Tçnâ koe Mohammed,

 

Thank you for your OIA request to the Department of Internal Affairs.

 

The Department will provide its response to your request as soon as
practicable and within twenty working days. The 20^th working day is 11
March 2024.

 

Please note that in cases where the Department’s response provides
information that is identified to be of general public interest, the
response may also be published on the Department of Internal Affairs
website. If the Department publishes its response to your OIA request, all
personal information, including your name and contact details, will be
removed.

 

Ngâ mihi

 

Huey Lim| Advisor Official Correspondence
Te Pâhekoheko, Kâwai ki te iwi | Operations, Service Delivery and
Operations

Te Tari Taiwhenua  The Department of Internal Affairs
[1]www.dia.govt.nz

 

-----Original Message-----

From: Mohammed Khan <[2][FOI #25704 email]>

Sent: Monday, February 12, 2024 10:43 AM

To: OIA <[3][DIA request email]>

Subject: Official Information request - Questions in regards charity that
doesn't file annual returns

 

[You don't often get email from
[4][FOI #25704 email]. Learn why this is
important at [5]https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentific... ]

 

Dear DIA,

 

Please direct this to Charities Services. The 'New Zealand Jewish
Council', an zionist lobby group, was registered as a charity nearly four
years ago.

 

Since then, it has not submitted a single annual return as required by the
Charities Act 2005.That it was allowed under Section 43 to not submit a
return for the period 20 June 2021-30 June 2021 is normal. The continued
lack of returns is not. The only exemption listed when searching the
Charities Services database is that original exemption for FY2021.

 

1) What, if any, exemptions to the Charities Act have been granted to this
organization? Please provide all documents related to any such decisions.

2) If exemptions have not been granted, why has this group not been
de-registered as a charity for lack of compliance? Please provide all
documents related to any such decisions.

3) If exemptions have been granted, is there any other charity that has
been granted the same or similar exemptions under Section 43, and which
charities are allowed such exemptions?

 

Cheers,

Mohammed

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

 

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[6][FOI #25704 email]

 

Is [7][DIA request email] the wrong address for Official Information requests
to Department of Internal Affairs? If so, please contact us using this
form:

[8]https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

 

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:

[9]https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

 

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA
page.

 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. http://www.dia.govt.nz/
2. mailto:[FOI #25704 email]
3. mailto:[DIA request email]
4. mailto:[FOI #25704 email]
5. https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentific...
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8. https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...
9. https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

hide quoted sections

Kia ora Mohammed

 

Thank you for your request for information in relation to the New Zealand
Jewish Council (“NZJC”)

 

We are currently working to gather the information you have requested, and
I wanted to reach out to clarify the wording of your request to ensure we
are providing you with as much information as possible.

 

In your request you have referred to exemptions granted to NZJC under
section 43 of the Charities Act (“the Act”).

 

However I can confirm that since 2022, NZJC’s annual returns have been
withheld under a different section of the Act, namely section 25, which
sets out that the Chief executive may allow information and documents to
be omitted or removed from register and may restrict public access to
information and documents.

 

In light of this, I would appreciate if you could give me a call me on
0272179150 to dicuss your request, with the intention to provide you with
the most relevant information we hold.

 

Looking forward to hearing from you.

 

Ngâ mihi,

 

Lucy Anton [1](she/her)

Kaihôpara | Investigator

Ngâ Ratonga Kaupapa Atawhai | Charities Services

[mobile number] | Direct Dial: +64 4 4959405 | Extn: 5405  | Help Desk:
0508 242 748

45 Pipitea Street, Wellington, 6011 | PO Box 12138, Thorndon, Wellington,
6011
[2]www.charities.govt.nz 

[3]Logo-test

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----

From: Mohammed Khan <[4][FOI #25704 email]>

Sent: Monday, February 12, 2024 10:43 AM

To: OIA <[5][DIA request email]>

Subject: Official Information request - Questions in regards charity that
doesn't file annual returns

 

[You don't often get email from
[6][FOI #25704 email]. Learn why this is
important at [7]https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentific... ]

 

Dear DIA,

 

Please direct this to Charities Services. The 'New Zealand Jewish
Council', an zionist lobby group, was registered as a charity nearly four
years ago.

 

Since then, it has not submitted a single annual return as required by the
Charities Act 2005.That it was allowed under Section 43 to not submit a
return for the period 20 June 2021-30 June 2021 is normal. The continued
lack of returns is not. The only exemption listed when searching the
Charities Services database is that original exemption for FY2021.

 

1) What, if any, exemptions to the Charities Act have been granted to this
organization? Please provide all documents related to any such decisions.

2) If exemptions have not been granted, why has this group not been
de-registered as a charity for lack of compliance? Please provide all
documents related to any such decisions.

