Request for information on the $6M Subsidy needed for the Capital Connection

Tony Randle made this Official Information request to KiwiRail

The request was partially successful.

From: Tony Randle

Dear Wellington Regional Council,

In today’s Kapiti Observer has a story entitled "Capital Connection plan collapses" (http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/new...) that includes the following:

'A bid to save the Capital Connection has collapsed as Wellington's regional council refuses to be left holding the "$6 million baby".
Greater Wellington Regional Council chair Fran Wilde said her council's case - to wire the Connection into the Tranz Metro - was a good idea, but they could not fund it.
Money for the Connection was not included in Greater Wellington's proposed 10 year budget.
She said the costs had "escalated hugely" and were now expected to be about $6m.'

I am interested in the claims made to "Save the Capital Connection".

Can I please have a copy of the information held by the GWRC that shows the cost (including any supporting calculations) to retaining the Capital Connection service would be "about $6m" ?

If this information is held in electronic form, I would prefer it was provided to me in its complete and original electronic format.

Finally, can you please acknowledge your receipt of this information request ?

Yours faithfully,

Tony Randle

Link to this

From: Monica Seevens

Dear Tony,

 

Acknowledgement of Request for Information

 

Thank you for your email dated 30^th April 2015,  requesting information
on the $6M Subsidy needed for the Capital Connection.

 

Your request is being followed-up and a reply will be sent to you shortly.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Monica Seevens

 

 

for
Leigh-Anne Buxton

General Manager

People and Capability

 

ATTENTION: This correspondence is confidential and intended for the named
recipient(s) only. If you are not the named recipient and receive this
correspondence in error, you must not copy, distribute or take any action
in reliance on it and you should delete it from your system and notify the
sender immediately. Unless otherwise stated, any views or opinions
expressed are solely those of the author, and do not represent those of
the organisation.

Link to this

From: Christine Kelly


Attachment WGN DOCS 1482811 v1 Transfer of request for information OIA 2015 044 to requestor.pdf
113K Download View as HTML


Good afternoon, please find attached a Request for information 2015/044 –
transfer letter.

 

Regards

Christine

 

Christine Kelly | Executive Secretary
GREATER WELLINGTON REGIONAL COUNCIL
Te Pane Matua Taiao
Shed 39, 2 Fryatt Quay, Pipitea, Wellington 6011 | PO Box 11646, Manners
St, Wellington 6142
T: 04 830 4201 | M: 021 368 779
[1]www.gw.govt.nz | [2]www.facebook.com/greaterwellington

 

ATTENTION: This correspondence is confidential and intended for the named
recipient(s) only. If you are not the named recipient and receive this
correspondence in error, you must not copy, distribute or take any action
in reliance on it and you should delete it from your system and notify the
sender immediately. Unless otherwise stated, any views or opinions
expressed are solely those of the author, and do not represent those of
the organisation.

References

Visible links
1. http://www.gw.govt.nz/
2. http://www.facebook.com/greaterwellington

Link to this

Tony Randle left an annotation ()

Greater Wellington Regional Council has transferred my request to KiwiRail as they are the original source of the $6M estimate of ongoing Capital Connection Costs.

Link to this

From: Louise Jago
KiwiRail


Attachment image001.jpg
2K Download


Good afternoon Mr Randle

 

We acknowledge receipt of your Official Information Act 1982 request which
has today been transferred to us from Greater Wellington Regional Council.

 

“From: Tony Randle
[[1]mailto:[FOI #2674 email]]

Sent: Thursday, 30 April 2015 4:18 p.m.

To: Info

Subject: Official Information Act request - Request for information on the
$6M Subsidy needed for the Capital Connection

 

Dear Wellington Regional Council,

 

In today’s Kapiti Observer has a story entitled "Capital Connection plan
collapses"
([2]http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/new...)
that includes the following:

 

'A bid to save the Capital Connection has collapsed as Wellington's
regional council refuses to be left holding the "$6 million baby".

Greater Wellington Regional Council chair Fran Wilde said her council's
case - to wire the Connection into the Tranz Metro - was a good idea, but
they could not fund it.

Money for the Connection was not included in Greater Wellington's proposed
10 year budget.

She said the costs had "escalated hugely" and were now expected to be
about $6m.'

 

I am interested in the claims made to "Save the Capital Connection".

 

Can I please have a copy of the information held by the GWRC that shows
the cost (including any supporting calculations) to retaining the Capital
Connection service would be "about $6m" ?

 

If this information is held in electronic form, I would prefer it was
provided to me in its complete and original electronic format.

 

Finally, can you please acknowledge your receipt of this information
request ?

 

Yours faithfully,

 

Tony Randle”

 

Under the Act, KiwiRail has up to 20 working days from the date of
receiving your request to respond.  Therefore, you can expect a response
on or before Thursday 11 June 2015.

 

This calculation takes into account the Queen’s Birthday statutory
holiday.

 

We will be in touch with you if it is necessary to clarify any aspect of
your request.

