OIA23-0752
11 January 2024
John Luke
[FYI request #24891 email]
Dear John,
Thank you for your email of 27 November 2023 requesting information relating to the public
nominations process. Your request has been considered under the Of icial Information Act
1982 (OIA).
You requested the following:
I noted from this Ministry of Women's response, - MW DOIA- 23-24-0010, You have
recently sought nomination for the Milk Price Panel, New Zealand Horticulture
Export Authority (NZHEA) and New Zealand Horticulture Export Authority
(NZHEA)
May I ask how you called for public nomination and on what platform you have call
for public nominations for these boards, e.g. govt.jobs website. Also, how many
applications you have received from the public and how many you have received
from other nominating agencies such as TPK or Ministry of women etc with you
most recent call for nomination. Also, can you please supply the term of
appointment and member's pay rate.
Milk Price Panel
Section 150E(1)(a) of the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act 2001 (DIRA) stipulates that
Fonterra’s Board must appoint two persons to the Milk Price Panel who are nominated by the
Minister of Agriculture. The Ministerial nominees must be independent from Fonterra and have
experience in relevant fields such as financial management, commerce or agriculture. They
are subject to the same Fonterra’s Milk Price Panel Terms of Reference (ToR) and conditions
as all other Panel members.
Please refer here for the Milk Price Panel ToR:
https://www.fonterra.com/content/dam/fonterra-public-website/fonterra-new-
zealand/documents/pdf/milk-prices/milk-price-panel-terms-of-reference.pdf
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) sought candidates directly from Te Puni Kōkiri (the
Ministry of Māori Development), the Ministry for Women, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
Trade, and the Ministry for Ethnic Communities. Each of these agencies maintain extensive
databases of candidates who possess relevant skil s, knowledge, and expertise to serve on
public boards. MPI received 12 suggestions for potential nominees from these agencies,
including candidates with a range of backgrounds and skil sets. While MPI did not call for public
nominations while seeking candidates for the Milk Price Panel, when expressions of interest
from members of the public are received, they are welcomed and considered as appropriate.
Charles Fergusson Building, 34-38 Bowen Street
PO Box 2526
Wellington 6140, New Zealand
mpi.govt.nz
Milk Price panellists are appointed by Fonterra for a term of at least two years, in accordance
with Fonterra’s Milk Price Panel ToR.
In relation to the Milk Price Panel members’ pay rate, I have refused this part of the request
under the following grounds of the OIA:
• Section 9(2)(a) –
to protect the privacy of natural persons.
New Zealand Horticulture Export Authority (NZHEA)
Section 10 and 11 of the
New Zealand Horticulture Authority Act 1987 stipulates the
conditions for the appointment of five members to the New Zealand Horticulture Export
Authority (HEA) Board and for a term of up to three years each. Please see the following link
for
New Zealand Horticulture Authority Act 1987:
https:/ www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1987/0093/latest/DLM117372.html
The Chair and a board member position expired in March 2023, and two female candidates
were appointed to these roles by the previous Minister of Agriculture in August 2023.
The remuneration for the Chair of the HEA Board is $22,000 per annum, and $11,480 per
annum for members. This is consistent with the Board’s classification as a Group 3a, Level 5
Governance Board under the Cabinet Fees Framework:
https:/ www.publicservice.govt.nz/guidance/interpreting-and-implementing-the-cabinet-fees-
framework/
To support the Minister, MPI sought nominations from the HEA, Te Puni Kōkiri, the Ministry
for Ethnic Communities, the Ministry for Women, and the Ministry for Pacific Peoples in
September 2022 and May 2023. MPI also sought nominations through internal processes.
Although public nominations were not sought, an extensive list of potential candidates with
broad ranging skil s and experience was received:
• Two candidates were nominated by the HEA;
• No nominations were received from Te Puni Kōkiri.
• Four were nominated by the Ministry for Ethnic Communities;
• Seven were nominated by the Ministry for Women;
• One was nominated by the Ministry for Pacific Peoples; and
• Five candidates were nominated through internal processes.
MPI considered all nominations for the two roles based on their skil s and experience that
would complement sitting Board members. From this list, several candidates and a preferred
candidate for each role was provided to the Minister for consideration.
Should you have any concerns with this response, I would encourage you to raise these with
the Ministry for Primary Industries at
[email address]. Alternatively, you
are advised of your right to also raise any concerns with the Office of the Ombudsman.
Contact details are: Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143 or at
[email address].
Yours sincerely
Lisa Collins
Acting Director Primary Sector Policy
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