11 May 2023
James
[FYI request #22101 email]
Tēnā koe James
Thank you for your email of 14 March 2023 in which you request the following under the Official
Information Act 1982 (OIA):
1- All information including but not limited to emails, texts, and phone calls relating to your
recent trip to India in February 2023, between yourself and Chris Hipkins.
2-
All emails and texts between yourself or your office and the Vice President Hon Jagdeep
Dhankar and her Indian Government counterparts, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar
and Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda that detailing meeting arrangements and times
and confirmation of meetings.
3-
All texts, emails and phone calls concerning the final confirmation of the date of your travel
to India.
On 13 April 2023, the timeframes for responding to your request were extended by 25 working
days to 19 May 2023. Following this extension, I am now in a position to respond.
I have interpreted the first and third parts of you request to be for information held directly by
myself, as opposed to by my office. These interpretations are as follows:
1-
All information between myself [Hon Nanaia Mahuta] and Rt Hon Chris Hipkins [in his
capacity as Prime Minister] relating to your recent trip to India in February 2023. This will
not be limited to emails, texts, and phone calls.
2-
[nil changes] All emails and texts between myself or your office and the Vice President
Hon Jagdeep Dhankar and her Indian Government counterparts, External Affairs Minister
S. Jaishankar and Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda that detailing meeting arrangements
and times and confirmation of meetings.
3-
All texts, emails and phone calls sent or received by myself [Hon Nanaia Mahuta]
concerning the final confirmation of the date of my travel to India.
Attached are the documents relevant to part one of your request. Some portions of the documents
are withheld under the following sections of the OIA:
•
6(a): to avoid prejudicing the security or defence of New Zealand or the international
relations of the New Zealand Government; and
•
9(2)(g)(i): to protect the free and frank expression of opinions by departments;
Page 2 of 2
The following Cabinet papers are also in scope of part one of your request and are either currently
available, or soon will be available, on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s website, via the
links provided:
•
CAB-23-MIN-0002
-
Proposed
Overseas
Travel:
Hon
Nanaia
Mahuta:
www.mfat.govt.nz/en/media-and-resources/cab-23-min-002-proposed-overseas-travel-
nanaia-mahuta-india-feb-2023/
•
CAB-23-MIN-0090
– Report on Overseas Travel: Hon Nanaia Mahuta:
www.mfat.govt.nz/en/media-and-resources/proactive-release-report-on-overseas-travel-
hon-nanaia-mahuta-cab-23-min-0090
The second and third parts of your request are refused under section 18(e) of the OIA, as the
information requested does not exist. This is because meetings with Foreign Ministers are
organised between Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials and their overseas counterparts.
Therefore, no direct communication exists between myself, or my office, with the requested
individuals.
Where the information has been withheld under section 9 of the OIA, no public interest in releasing
the information has been identified that would override the reasons for withholding it.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision by
contacting
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Nāku noa
Hon Nanaia Mahuta
Minita Take Aorere / Minister of Foreign Affairs