OIA Response Smith.pdf

45 Pipitea St
PO Box 805

Wel ington 6140

Phone +64 4 495 7200
24 May 2024
Fax +64 4 495 7222
Website dia.govt.nz
Mike Smith
fyi-request-26399-
[email address]

Tēnā koe Mike

Official Information Act 1982 request, reference OIA2324-0839
Thank you for your email of 11 April 2024 requesting the following information from Te Tari
Taiwhenua | the Department of Internal Affairs under the Official Information Act 1982 (the
Act):
1.  Correspondence within the Department of Internal Affairs regarding Deputy Chief
Executive Maria Robertson's communication with Frederick Gibson (Fred Again) or his
team.
2.  Correspondence to or between the Minister of Internal Affairs and the Department of
Internal Affairs regarding Fred Again or his team.
3.  Correspondence to or between the Department of Internal Affairs and Fred Again or
his team.
On 6 May 2024, the timeframe for your request was extended to 27 May 2024. Pursuant to
sections 15A(1)(a) and 15A(1)(b) of the Act, this extension was necessary because your
request necessitated a search through a large quantity of information, and consultations
necessary to make a decision on your request were such that a proper response could not
reasonably be made within the original time limit.
Response to your request
There are 52 documents in scope of your request, enclosed as Appendix A.
As the Department is unable to comment on, or provide information relating to, the
processing of a private individual’s passport application, some information is withheld under
section 9(2)(a) of the Act, as withholding this information is necessary to protect the privacy
of natural persons.
Please note that al  correspondence between Deputy Chief Executive Maria Robertson and
Frederick Gibson is in the public domain; however, it contains information relating to the
processing of a private individual’s passport application. Therefore, I am withholding
Document 1 in full under section 9(2)(a), to protect the privacy of natural persons.
As is required by section 9(1) of the Act, I have considered whether the grounds for
withholding information in these documents are outweighed by other considerations which

would make it desirable, in the public interest, to make them available. In this instance, I do
not consider that to be the case. Some information has also been withheld within these
documents as it is out of scope of your request.
The Department recently commissioned an independent assurance review of the processing
of Tessa Hills’ passport application. It found that correct processing procedures were
fol owed, and that no preferential treatment was given. The full report is available at:
dia.govt.nz/diawebsite.nsf/Files/DIA-Passport-Assurance-Review/$file/DIA-Passport-
Assurance-Review-May-2024.pdf.
Proactive release
We intend to publish our response to your request on www.dia.govt.nz. This letter, with
your personal details removed, will be published in its entirety. Publishing responses
increases the availability of information to the public and is consisstent with the Act’s
purpose of enabling more effective participation in the making and administration of laws
and policies and promoting the accountability of Ministers and officials.
Access to the Ombudsman
You have the right, under section 28(3) of the Act, to seek an investigation and review of my
decision by the Office of the Ombudsman. The postal address of the Office of the
Ombudsman is PO Box 10152, Wel ington. Alternatively, you can phone 0800 802 602 or
email [email address]

Nāku noa, nā

Karen Hope-Cross
Director Office of the Chief Executive

Page 2 of 5

Appendix A

#
Document name
Document
Decision
Relevant
date
section/s of the
Act
1
Instagram screenshot: Maria  26 March
Withheld in
9(2)(a)
Robertson and Fred Again
2024
full
2
Text messages: Maria
26 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
Robertson
2024
released
3
Text messages: Maria
26/ 27 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
Robertson
2024
released
4
Text messages: Maria
26/ 27 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
Robertson
2024
released
5
Text messages: Maria
27 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
Robertson
2024
released
6
Email: Media queries
27 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
2024
released
7
Email: Media lines
27 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
2024
released
8
Email: Media lines
27 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
2024
released
9
Email: Media query
27 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
2024
released
10  Email: Media query
27 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
2024
released
11  Email: Media query
27 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
2024
released
12  Email: Media statement
27 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
2024
released
13  Email: Proposed media
27 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
responses
2024
released
14  Attachment to document 13:  27 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
Passport responses
2024
released
15  Email: Media response
27 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
2024
released
16  Email: Interview request
27 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
2024
released
17  Email: Interview request
27 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
2024
released
18  Email: Media response
27 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
2024
released
19  Email: Media queries
27 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
2024
released
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#
Document name
Document
Decision
Relevant
date
section/s of the
Act
20  Email: Proposed media
27 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
responses
2024
released
Attachment: see document
14
21  Email: Proposed media
27 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
responses
2024
released
22  Email: Media lines
27 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
2024
released
23  Email: Passport timeline
27 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
2024
released
24  Email: Media query
27 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
2024
released
25  Email: Interview request
27 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
2024
released
26  Text messages: Paul James  27 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
2024
released
27  Text messages: Karen
27 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
Hope-Cross
2024
released
28  Email: Complaint
27 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
2024
released
29  Email: Media query
27 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
2024
released
30  Email: Media query follow-
27 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
up
2024
released
31  Email: Media query
27 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
2024
released
32  Email: Complaint
27 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
2024
released
33  Email: Complaint
27 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
2024
released
34  Text messages: Paul James  27 / 28 March  Partially
9(2)(a)
2024
released
35  Text messages: Paul James  28 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
2024
released
36  Email: Weekend Media
28 March
Partially
9(2)(a)
Summary
2024
released
37  Chief Executive’s pānui
2 April 2024
Partially
9(2)(a)
released
38  Email: Ministerial
2 April 2024
Partially
9(2)(a)
correspondence
released
39  Email: Ministerial
2 April 2024
Partially
9(2)(a)
correspondence
released
40  Text messages: Karen
2 April 2024
Partially
9(2)(a)
Hope-Cross
released
Page 4 of 5

#
Document name
Document
Decision
Relevant
date
section/s of the
Act
41  Email: I’m Listening
3 April 2024
Partially
9(2)(a)
proposed response
released
42  Email: Ministerial
3 April 2024
Partially
9(2)(a)
correspondence
released
43  Text messages: Karen
3 April 2024
Partially
9(2)(a)
Hope-Cross
released
44  Email: OIAs
3 April 2024
Partially
9(2)(a)
released
45  Email: Ministerial responses    3 April 2024
Partially
9(2)(a)
released
46  Attachment to document 45:  3 April 2024
Partially
9(2)(a)
Ministerial response to
released
[Withheld]
47  Attachment to document 45:  3 April 2024
Partially
9(2)(a)
Ministerial response to
released
[Withheld]
48  Chief Executive’s
4 April 2024
Partially
9(2)(a)
responses: I’m Listening
released
49  Email: Planned response
10 April 2024  Partially
9(2)(a)
released
50  Email: Ministerial
10 April 2024  Partially
9(2)(a)
Correspondence
released
51  Attachment to document 50:  10 April 2024  Partially
9(2)(a)
Ministerial response to
released
[Withheld]
52  Attachment to document 50:  10 April 2024  Partially
9(2)(a)
Ministerial response to
released
[Withheld]

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