2 March 2023
Office of the National Librarian
National Library of New Zealand
PO Box 1467
John Luke
Wel ington 6140
fyi-request-21822-
Phone +64 4 474 3000
[email address]
dia.govt.nz
Tēnā koe Mr Luke
Official Information Act (1982) request 2223-0582
Thank you for your Official Information Act (the Act) request of 13 February 2023.
You have asked:
• How did [the Department of Internal Affairs] cal for public nomination [for Te Awhi
Rito] and on what platforms did you call for public nominations, [e.g. govt.jobs
website.]
• How many applications you have received from the public and how many you have
received from other nominating agencies [such as TPK or Ministry of women etc.]
• How many you have shortlisted and interviewed.
• What payment or benefit does Te Awhi Rito Reading Ambassador get?
In response to parts one to three of your request:
• Nominations for Te Awhi Rito were called for between 12 December 2022 and 31
January 2023 via media release and the websites and online channels of the partners
in the Te Awhi Rito initiative, being the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna
Mātauranga o Aotearoa; Te Puna Foundation; Read New Zealand Te Pou Muramura;
Creative New Zealand Toi Aotearoa; and Storylines Children’s Literature Charitable
Trust Te Whare Waituhi Tamariki o Aotearoa.
• A Department of Internal Affairs media release from the National Library was issued
on 13 December 2022.
• Fourteen nominations were received, with one of these nominations received from
an organisation and thirteen from individuals. No nominations were received from Te
Puni Kōkiri or the Ministry for Women, or other agencies.
• Three nominees were shortlisted. The selection process did not include interviews.
Nominations included statements provided by the nominators as well as links and
references.
I am declining part four of your request under section 18(d) of the Act as the information
regarding remuneration for Te Awhi Rito is publicly available and can be found at
https://natlib.govt.nz/about-us/collaborative-projects/new-zealand-reading-
ambassador#nomination-and-selection .
As this information may be of interest to other members of the public, the decision has been
made to proactively release a copy of this response on the Department of Internal Affairs
website. All requester data, including your name and contact details, will be removed prior
to release. The released response will be made available here:
Official Information Act
Requests-2 - dia.govt.nz.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision.
Information about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz
or Freephone 0800 802 602.
If you have any feedback or questions about the Department’s response, please let us know
at [email address].
Ngā mihi
Rachel Esson
Te Pouhuaki National Librarian
National Library of New Zealand
