Level 9, 44 The Terrace
PO Box 27048
Wel ington, New Zealand 6141
Ref: OI-23-00635
P +64 4 462 5200
www.tec.govt.nz
4 October 2023
Matthew Hooton
[FYI request #23427 email]
Tēnā koe Matthew
Thank you for your request, received on 7 July 2023, for the following information under the Official
Information Act 1982 (the Act):
•
All written advice prepared by the TEC over the last ten years for ministers and other
government agencies on the question of a new Medical School at the University of Waikato,
including arguments made for and against
As your request is broad in nature and covers a large time period, we asked whether you would
consider refining your request in order to enable more timely provision of information. You declined
to refine your request, with valid reasons, and therefore on 2 August 2023 we extended your request
to 6 October 2023 due to the large quantity of information sought and the consultation necessary.
This was in accordance with the fol owing reasons under the Act:
• 15A(1)(a) – the request is for a large quantity of official information or necessitates a
search through a large quantity of information and meeting the original time limit would
unreasonably interfere with the operations of the Department
• 15A(1)(b) – consultations necessary to make a decision on the request are such that a
proper response to the request cannot reasonably be made within the original time limit
I am now releasing the information referenced in the attached table. For your information, in the
absence of any further clarification or refinement of your request, we interpreted the scope to:
• include drafted correspondence (e.g., letters) that form part of an advice paper i.e.,
appendices to an aide-memoire or briefing
• exclude emails unless they were to the parties identified in your request and contained
advice e.g., solely internal emails are out of scope
• exclude drafts for Ministerial replies to correspondence
• include info about the University of Auckland and University of Otago alternative
proposal, for a School of Rural Health, where the context runs parallel to past proposals
for a medical school at the University of Waikato.
Due to the size of the attachments, we wil need to separate our response into two batches.
TERTIARY EDUCATION REPORT: MEDICAL SCHOOL – UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO
In accordance with the Official Information Act, I am withholding some information in the released
documents. Redactions are clearly marked in the documents, with the following reasons for the
redactions, as applicable:
• personal contact details of officials, under section 9(2)(a) – to protect the privacy of natural
persons, including deceased people,
• free and frank advice, under section 9(2)(g)(i) – the free and frank expression of opinions by
or between or to Ministers of the Crown or officers and employees of any public service
agency in the course of their duty,
• maintain the effective conduct of public affairs, under section 9(2)(g)(ii) – the protection of
such Ministers [, members of organisations], officers, and employees from improper
pressure or harassment
Information that is out of scope of the request has also been redacted.
I am satisfied, in terms of section 9(1) of the Act, that the need to withhold the information referred
to above is not outweighed by other considerations that render it desirable, in the public interest, to
make the information available.
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.
Nāku noa, nā
Tim Fowler
Chief Executive
Tertiary Education Commission
REPORT NUMBER: OI-23-00635
| 5
Information released under the Official Information Act (1982)
Item
No
Document Type Title
Release
Partial release, sections out of scope
1 Aide-memoire
AM-16-00472 University of Waikato VC Meeting
X-16-00924 Medical Deans response to a proposed 3rd medical programme at
2 Advice
Waikato University
Redacted: 9(2)(a), 9(2)(g)(ii)
B-16-01142 Meeting to discuss the University of Waikato’s business case for a
3 Briefing
new medical school
Redacted: 9(2)(a)
4 Briefing
B-16-01163 Proposed response to Waikato’s business case for new med school Redacted: 9(2)(a)
Redacted: 9(2)(a)
5 Briefing
B-16-01202 Proposed new medical school in Waikato region – PM briefing
Redacted: 9(2)(a)
6 Briefing
B-16-01276 Meeting with Deans of Auckland, Otago Medical Schools
7 Aide-memoire
AM-17-00011 Waikato Medical School Proposal
Release in full
8 Attachment
AM-17-00011 Waikato Medical School attachment
Release in full
Redacted: 9(2)(a)
B-17-00052 Meeting with Rt Hon, Jim Bolger, Chancellor of the University of
Partial release, sections out of scope
9 Briefing
Waikato
Partial release, sections out of scope
10 Briefing
B-17-00101 Visit to the University of Waikato
Redacted: 9(2)(a)
11 Attachment
B-17-00101 Key Facts - UoW Attachment 2
TERTIARY EDUCATION REPORT: MEDICAL SCHOOL – UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO
Redacted: 9(2)(a), 9(2)(g)(ii)
12 Advice
X-17-00199 One page timeline of third medical school proposal
AM-17-00200 Timeline for the consideration of the proposal for a third medical
13 Aide-memoire
school
Release in full
Redacted: 9(2)(a)
14 Briefing
B-17-00220 Meeting with Hon Coleman and Profs Fraser, Bagg (UOA)
AM-17-00323 Waikato Medical School Proposal Ministers meeting with
Redacted: 9(2)(g)(i)
15 Aide-memoire
Regional Economic Development
Redacted: 9(2)(a)
16 Briefing
B-17-00540 University of Waikato Medical School updated business case
17 Briefing
B-17-00540 Appendix 1 Summary of proposal
Release in full
Redacted: 9(2)(a)
18 Briefing
B-17-00540 Appendix 2 Key Facts – University of Waikato
Redacted: 9(2)(a), 9(2)(g)(ii)
19 Advice
X-17-00676 Returned briefing and fol ow up questions
Redacted: 9(2)(a), 9(2)(g)(ii)
20 Briefing
B-17-00840 Next steps in the establishment of a School of Rural Medicine
21 Cabinet paper
School of Rural medicine Cabinet paper
Release in full
Redacted: 9(2)(a)
22 Briefing
B-18-00178 Cover briefing for Cabinet Paper on the School of Rural Health
23 Aide-memoire
AM-18-00206 Talking Points for School of Rural Medicine
Release in full
24 Aide-memoire
AM-18-00749 Advice on the School of Rural Medicine Cabinet Paper
Release in full
25 Briefing
Rural School of Medicine – Annual Review Select Committee 2017-18
Release in full
Redacted: 9(2)(a)
26 Advice
From the productivity Commission report
Redacted: 9(2)(a), 9(2)(g)(ii)
27 Advice
Waikato Medical School
28 Advice
Note on Gippsland School of Rural Health
Release in full
29 Extracts
Extract from Briefing to the Incoming Minister – December 2016
Release in full
REPORT NUMBER: OI-23-00635
| 7
Document Outline
- A request for information has been made through the FYI.org website on a topic that has a high public interest
- The requestor is a political and public affairs strategist
- This subject matter has been considered often over the years and there is a political implication
- Information to be released
- A number of parties have reviewed our documents
- We will support the Minister if questions are raised
- Response to be published online
- Information released under the Official Information Act (1982)