14 March 2023

Andre
[FYI request #21927 email]

Tēnā koe Andre

On 27 February 2023, you emailed the Ministry of Social Development (the
Ministry) requesting, under the Official Information Act 1982  (the Act), the
following information:
•  I hereby request a copy of your debt management policy

On 3 March 2023, the Ministry emailed you and  asked  you  to  refine  your
request, to enable us to provide the information you are seeking. The subject
of  debt management is quite extensive and is different depending on
circumstances. We asked you to respond and refine your request by 7 March
2023. We did not receive any advice from you by this deadline.
As your request for all information is very broad, substantial manual collation
would be required to locate and prepare all documents within scope of your
request. As such, I refuse your request under section 18(f) of the Act. The
greater public interest is in  the effective and efficient administration of the
public service.
I have considered whether the Ministry would be able to respond to your
request given extra time, or the ability to charge for the information requested.
I have concluded that, in either case,  the  Ministry’s  ability  to  undertake  its
work would still be prejudiced.
The principles and purposes of the Official Information Act 1982 under which
you made your request are:
•  to create greater openness and transparency about the plans, work and
activities of the Government,
•  to  increase  the  ability  of  the  public  to  participate  in  the  making  and
administration of our laws and policies and
•  to lead to greater accountability in the conduct of public affairs.
This Ministry fully supports those principles and purposes. The Ministry
therefore  intends  to  make  the  information  contained  in  this  letter  and  any

attached documents available to the wider public. The Ministry will do this by
publishing this letter on the Ministry’s website. Your personal details will be
deleted, and the Ministry will not publish any information that would identify
you as the person who requested the information.
If you wish to discuss this response with us, please feel free to contact
[MSD request email].
If you are not satisfied with this response about debt management, you have
the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman. Information
about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz
or 0800 802 602.
Ngā mihi nui

Sarah Quigan
Manger Official Information
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