1322731 Response.pdf

22/03/2024
A Collins
[FYI request #25711 email]
Tēnā koe A Collins
OIA: 1322731 – Copies of correspondence regarding Kaipara College
Thank you for your request via the FYI website of 12 February 2024 to the Ministry of Education
(the Ministry) for the following information:
1. Copies of all correspondence including but not limited to emails; letters; text, Whatsapp,
Signal, Telegram, and Microsoft Teams messages sent or received by the Secretary of
Education and Ministry of Education staff regarding a request from the Minister of
Education for an apology from the Secretary of Education to Kaipara College since 20
November 2023.
2. Copies of all correspondence sent by the Secretary of Education to Kaipara College since
20 November 2023.
3. Copies of all correspondence sent by the Ministry of Education to Kaipara College since 20
November 2023.
Your request has been considered under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
In response to first and second parts of your request, we have identified the following documents
which I am providing to you as Appendix A:
• An email regarding the Office of the Minister of Education (the Minister) advising that the
Minister be carbon copied into the apology letter from the Secretary for Education to
Kaipara College (document 1).
• The email from the Office of the Secretary for Education that was sent to Kaipara College
with the apology letter (document 2).
• An email to the Minister’s Office answering two Written Parliamentary Questions (WPQs)
where the answers refer to the apology letter (document 3).
8 Gilmer Terrace, Levels Ground floor, 1, 2, and 6-14, Wellington
PO Box 1666, Wellington 6140 Phone: +64 4 463 8000

•  The letter that was provided to 38 individuals who had emailed the Ministry regarding
Kaipara College. Please note that these emails did not refer to the apology letter, but the
response letter does (document 4).
•  Another request made under the Act which also refers to the apology letter (document 5).
I am withholding the names and email addresses of non-Ministry staff and all cell phone numbers
in these documents under section 9(2)(a) of the Act, to protect the privacy of natural persons.
Some information that is out of scope of your request has also been removed.
As required under section 9(1) of the Act, I have considered the public interest in releasing the
information withheld under section 9(2)(a). I do not consider the public interest considerations
favouring the release of this information are sufficient to outweigh the need to withhold it at this
time.
The apology letter and the answers to the WPQs are publicly available and can be found at the
following links, therefore I am refusing these documents under section 18(d) of the Act. Please
note that the apology letter that is publicly available also has information withheld under section
9(2)(a) of the Act to protect the privacy of natural persons.
The apology letter was released in response to a previous request and can be found on our
website here: https://assets.education.govt.nz/public/Documents/our-work/information-
releases/responses-to-Official-Information-Act-requests/1322552-Appendix-A.pdf
The WPQs are available on the Parliament website here:
•  29582 (2023): https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/order-paper-questions/written-
questions/document/WQ_29584_2023/29584-2023-hon-jan-tinetti-to-the-minister-of-
education
•  29585 (2023): https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/order-paper-questions/written-
questions/document/WQ_29585_2023/29585-2023-hon-jan-tinetti-to-the-minister-of-
education
We have identified two email chains that are in scope of the third part of your request. I am
partially releasing these to you as Appendix B, with cellphone numbers and the name and email
addresses of two school employees withheld under section 9(2)(a) of the Act, to protect the privacy
of natural persons. I have withheld emails from the school as out of scope of your request.
You can find further information regarding the information I am releasing to you in the Document
Tables below this letter.
Please note, we may publish this response on our website. Your name and contact details will be
removed.

OIA: 1322731

Thank you again for your email. You have the right to ask an Ombudsman to review my decision
on your request, in accordance with section 28 of the Act. You can do this by writing to
[email address] or to Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143.
Nāku noa, nā

Scott Evans
Hautū | Deputy Secretary
Te Pou Hanganga, Matihiko | Infrastructure and Digital

OIA: 1322731

Appendix A Document Table
#
Date

From
To
Title

Decision on release
1
8 Dec 2023
Sam
Alistair Murray,
FW: Property
Release in part.
Fowler
Hilary Capon,
Meeting Actions
Information has been
Andrew Stitt
withheld under section
9(2)(a) of the Act. Out of
scope information has
also been removed.
2
12 Dec
Peter
Kaipara
Letter from the
Release in part.
2023
Wood
College
Secretary for
Information has been
Education
withheld under section
9(2)(a) of the Act.
2A SfE to Rochelle Gillespie – Kaipara College Board
Refused in full.
Information has been
refused under section
18(d) of the Act.
3
15 Dec
Amy
Minister’s
RE: 11 WPQs
Release in part.
2023
Dolden
Office staff,
received 8
Information has been
GEMS WPQ,
December - Due
withheld under section
Ministerial
MO 12 pm, 14
9(2)(a) of the Act. Out of
Requests
December
scope information has
also been removed.
3A 29584, 29585 (2023)
Refused in full.
Information has been
refused under section
18(d) of the Act.
4
20 Dec
Scott
Various
Letter advising
Release in part.
2023
Evans
public of the
Information has been
apology from the
withheld under section
Secretary for
9(2)(a) of the Act. The
Education to
date that is subject to
Kaipara College
change has also been
redacted.
5
9 Feb 2024
Enquiries
[Name
OIA Request
Release in part.
National
withheld]
1322552 -
Information has been
Acknowledgment
withheld under section
9(2)(a) of the Act.

OIA: 1322731

Appendix B Document Table
#
Date

From
To
Title

Decision on release
1
4 Dec 2023
Amanda
Cindy Sullivan
RE: Kaipara
Release in part.
Pellow
Collage
Information has been
withheld under section
9(2)(a) of the Act. Out of
scope information has
also been removed.
2
19 Jan
Amanda
Principal –
Kaipara
Release in part.
2024
Still
Kaipara
Innovation
Information has been
College. [name
meeting
withheld under section
withheld],
17.01.2024
9(2)(a) of the Act.
[email address
withheld]

OIA: 1322731