 

Kind regards

Louise

 

Louise Jago | Communications Co-ordinator

Ph: +64-4-498 3372 (internal extn 43372) | Fax: +64-4-473 1589
Level 4, Wellington Railway Station, Bunny Street, Wellington 6011 | PO
Box 593, Wellington 6140, New Zealand

Backbone of integrated transport networks

[3]Description: KiwiRail Logo email

Please consider the environment before printing

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[FOI #2674 email]
2. http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/new...
3. http://www.kiwirail.co.nz/

Link to this

From: Louise Jago
KiwiRail


Attachment image001.jpg
2K Download

Attachment Randle Tony Assisting MOT with OIA Response re Capital Connection Redacted.pdf
255K Download View as HTML


Dear Mr Randle

 

We are writing in response to your Official Information Act 1982 request
dated 30 April 2015 for “a copy of the information held by the Greater
Wellington Regional Council that shows the cost (including any supporting
information) to retaining the Capital Connection service would be “about
$6m””.

 

As you are aware, this request was transferred to KiwiRail from the
Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) pursuant to section 12 of the
Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987.

 

Please find enclosed two letters relating to your request.  Parts of these
letters have been withheld under the following sections of the Act:

·         s9(2)(i) and s9(2)(j) - commercially sensitive and relates to
ongoing negotiations regarding the future of the service.

·         s9(2)(a) - to protect the privacy of persons.

 

In addition, some information in the letter to Michael McCartney, Horizons
Regional Council dated 23 March 2015 has not been released as it is out of
scope.

 

Under section 28(3) of the Act, you have the right to seek an
investigation and review of this response by way of complaint to an
Ombudsman.  Refer to [1]www.ombudsmen.govt.nz for more information.

 

Kind regards

Louise

 

Louise Jago | Communications Co-ordinator

Ph: +64-4-498 3372 (internal extn 43372) | Fax: +64-4-473 1589
Level 4, Wellington Railway Station, Bunny Street, Wellington 6011 | PO
Box 593, Wellington 6140, New Zealand

Backbone of integrated transport networks

[2]Description: KiwiRail Logo email

Please consider the environment before printing

 

From: Louise Jago
Sent: Wednesday, 13 May 2015 5:15 p.m.
To: '[FOI #2674 email]'
Subject: OIA: Tony Randle re Capital Connection

 

Good afternoon Mr Randle

 

We acknowledge receipt of your Official Information Act 1982 request which
has today been transferred to us from Greater Wellington Regional Council.

 

“From: Tony Randle
[[3]mailto:[FOI #2674 email]]

Sent: Thursday, 30 April 2015 4:18 p.m.

To: Info

Subject: Official Information Act request - Request for information on the
$6M Subsidy needed for the Capital Connection

 

Dear Wellington Regional Council,

 

In today’s Kapiti Observer has a story entitled "Capital Connection plan
collapses"
([4]http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/new...)
that includes the following:

 

'A bid to save the Capital Connection has collapsed as Wellington's
regional council refuses to be left holding the "$6 million baby".

Greater Wellington Regional Council chair Fran Wilde said her council's
case - to wire the Connection into the Tranz Metro - was a good idea, but
they could not fund it.

Money for the Connection was not included in Greater Wellington's proposed
10 year budget.

She said the costs had "escalated hugely" and were now expected to be
about $6m.'

 

I am interested in the claims made to "Save the Capital Connection".

 

Can I please have a copy of the information held by the GWRC that shows
the cost (including any supporting calculations) to retaining the Capital
Connection service would be "about $6m" ?

 

If this information is held in electronic form, I would prefer it was
provided to me in its complete and original electronic format.

 

Finally, can you please acknowledge your receipt of this information
request ?

 

Yours faithfully,

 

Tony Randle”

 

Under the Act, KiwiRail has up to 20 working days from the date of
receiving your request to respond.  Therefore, you can expect a response
on or before Thursday 11 June 2015.

 

This calculation takes into account the Queen’s Birthday statutory
holiday.

 

We will be in touch with you if it is necessary to clarify any aspect of
your request.

 

Kind regards

Louise

 

Louise Jago | Communications Co-ordinator

Ph: +64-4-498 3372 (internal extn 43372) | Fax: +64-4-473 1589
Level 4, Wellington Railway Station, Bunny Street, Wellington 6011 | PO
Box 593, Wellington 6140, New Zealand

Backbone of integrated transport networks

[5]Description: KiwiRail Logo email

Please consider the environment before printing

References

Visible links
1. http://www.ombudsmen.govt.nz/
2. http://www.kiwirail.co.nz/
3. mailto:[FOI #2674 email]
4. http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/new...
5. http://www.kiwirail.co.nz/

Link to this

Oliver Lineham (FYI.org.nz volunteer) left an annotation ()

This is a pretty poor response. There's almost nothing of use unredacted in the letter, not even the $6m already public. I wonder what they redacted for being "out of scope" (which they are entitled to do, but is extra effort on their part and just makes you wonder what they're hiding). You could make a new request, the scope of which is the specific letter.

Link to this

Tony Randle left an annotation ()

Thanks Oliver ... I agree but can appreciate that KiwiRail and the regional councils have yet to complete a contract and so their application of the OIA is expected. It is weird that they could not expose the $6M total in their correspondence. I assume it is because the actual cost shortfall is less than $6M but more funding is required to support , "... agreement on an appropriate profit margin in addition to funding the annual cash shortfalls ..." (as outlined in the last sentence of the 1st letter).

Link to this

Things to do with this request

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