J Floyd
[email address]
20 December 2023
Dear J Floyd,
OIA 23-24-27: Confirmation of Golf Played on Work Travel
Thank you for your email of 13 November 2023 to New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE),
making a request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act). On 23 November 2023, you
sent a follow-up email clarifying details in your initial request. This follow-up clarification reset
the response timeframe for the request making the new due date, 21 December.
You requested the following information:
I have found online details of Dylan Lawrence’s golf activity while on work travel. Please
confirm the following is correct:
- 19 Jan 21, flew to Queenstown on NZTE funded flight for a HNWI event.
- 20 Jan – played a full round at Mil brook.
- 21 Jan – played a full round at Mil brook.
- 23 Jan – left Queenstown.
- 9 May 21, flew to Queenstown on NZTE funded flight for an investment Lead Team
meeting.
- 10 May, played a full round at Arrowtown.
- Flew to Nelson (please confirm the date of travel).
- 14 May, played a full round at Nelson Golf Club.
- 14 May – left Nelson.
- 5 July 21, flew to Nelson on NZTE funded flight for an Investment Lead Team meeting.
- 5 July, played golf at Nelson golf club.
- 6 July, played golf at Nelson golf club.
- 9 July – left Nelson.
What proportion of Dylan Lawrence’s groups were NZTE employees?
Are there any other blocks of travel where Dylan has spent 40% or more of the days visiting
golf courses?
Just to add some clarification regarding the "Investment Lead team meeting" travel. Please
confirm that the golf was part of Dylan's "broader engagement activities". Were any non-NZTE
people playing with Dylan?
Answers to your questions are as follows:
Confirmation of Dylan Lawrence’s NZTE funded flights in 2021 are publicly available online, via
FYI.org, in NZTE’s responses to
OIA 22-23-55 an
d OIA 22-23-66. As for Dylan’s travel from
Queenstown to Nelson, this took place on 13 May 2021.
In response to your other questions, as stated i
n OIA 23-24-07, NZTE does not store records
regarding rounds of golf played by staff members, and therefore is declining this part of your
request under Sections 18(e) and 18(g) of the Act on the grounds that the information does not
exist.
T: +64 4 816 8100
F: +64 4 816 8101
W: nzte.govt.nz
W: newzealand.com/business
Level 15, The Majestic Centre, 100 Wil is Street, Wellington 6011, New Zealand, PO Box 2878, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
The language used and line of questioning of your requests indicate that you may have a
grievance with NZTE and/or the Investment team. If that is the case, we would welcome a more
constructive engagement with you on your concerns.
We seek to understand more about the questions you have asked in this and previous Official
Information Act requests. If you are open to engaging with us in conversation to share your
concerns, while stil retaining your anonymity, we would appoint an independent third-party to
facilitate a conversation with the aim to help us learn more about your concerns and provide
timely responses. The options for this third party include:
1. NZTE-funded independent mediator – contact
[email address]
or 0800 77 44 08 and quote reference number SR#053666\
2. A mediator of your choice.
If you are open to this approach, we’d be grateful if you could advise a preferred option.
If you remain concerned with this, you have the right under section 28(3) of the Act to seek an
investigation and review by the Ombudsman. Information on how to make a complaint is
available at https:/ www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely
Melissa Trochon
Director – Board & Ministerial