3) If exemptions have been granted, is there any other charity that has
been granted the same or similar exemptions under Section 43, and which
charities are allowed such exemptions?

 

Cheers,

Mohammed

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

 

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[8][FOI #25704 email]

 

Is [9][DIA request email] the wrong address for Official Information requests
to Department of Internal Affairs? If so, please contact us using this
form:

[10]https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

 

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:

[11]https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

 

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA
page.

 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. https://www.publicservice.govt.nz/our-wo...
2. http://www.charities.govt.nz/
4. mailto:[FOI #25704 email]
5. mailto:[DIA request email]
6. mailto:[FOI #25704 email]
7. https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentific...
8. mailto:[FOI #25704 email]
9. mailto:[DIA request email]
10. https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...
11. https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

hide quoted sections

Kia ora, 
Thank you for contacting Charities Services. Your email has been
received. 
We aim to review and respond to all messages within 10 business days.
Charities Services is a risk-based regulator, we investigate concerns of
serious wrongdoing and significant breaches of the Charities Act 2005. 
Information about what complaints we investigate and which ones we don’t
can be found [1]here.
You can view our Compliance Approach [2]here.
Charities act independently. If you have contacted us about a disagreement
between officers or members about what the charity should do, or other
dispute, you may find information that is helpful [3]here. This includes
when you could consider approaching another organisation or independent
person to assist in resolving any dispute.
The[4] Charities Register is also available at all times, if you would
like to look up particular charities’ details including officers and rules
documents.
 

Ngâ mihi,

Kaitirotiro | Investigations Team

Ngâ Ratonga Kaupapa Atawhai | Charities Services

Te Tari Taiwhenua |  The Department of Internal Affairs 

References

Visible links
1. https://charities.govt.nz/charities-in-n...
2. https://www.charities.govt.nz/assets/Cha...
3. https://www.charities.govt.nz/im-a-regis...
4. https://register.charities.govt.nz/Chari...

Kia ora Mohammad

 

Thank you for your email.

 

To clarify, in our email dated 19 February 2024, we have referenced
section 25 of the Charities Act which allows charities to request their
own information to be withheld from the public register. We have not
referenced section 25 of the Official Information Act. This is because, as
you have pointed out it is not relevant to your request.

 

To confirm you have requested the following information:

 

1) What, if any, exemptions to the Charities Act have been granted to this
organization? Please provide all documents related to any such decisions.

2) If exemptions have not been granted, why has this group not been
de-registered as a charity for lack of compliance? Please provide all
documents related to any such decisions.

3) If exemptions have been granted, is there any other charity that has
been granted the same or similar exemptions under Section 43, and which
charities are allowed such exemptions?

4) As it appears that any exceptions may have been granted on the basis of
a clause of the OIA that has no relevance at all to the obligation of the
DIA to provide official information to the people of New Zealand, I am
requesting all performance reports/financial statements/annual return
forms held by the DIA in regards the NZJC. I am already aware of the
identities of their officers, so have no objection to any names/addresses
of said officers being redacted in the release of the documents in
question.

 

We will provide our response to you by 11 March 2024. This is 20 working
days from the date of your original request.

 

If you have any questions in the meantime, please feel free to get in
touch.

 

Ngā mihi,

 

Lucy Anton [1](she/her)

Kaihōpara | Investigator

Ngā Ratonga Kaupapa Atawhai | Charities Services

[mobile number] | Direct Dial: +64 4 4959405 | Extn: 5405  | Help Desk:
0508 242 748

45 Pipitea Street, Wellington, 6011 | PO Box 12138, Thorndon, Wellington,
6011
[2]www.charities.govt.nz 

[3]Logo-test

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

-----Original Message-----

From: Mohammed Khan <[4][FOI #25704 email]>

Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2024 11:38 PM

To: Compliance <[5][email address]>

Subject: RE: OIA 2324-0584 KHAN - Exemptions granted to charity
organisation

 

[You don't often get email from
[6][FOI #25704 email]. Learn why this is
important at [7]https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentific... ]

 

Dear Lucy,

 

Apologies for the delay in response. I must apologize, I am a little
confused by your response.

 

You refer in your email to Section 25 of the OIA.

 

Section 25 specifically states that it relates solely to circumstances
"Where a request is made under section 24(1)".

 

Section 24(1) relates to requests for "personal information" held by an
agency, by a specific person, about the person making the request, and the
right to correct inaccurate information held by said agency.

 

I assure you, I am not an officer of the 'charity' in question, and I am
not requesting my personal information for correction or any other
purposes.

 

If the DIA has indeed somehow been induced to allow a 'charity' to avoid
compliance with the law regarding official information, on the basis of a
section of the OIA that relates solely to individuals requesting their own
personal information, that is deeply concerning.

