44 Bowen Street
Private Bag 6995
Wellington 6141
New Zealand
T 64 4 894 5400
F 64 4 894 6100
www.nzta.govt.nz
2 September 2024
Barry Garrick
[FYI request #27459 email]
REF: OIA-15773
Dear Barry
Request made under the Official Information Act 1982
Thank you for your email
of 1 July 2024 requesting the following information under the Official
Information Act 1982 (the Act):
Now that the Auckland Light Rail project has been disestablished and there should not be any
commerciality reasons to withhold, may I please have NZTA's proposal as mentioned in this
press release: [https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/auckland-light-rail-process-ended] This should include any summaries and briefings to the Board and Minister which detailed
what was in the proposal.
On 29 July 2024 NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) advised that the material you requested
spanned a large number of documents covering bids, appendices and sub-appendices which in total
spans over 3,500 pages. NZTA advised that it was extending the 20 working days available to
respond to your request as meeting the original time limit would unreasonably interfere with our
operations. You were invited to clarify or refine the scope of your request.
I have now determined that collating and assessing the material you have requested would require a
substantial amount of time and resources and would place an unreasonable administrative burden on
NZTA. I am therefore refusing your request under section 18(f) of the Act as the information requested
cannot be made available without substantial collation or research. Should you wish to make a further
request for particular documents in relation to the proposal your request can be reconsidered.
In an effort to provide reasonable assistance I have enclosed the executive summary which provides a
detailed outline of the proposal. Certain information within the executive summary has been withheld
under section 9(2)(a) of the Act. This section al ows for the withholding of information to protect the
privacy of natural persons, including that of deceased natural persons.
With respect to the information that has been withheld, I do not consider there are any other factors
which would render it desirable, in the public interest, to make the information available.
Under section 28 of the Act, you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to review my decision to
withhold certain information and refuse this request. The contact details for the Ombudsman can be
located at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz.
If you would like to discuss this matter further with NZTA, you are welcome to contact the Ministerial
Services team by email at [NZTA request email].
Yours sincerely
Tom James
Manager, Ministerial Services
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