4 April 2024
CHARITIES SERVICES
45 Pipitea Street, Wel ington 6011
PO Box 12318, Thorndon, Wellington
6011, New Zealand
Freephone 0508242748
James
www.charities.govt.nz
via FYI.org.nz
dia.govt.nz
Sent via email to:
[FYI request #26013 email]
Tēnā koe James
Official Information Act 1982 Request – OIA 2324-0697
Thank you for your request for information under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act)
which was received by the Department of Internal Affairs on 6 March 2024. You have
requested the fol owing:
1. The total hours spent to date on the investigation into the Waipareira Trust by
Charities Services at the Department of Internal Affairs, which first began in 2019.
2. The number of charities over the last 6 years where the investigation has taken longer
than 3 years, longer than 4 years, and longer than 5 years.
3. How many open investigations are there that have taken longer than 2 years, 3 years,
4 years and 5 years?
4. What is the longest investigation to date of a charity?
5. What is the average length of time taken for an investigation into a charity in NZ?
6. Have any outside legal consultants or experts been used on the investigation into the
Waipareira Trust, if so what is the cost to date? Please provide the names of the legal
experts used, if any.
7. Any communications concerning the investigation into the Waipareira Trust between
the DIA and the Minster of DIA between 2019 and February 2024.
We have broken down our response into two parts, first in relation to data held by Charities
Services in relation to Investigations (questions 2 to 5) it has undertaken over the last six
years and secondly in respect to information relating to Te Whānau o Waipareira Trust (the
Trust) (questions 1, 6 and 7).
Investigation Data
Question 2
We have collated all investigations which have been completed by Charities Services since 1
July 2018.
Please note that the way we record the length of time investigations are open includes all
days between the date an investigation was opened and closed. This includes weekends and
public holidays and does not account for times when inquiries are put on hold, including if
there was a third-party interest (other investigation, prosecution etc). This means that the
total time does not closely reflect the active time an investigation was being worked on.
Financial Year (FY)
Longer than 3 years
Longer than 4 years
Longer than 5 years
FY18
1
1
0
FY19
0
0
0
FY20
0
0
0
FY21
3
0
0
FY22
0
0
0
FY23
1
0
1
Question 3
Our oldest open investigation has been open for 2 years 5 months. No other current
investigations are older than 2 years.
Question 4
The longest investigation we have on record took 5 years 9 months. This investigation is
dated from 2009 and on review of the documents we hold it would appear that there were
significant periods where the investigation was on hold pending the actions of a third party.
Question 5
The average length of time taken for an investigation into a charity in New Zealand since 1
July 2018 is 1 year and 4 months.
Te Whānau o Waipareira Trust
Question 1
I can confirm that Charities Services does not keep records of the total hours spent on
investigations, instead we record the total days an investigation is open.
Because the information you have requested does not exist, this aspect of your request has
been refused under section 18(e) of the Act; the document al eged to contain the
information requested does not exist.
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Questions 6 and 7
As you may be aware, Charities Services has a current investigation into the Trust. Because
of this al information we hold within scope of questions 6 and 7 has been withheld under
section 6(c) of the Act; the making available of that information would be likely to prejudice
the maintenance of the law, including the prevention, investigation, and detection of
offences, and the right to a fair trial.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review of my decisions about your request by
the Ombudsman pursuant to section 28(1) of the Act. The Office of the Ombudsman can be
contacted by writing to PO Box 10-152, Wellington or by email to
[email address].
Nāku noa, nā
Penelope Cox
Manager Regulatory
Charities Services
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