 

On the understanding that such an exception has apparently been granted in
error, I would refine my questions to the following:

1) What, if any, exemptions to the Charities Act have been granted to this
organization? Please provide all documents related to any such decisions.
If an argument for exceptions to the OIA to be granted to the NZJC based
on 'Section 25' was put to the DIA by Juliet Moses or other officers of
the NZJC, information held by the DIA related to that should be included.

2) If exemptions have not been granted, why has this group not been
de-registered as a charity for lack of compliance? Please provide all
documents related to any such decisions.

3) If exemptions have been granted, is there any other charity that has
been granted the same or similar exemptions under Section 43 or other
actual or purported legal bases, and which charities are allowed such
exemptions?

 

Further-

4) As it appears that any exceptions may have been granted on the basis of
a clause of the OIA that has no relevance at all to the obligation of the
DIA to provide official information to the people of New Zealand, I am
requesting all annual returns and annual financial statements held by the
DIA in regards the NZJC. I am already aware of the identities of their
officers, so have no objection to any names/addresses of said officers
being redacted in the release of the documents in question.

 

Insofar as there would be any delay beyond the original OIA request period
in producing #4, I am happy for these documents to be furnished within 20
working days of Wednesday 21 Feb, as there should be no reason for that to
delay #1/#2/#3, and for #1/#2/#3 to not be delivered on schedule in
compliance with the OIA. If that will not be done, please let me know on
Wednesday so I can make a separate request.

 

If there is indeed a belief that a 'Section 25 exception' exists outside
personal information requests made by an individual under 24(1), please
let me know as soon as possible if you will be continuing to make this
claim so that I can contact the Ombudsman to enquire as to when that
misunderstanding will be corrected.

 

This information should be provided in electronic form by email,
preferably as PDFs, preferably with text included if it is included in the
original files.

 

Kind regards,

Mohammed Khan

 

-----Original Message-----

 

Kia ora Mohammed

 

 

 

Thank you for your request for information in relation to the New Zealand 
Jewish Council (“NZJC”)

 

 

 

We are currently working to gather the information you have requested,
and  I wanted to reach out to clarify the wording of your request to
ensure we  are providing you with as much information as possible.

 

 

 

In your request you have referred to exemptions granted to NZJC under 
section 43 of the Charities Act (“the Act”).

 

 

 

However I can confirm that since 2022, NZJC’s annual returns have been 
withheld under a different section of the Act, namely section 25, which 
sets out that the Chief executive may allow information and documents to 
be omitted or removed from register and may restrict public access to 
information and documents.

 

 

 

In light of this, I would appreciate if you could give me a call me on

0272179150 to dicuss your request, with the intention to provide you with 
the most relevant information we hold.

 

 

 

Looking forward to hearing from you.

 

 

 

Ngâ mihi,

 

 

 

Lucy Anton [1](she/her)

 

Kaihôpara | Investigator

 

Ngâ Ratonga Kaupapa Atawhai | Charities Services

 

[mobile number] | Direct Dial: +64 4 4959405 | Extn: 5405  | Help Desk:

0508 242 748

 

45 Pipitea Street, Wellington, 6011 | PO Box 12138, Thorndon, Wellington,

6011

[2][8]https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

 

[3]Logo-test

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[9][FOI #25704 email]

 

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:

[10]https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

 

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA
page.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. https://www.publicservice.govt.nz/our-wo...
2. http://www.charities.govt.nz/
4. mailto:[FOI #25704 email]
5. mailto:[email address]
6. mailto:[FOI #25704 email]
7. https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentific...
8. http://www.charities.govt.nz/
9. mailto:[FOI #25704 email]
10. https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

hide quoted sections

Kia ora Mohammed,

 

Thank you for your email of 28 February 2024 regarding amendments to your
request.

 

Your request is now as follows –

 

 1. What, if any, exemptions to the Charities Act have been granted to
this organization? Please provide all documents related to any such
decisions.
 2. If exemptions have not been granted, why has this group not been
de-registered as a charity for lack of compliance? Please provide all
documents related to any such decisions.
 3. If exemptions have been granted, is there any other charity that has
been granted the same or similar exemptions under Section 25 or any
other part of the Charities Act in regards the disclosure of
performance reports/financial statements/annual return forms, and
which charities are allowed such exemptions?
 4. As it appears that any exceptions have been granted on the basis of a
clause of the Charities Act that specifies that this information
should only be suppressed if it is in the public interest, which
suppressing information about the activities of a lobby group clearly
is not, I am requesting all performance reports/financial
statements/annual return forms held by the DIA in regards the NZJC. I
am already aware of the identities of their officers from
whistleblower leaks, so have no objection to any names/addresses or
other information regarding said officers being redacted in the
release of the documents in question.

 

Any clarification or amendment of a request is considered to be a new
request for the purpose of calculating the statutory timeframe for
response. Therefore, pursuant to section 15(1AA) of the Official
Information Act 1982 (the Act), the Department of Internal Affairs will
provide its response to your request as soon as practicable and within
twenty working days. This now makes the 20th working day 27 March 2024.

