20 June 2024
S Bay
[FYI request #26841 email]
Dear S Bay
Official Information Request
Our Ref: OIA 2024-0125
I refer to your official information request received on 16 May 2024 for:
“Could you please provide any correspondance between the commission and DIA about Maria
Robertson and passports, since March 2024.”
Our Response
Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission (the Commission) was contacted by the Chief Executive
(CE) of the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) on 27 March 2024 about the management of an urgent
passport application in March 2024, related to DJ Fred Again. The urgent application was processed
by the Service Delivery and Operations Branch of DIA which includes the Deputy Chief Executive,
Service Delivery and Operations Branch.
On 28 March 2024,  the Assistant Commissioner at the Commission then  received  an email which
outlined that the CE of DIA advised he had considered the matters they discussed the day before and
that he was initiating an independent review to have assurance about the management of an urgent
passport application.  As this email contains other information not relevant to the request, we are
providing the information relevant to your request to you by way of a summary of contents, in
accordance with section 16(1)(a) of the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA).
On 15 May 2024 DIA provided the Commission with an embargoed copy of the Assurance Review
report and the media statement they were releasing on 17 May 2024.
Information publicly available
Listed in the table below is the Assurance Review and the media statement which are both publicly
available on the Department of Internal Affairs website at the link also provided for in the table.
Item
Date
Document Description
Website Address
1
17 May 2024
Media Statement and Assurance Review into the  Press Releases - dia.govt.nz
management of an urgent passport
Accordingly, I have refused your request for the documents listed in the above table under section
18(d) of the OIA – the information requested is publicly available.
If you wish to discuss this decision with us, please feel free to contact
[email address].
Level 10, RBNZ Building |   2 The Terrace | PO Box 329
Wel ington 6140 | New Zealand
Phone +64 4 495 6600

You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision.
Information about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
freephone 0800 802 602.
Please note that we intend to publish this letter (with your personal details removed) on the Te Kawa
Mataaho Public Service Commission’s website.

Yours sincerely

Nicky Dirks
Manager – Ministerial and Executive Services
Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission

Document Outline