IR-01-23-28060
26 September 2023
John
[FYI request #24024 email]
Dear John
Request for information
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) request of 3 September 2023. You
requested:
I am requesting the correspondence between paid or unpaid parties (such as
individuals and organisations listed below) and New Zealand Police (or any
associated organisations such as CTAG) as it pertains to 'He Aranga Ake' or
'Know the Signs'
I am specifical y interested in any correspondence between these individuals
or organisations and Police
In relation to the part of your request that seeks all correspondence regarding He Aranga
Ake, this would require Police to examine large volumes of communications, estimated to
be more than 10,000 items. Each of these, once identified and collected, would require
careful examination, including review and consultation with multiple partner agencies.
This work could only be conducted by the smal Police team responsible for He Aranga
Ake and would endanger the delivery of the programme over the time this work might
take. Police considers this information cannot be made available without substantial
collation and is therefore withheld under section 18(f) of the OIA.
If you provide contact details that al ow Police to directly discuss this matter with you it
may be possible to identify a way to refine your request to one Police is able to meet, and
that wil satisfy your requirements.
In relation to the part of your request that seeks all correspondence between Police and
other entities as it pertains to the NZSIS publication “Know the Signs”, Police considers
the information sought would expose sensitive information about operational tradecraft
and methodology and is therefore withheld under section 6(a) of the OIA, where the
release would be likely to prejudice the security of New Zealand. Police also considers
this information includes the free and frank expression of opinions between employees of
a department or organisation in the course of their duty, and therefore also withholds this
information under section 9(2)(g)(i) of the OIA to maintain the effective conduct of public
affairs.
Police considers the interests requiring protection by withholding the information are not
outweighed by any public interest in release of the information.
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.
Yours sincerely
Sean Hansen
Detective Superintendent
New Zealand Police
