PO Box 14001
Christchurch 8544
New Zealand
Telephone (+64 3) 358 5029
christchurchairport.co.nz
25 October 2023
James Kirk
Email: c/-
[FYI request #24247 email]
Dear Mr Kirk,
OFFICIAL INFORMATION ACT 1982 (OIA) – REQUEST FOR INFORMATION - CHRISTCHURCH
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT LIMITED (CIAL)
1.
We write further to our email of 28 August 2023, acknowledging receipt of your email of 25 August
2023 (via the third party public platform fyi.org.nz) in which you requested the following information
pursuant to the OIA:
“Please clarify Mr. Duncan Smal 's role working for CIAL or acting on behalf of CIAL from 1 Jan 2018
onwards. Please provide any information /correspondence between Mr Smal and CIAL, and Mr
Small and any government agency (where it relates to work he or his colleagues are undertaking for
Christchurch Airport) during this time. Please provide all specific information / correspondence by
Mr Smal on "project Oscar" / the proposed Tarras airport.” (the “
Request”)
Clarify Mr Small’s role
2.
Mr Small is an experienced and highly regarded individual with extensive experience across aviation,
tourism, regional economic development and public sectors. CIAL has engaged Mr Small to provide
a range of services across CIAL’s business since February 2020. These include assisting in the
activation of projects under CIAL business strategy and supporting stakeholder engagement across
CIAL’s strategic priorities, which include but are not limited to the project to explore the potential for
a new airport in Central Otago.
3.
We are withholding further information related to Mr Small and his work for CIAL under sections
9(2)(a) and 9(2)(ba)(i) of the Act. This information is personal to the individual and the greater
public interest is in CIAL maintaining the confidence of employees and individuals engaged by it,
both current and future. We have considered the countervailing public interest in release in making
this decision and consider it does not outweigh the need to withhold at this time.
Information and correspondence between Mr Small and CIAL, and Mr Small and any government
agency
4.
Notwithstanding the above, CIAL considers your request to be too broad in scope and therefore, is
unable to provide you with this level of information. This request could cover a substantial amount
of material, including correspondence and documents, which would need to be identified, extracted
and then assembled. To do so would involve the diversion of personnel for a substantial period of
time to research and collate the information you are requesting, impacting on CIAL’s ability to carry
out other operations.
5.
Further, it is likely that internal emails between Mr Small and his colleagues would be withheld under
section 9(2)(g)(i) of the OIA.
6.
We do note that previous responses to requests for information via the fyi.org.nz website include
correspondence between CIAL (including Mr Small) and a number of government agencies. While not
specific to Mr Small, these requests would include any correspondence between Mr Small and the
relevant agency, if the information exists. The responses to requests for information between CIAL
and government agencies is linked below:
a.
Otago Regional Council
b.
Treasury
c.
Ministry for the Environment
d.
Waka Kōtahi
e.
Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment
f.
NZ Infrastructure Commission
7.
CIAL has considered whether charging or extending the timeframe for responding to your request
would help, as required by section 18A of the OIA. However, given the size of the request, we do not
believe this to be a viable option.
8.
We trust we have answered your requests for information. If you require any further information or
we have in some way misinterpreted your requests, please let us know.
9.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of the decisions contained
in this letter. Information about how to contact the Ombudsman or make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely
CIAL LEGAL TEAM
Email: [Christchurch International Airport Limited request email]
