Dear Mr Howard

Thank you for your email in which you request copies of all correspondence between the Rt Hon John Key (as Prime Minister) and the Authority.

Section 9(1) of the Remuneration Authority Act 1977 requires members and employees of the authority to maintain secrecy of all matters which come into their knowledge when carrying out their functions or duties under that Act; and such matters are not to be communicated to any person except in the discharge of their functions and duties under that Act. Section 18(c)(i) of the Official Information Act 1982 provides that a request for information may be refused where the making available if the information requested would be contrary to the provisions of a specified Act.

I therefore advise that we cannot release any of the correspondence between the Prime Minister and the Authority.

Yours sincerely

Fay Paterson
Principal Adviser
Remuneration Authority

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