of the Act, as we regard this as commercially sensitive due to
this room rate being a special one obtained following a Request for Proposal process.
• DJ Sir-Vere travelled as part of a Group MIQ allocation, so specific individual MIQ costs
are not available in NZTE’s financial records. We were able to locate a dif erent
individual who used MIQ near the same time as an approximation. Total MIQ cost for
this individual was NZD $1400.
• As he travelled as part of a group, we were not able to find specific PCR test costs for
DJ Sir-Vere. However, another individual for comparison totalled $417.92 in PCR tests.
• Al Expo 2020 performers were covered by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise’s
Business Travel insurance policy, which covers all staff and contractors. There is
therefore no individual insurance cost.
• Ground transport also occurred in groups and was often carried out by NZTE arranged
group transport in existing vehicles. It is therefore not possible to provide an individual
cost breakdown.
You have the right under section 28(3) of the Act to seek an investigation and review by the
Ombudsman. Information about how to make a complaint is available at:
www.ombudsman.parliament.govt.nz or freephone: 0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely
Melissa Trochon
Director – Board & Ministerial
