13 February 2024
John Luke
[FYI request #25355 email]
REF: DOIA-2324-0486
Tēnā koe John
Your Official Information Act 1982 request
Thank you for your email of 10 January 2024 to the Ministry for Ethnic Communities (the
Ministry) requesting the fol owing information under the Official Information Act 1982:
…o The date, time and location of your initial meeting with the new Minister for your
department;
o A list of attendees at this meeting
o The cost of any flights and accommodation for staff who reside outside of wel ington
to attend this meeting
o Any documentation provided at the meeting
o Al notes (including handwritten notes) taken at the meeting by department staff;
o A copy of any emails sent by department attendees or all staff communications
regarding the meeting with the new Minister.
o your initial briefing document sent to the new Minister…
I wil respond to each of your questions in turn below.
•
Date, time and location of meeting
The meeting was held 30 November 2023, 9.00am to 9.30am, within the
Minister’s office at Parliament.
•
Attendees from the Ministry
Mervin Singham, Chief Executive.
•
Cost of any Flights and accommodation for staff
No cost.
•
Documentation provided at the meeting
No documentation was provided. The purpose of the meeting was introductory.
Please note that the Briefing to the Incoming Minister had already been provided
to the Minister ahead of this meeting.
•
Al notes by department staff
No notes were taken by Ministry staff. Therefore, I am refusing this part of your
request under section 18(e) of the Act; as the information requested does not
exist.
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•
Copy of any emails sent by the Ministry attendees or al staff communications
regarding the meeting with the new Minister
No emails pertain to the initial meeting with the new Minister. Therefore, I am
refusing this part of your request under section 18(e) of the Act; as the
information requested does not exist.
•
Initial briefing document sent to the new Minister
The initial briefing document sent to the Minister is published on the Ministry
Websi
te www.ethniccommunities.govt.nz/resources/#corporate-publications.
Therefore, I am refusing this part of your request under section 18(d) of the Act;
as this information is publicly available.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of our response
to your request. Information about how to contact the Ombudsman’s office is available at:
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone: 0800 802 602.
Please note, due to the public interest in our work, the Ministry may publish responses to
requests for official information on our website, shortly after the response has been sent. If
you have any queries about this, please feel free to contact our Ministerial Services team:
[email address].
Ngā mihi
Edward Firth
Director of Ministerial Services
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