Printed from https://fyi.org.nz/request/22555-use-of-wdc-civic-infrastructure-by-masonic-lodges on April 18, 2024 13:56

Use of WDC Civic infrastructure by masonic lodges

SPENCER JONES made this Official Information request to Waitomo District Council

The request was successful.

From: SPENCER JONES

April, 24th, 2023

Dear Waitomo District Council (WDC),

I am writing to request all information to which I am entitled under section 12 of the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) (The Act). I am a NZ citizen and live in New Zealand, and this information is sought in the public interest of all New Zealanders.

Please find below my OIA request, which relates to the use of WDC's civic infrastructure by Freemasons and Masonic lodges.

1. Please supply information for each of the last six years; These facilities might include, for example, use of accommodation, council transport, car parking, use of any other council owned, or hired, items. Should any of the above be made available to Freemasons on a commercial basis, then this should be stated (with details).

(a). Has WDC provided any facilities of whatsoever nature, to any Freemasons, or masonic Lodges? What were these?

2. Have there been any fiscal transactions of whatsoever nature, between WDC and Freemasons, or Masonic? (Definition of "transactions". This means any transfer of goods, services, or funds, a communicative action, or activity, between the council and Freemasons, or things that reciprocally affect or influence each other). Transactions does not include any "services" common to all residents of the city. It asks specifically for matters between the council and Freemasons which are being transacted due to the mutual relationship that exists between the parties.

(a). What were these in the event they occurred in this period?

3. Have there been any gifts received by WDC from Freemasons, or Masonic Lodges? (Gifts received, this includes both corporate and individual gifts).

(a). How have these gifts been accounted for when audits have been conducted?

Kind regards,

Spencer Jones

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From: Adrian Lindsay
Waitomo District Council

Dear Mr. Jones

 

We a refer to the LGOIMA requests you have made under the headings
detailed in the subject line above.

 

Please would you come back to us with details of your company/organisation
that you are representing and the basis for the requests.

 

We await to hear from you.  

 

Yours sincerely

 

Adrian Lindsay​​​​  |  Legal Officer
Waitomo District Council | Kaunihera ā‑rohe
15 Queen Street, Te Kuiti 3910
PO Box 404, Te Kuiti 3941
Phone 07 878 0800 | Fax: 07 878 7771 | Mobile: 027 278 7139 | DDI: 07 878 0853
[1]www.waitomo.govt.nz | [2]Follow us on Facebook
Waitomo ‑ a vibrant district 
​
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References

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4. https://www.waitomo.govt.nz/council/abou...

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From: Adrian Lindsay
Waitomo District Council

Dear Spencer

We acknowledge receipt of your request.

This request has been treated as a request for official information under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (the Act) and has been referred to Council's Manager – Customer Services and Council's Chief Financial Officer for action.

Please note: Section 13(1A) of the Act provides that a local authority may charge for the supply of official information. The Ministry of Justice charging guidelines state that time spent by staff searching for relevant material, abstracting, collating, copying, transcribing and supervision access where the total time involved is more than one hour, should be charged out at an initial charge of $38 for the first chargeable half hour or part thereof; and then $38 for each additional half hour or part thereof.

Should there be any cost associated with the provision of the information you have requested, you will be notified of the amount and payment will be required prior to release of the information, otherwise, you will receive a response within 20 working days of receipt of your request.

Regards

Adrian Lindsay | Legal Officer
Waitomo District Council | Kaunihera â-rohe
15 Queen Street, Te Kuiti 3910
PO Box 404, Te Kuiti 3941
Phone 07 878 0800 | Fax: 07 878 7771 |[mobile number]|DDI: 07 878 0853
www.waitomo.govt.nz
|Follow us on Facebook
Waitomo - a vibrant district

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From: SPENCER JONES

Dear Adrian Lindsay,

I acknowledge receipt of WDC replies thus far, the prompt response is greatly appreciated.

I can confirm that I'm not a member of any company or organization and I'm just representing the general public. I'm very interested regards all matters relating to the Public's Interest, with empirical evidence on the relationship between transparency, whistleblowing, and public trust.

If our objective is transparent, accountable and honest governance. Central and local government that we can trust and a private sector that is trustworthy then clearly the less information that is kept from us, and the greater the confidence we have in its accuracy, the more likely we are to achieve our aim. Transparency has become a substitute for trust. As stated by the late Jeremy Pope, founding managing director of Transparency International, concepts of transparency have become central to the policy debate over how to build and sustain public trust in modern institutions.

FYI. I'm a veteran of 34 years Military Service (Army, Royal Military Police) and ex-Freemason.

Kind regards,

SPENCER JONES

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From: Adrian Lindsay
Waitomo District Council

Dear Spencer

We respond to the questions raised as follows:

1. Nil
(a) No
2. Nil
(a) Not applicable
3. No
(a) Not Applicable

We are now closing this request.

Yours sincerely

Adrian Lindsay | Legal Officer
Waitomo District Council | Kaunihera ā-rohe
15 Queen Street, Te Kuiti 3910
PO Box 404, Te Kuiti 3941
Phone 07 878 0800 | Fax: 07 878 7771 |[mobile number]|DDI: 07 878 0853
www.waitomo.govt.nz
|Follow us on Facebook
Waitomo - a vibrant district

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