 

Ngâ mihi

 

Huey Lim| Advisor Official Correspondence
Te Pâhekoheko, Kâwai ki te iwi | Operations, Service Delivery and
Operations

Te Tari Taiwhenua  The Department of Internal Affairs
[1]www.dia.govt.nz

 

-----Original Message-----

From: Mohammed Khan <[2][FOI #25704 email]>

Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2024 9:00 AM

To: Compliance <[3][email address]>

Subject: RE: OIA 2324-0584 KHAN - Exemptions granted to charity
organisation

 

[You don't often get email from
[4][FOI #25704 email]. Learn why this is
important at [5]https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentific... ]

 

Dear Compliance,

 

Apologies, the previous email was sent in error- it was regarding a OIA
request to the SIS in regards their decision to only meet with
representatives of groups that support the genocide of the Palestinian
people.

 

Given the admission that information about this lobby group that is
critical to the public interest to be disclosed has apparently been
suppressed in error under Section 25 of the Charities Act, I am amending
my questions as follows:

 

1) What, if any, exemptions to the Charities Act have been granted to this
organization? Please provide all documents related to any such decisions.

 

2) If exemptions have not been granted, why has this group not been
de-registered as a charity for lack of compliance? Please provide all
documents related to any such decisions.

 

3) If exemptions have been granted, is there any other charity that has
been granted the same or similar exemptions under Section 25 or any other
part of the Charities Act in regards the disclosure of performance
reports/financial statements/annual return forms, and which charities are
allowed such exemptions?

 

4) As it appears that any exceptions have been granted on the basis of a
clause of the Charities Act that specifies that this information should
only be suppressed if it is in the public interest, which suppressing
information about the activities of a lobby group clearly is not, I am
requesting all performance reports/financial statements/annual return
forms held by the DIA in regards the NZJC. I am already aware of the
identities of their officers from whistleblower leaks, so have no
objection to any names/addresses or other information regarding said
officers being redacted in the release of the documents in question.

 

Yours sincerely,

Mohammed Khan

 

-----Original Message-----

 

Kia ora Mohammad

 

 

 

Thank you for your email.

 

 

 

To clarify, in our email dated 19 February 2024, we have referenced 
section 25 of the Charities Act which allows charities to request their 
own information to be withheld from the public register. We have not 
referenced section 25 of the Official Information Act. This is because,
as  you have pointed out it is not relevant to your request.

 

 

 

To confirm you have requested the following information:

 

 

 

1) What, if any, exemptions to the Charities Act have been granted to
this  organization? Please provide all documents related to any such
decisions.

 

2) If exemptions have not been granted, why has this group not been 
de-registered as a charity for lack of compliance? Please provide all 
documents related to any such decisions.

 

3) If exemptions have been granted, is there any other charity that has 
been granted the same or similar exemptions under Section 43, and which 
charities are allowed such exemptions?

 

4) As it appears that any exceptions may have been granted on the basis
of  a clause of the OIA that has no relevance at all to the obligation of
the  DIA to provide official information to the people of New Zealand, I
am  requesting all performance reports/financial statements/annual return 
forms held by the DIA in regards the NZJC. I am already aware of the 
identities of their officers, so have no objection to any names/addresses 
of said officers being redacted in the release of the documents in 
question.

 

 

 

We will provide our response to you by 11 March 2024. This is 20 working 
days from the date of your original request.

 

 

 

If you have any questions in the meantime, please feel free to get in 
touch.

 

 

 

Ngâ mihi,

 

 

 

Lucy Anton [1](she/her)

 

Kaihôpara | Investigator

 

Ngâ Ratonga Kaupapa Atawhai | Charities Services

 

[mobile number] | Direct Dial: +64 4 4959405 | Extn: 5405  | Help Desk:

0508 242 748

 

45 Pipitea Street, Wellington, 6011 | PO Box 12138, Thorndon, Wellington,

6011

[2][6]https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

 

[3]Logo-test

 

 

 

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[7][FOI #25704 email]

 

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:

[8]https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...

 

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA
page.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. http://www.dia.govt.nz/
2. mailto:[FOI #25704 email]
3. mailto:[email address]
4. mailto:[FOI #25704 email]
5. https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentific...
6. http://www.charities.govt.nz/
7. mailto:[FOI #25704 email]
8. https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

hide quoted sections

Kia ora Mohammed

 

Please find attached the response to your Official Information Act
Request.

 

Ngā mihi

 

Huey Lim| Advisor Official Correspondence
Te Pāhekoheko, Kāwai ki te iwi | Operations, Service Delivery and
Operations

Te Tari Taiwhenua  The Department of Internal Affairs

[1]www.dia.govt.nz

 

References

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