Request for advice on decision not to redact private email address of board chair

Harris Leigh made this Official Information request to David Parker

The request was refused by David Parker.

From: Harris Leigh

Dear Minister for the Environment,

Under the OIA I seek

1) copies any correspondence or advice relating to your decision to include the personal email address of the recipient when you released the letter you wrote to the then chair of the Environment Protection Authority on 2 March 2023. The letter I refer to was available publicly here:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/r...

2) copies of any documents relating to the considerations under the Privacy Act that you took into account in making this decision

3) Any advice received from the PMO instructing you to include the private email address

4) Any advice from PSC relating to the appropriateness of including the private email address in the public release

5) I also seek copies of any correspondence, including any request from the recipient or those acting on his behalf that led to the subsequent redaction of his personal email address.

If the personal email address was removed by the NZ Herald rather than at your request, please simply advise that you do not hold any such correspondence as you did not ask to have the private email address removed.

Yours faithfully,

Harris Leigh

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From: D Parker (MIN)
David Parker

Thank you for contacting the office of Hon David Parker, Attorney General,
Minister for the Environment, Minister of Revenue, and Associate Minister
of Finance.

Please note that as Minister Parker receives large amounts of
correspondence, it is not always possible to personally reply to all
emails.

The following guidelines apply:

* Portfolio related correspondence will be considered and responded to
where appropriate.
* If your email is an invitation or request to meet with the Minister,
your request will be processed and a staff member will be in contact
in due course. As the Minister receives a high volume of invitations,
it is not always possible to respond immediately.
* Media queries will be responded to by a staff member.
* Requests for official information will be managed in accordance with
the provisions of the Official Information Act 1982, which may include
a transfer to a more relevant Minister or agency.
* If your email falls outside of the Minister's portfolio
responsibilities, your correspondence may be transferred to another
office.
* If your email expresses a personal view, or is copied to multiple
Members of Parliament, then your opinion will be noted and there may
be no further response.

Regards

Office of Hon David Parker

Office of Hon David Parker MP | Attorney-General | Minister for the
Environment |  Minister of Revenue | Associate Minister of Finance 

Authorised by Hon David Parker MP, Parliament Buildings, Wellington

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From: D Parker (MIN)
David Parker

Dear Harris,

I am writing to acknowledge receipt of your Official Information Act request dated 2/03/2023. You have requested the following information:

1) copies any correspondence or advice relating to your decision to include the personal email address of the recipient when you released the letter you wrote to the then chair of the Environment Protection Authority on 2 March 2023. The letter I refer to was available publicly here:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/r...

2) copies of any documents relating to the considerations under the Privacy Act that you took into account in making this decision

3) Any advice received from the PMO instructing you to include the private email address

4) Any advice from PSC relating to the appropriateness of including the private email address in the public release

5) I also seek copies of any correspondence, including any request from the recipient or those acting on his behalf that led to the subsequent redaction of his personal email address.

We will endeavour to respond to your request as soon as possible and in any event no later than 30/03/2023, being 20 working days after the day your request was received. If we are unable to respond to your request by then, we will notify you of an extension of that timeframe.

Kind regards,

Office of Hon David Parker MP | Attorney-General | Minister for the Environment | Minister of Revenue | Associate Minister of Finance

Authorised by Hon David Parker MP, Parliament Buildings, Wellington

Email disclaimer:
Please note information about meetings related to the Ministers' portfolios will be proactively released (this does not include personal or constituency matters). For each meeting in scope, the summary would list: date, time (start and finish), brief description, location, who the meeting was with, and the portfolio. If you attend a meeting with the Minister on behalf of an organisation, the name of the organisation will be released. If you are a senior staff member at an organisation, or meet with the Minister in your personal capacity, your name may also be released. The location of the meeting will be released, unless it is a private residence. The proactive release will be consistent with the provisions in the Official Information Act, including privacy considerations. Under the Privacy Act 1993 you have the right to ask for a copy of any personal information we hold about you, and to ask for it to be corrected if you think it is wrong. If you'd like to ask for a copy of your information, or to have it corrected, or are concerned about the release of your information in the meeting disclosure, please contact the sender. You can read more about the proactive release policy at https://www.dia.govt.nz/Proactive-Releas...

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From: D Parker (MIN)
David Parker

Dear Harris Leigh

Thank you for your Official Information Act request of March 2 2023.

You requested:

1) copies any correspondence or advice relating to your decision to include the personal email address of the recipient when you released the letter you wrote to the then chair of the Environment Protection Authority on 2 March 2023. The letter I refer to was available publicly here:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/r...

2) copies of any documents relating to the considerations under the Privacy Act that you took into account in making this decision

3) Any advice received from the PMO instructing you to include the private email address

4) Any advice from PSC relating to the appropriateness of including the private email address in the public release

5) I also seek copies of any correspondence, including any request from the recipient or those acting on his behalf that led to the subsequent redaction of his personal email address.

Minister David Parker did not publicly release his letter to Mr Campbell of March 2 2023. Therefore your request under 18(e) of the OIA is refused as the documents requested do not exist.

You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Office of the Ombudsman of the decision to withhold information relating to this request, in accordance with section 28(3) of the Act. The relevant details can be found on their website at: www.ombudsman.parliament.nz.
Please contact our office if you have any queries about this response.

Office of Hon David Parker MP | Attorney-General | Minister for the Environment | Minister of Revenue | Associate Minister of Finance

Authorised by Hon David Parker MP, Parliament Buildings, Wellington

Email disclaimer:
Please note information about meetings related to the Ministers' portfolios will be proactively released (this does not include personal or constituency matters). For each meeting in scope, the summary would list: date, time (start and finish), brief description, location, who the meeting was with, and the portfolio. If you attend a meeting with the Minister on behalf of an organisation, the name of the organisation will be released. If you are a senior staff member at an organisation, or meet with the Minister in your personal capacity, your name may also be released. The location of the meeting will be released, unless it is a private residence. The proactive release will be consistent with the provisions in the Official Information Act, including privacy considerations. Under the Privacy Act 1993 you have the right to ask for a copy of any personal information we hold about you, and to ask for it to be corrected if you think it is wrong. If you'd like to ask for a copy of your information, or to have it corrected, or are concerned about the release of your information in the meeting disclosure, please contact the sender. You can read more about the proactive release policy at https://www.dia.govt.nz/Proactive-Releas...

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Things to do with this request

Anyone:
David Parker only: