18 October 2024
WGJ
By email: [email address]
Tēnā koe WGJ
Official information request regarding the He Whenua Taurikura National
Centre of Research Excellence
I refer to your request for information under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act)
dated 21 September 2024:
1.
13th August OIA response states the roles at the centre. Which are ALL
sourced internally and not advertised. And subject to Victoria Collective
agreement. You referred to documents for bands without disclosing what
bands apply to what roles.
1.1 What bands and $ amounts are the following roles on? Director,
Project Manager, Research Fellows x 2, Research Assistant x 1, Centre
Manager x 1
1.2 Are these roles fulltime?
1.3 Part time roles: Are they employed in other roles at the University and
get a separate pay for those. (Double Dipping or two separate work
agreements? )
2.
Further to the two Postgraduates that were selected without a formal
process:
2.1 What are their degrees in ? From BA to Post grad please.
2.2 If new to this area of a study What engagement have, they done to
ensure they understand the field of Violent extremism and terrorism?
Security? Policing ? talked to police for example. Sought out those
academics for discussions? To ensure objectivity and not just write to
an agenda.
2.3 Depending on the degrees above: preventing radicalisation is a major
academic field of its own– anyone can see that in a google search and
it clearly needs specialist field expertise. What are these two Post grads
doing to ensure they obtain that ?
3.
The Centre’s research Committee assess applications as per the previous
OIA. Can you provide a link to that as this is not clear on the website as to
who this panel is?
3.1 Do research associates attend meetings or gather together. If so, do they
get travel and accommodation paid for?
3.2 if yes please provide a breakdown of costs – NOT personal details.
4.
Your response mentioned that “policy briefs” will be prepared.
4.1 Who for ?
4.2 Are these prepared by the HWT centre staff?
4.3 If not the HWT staff then who ?
4.4 If not the HWT staff then is it another body at Victoria University ?
4.5 If another body such as Victoria University, then what measures are
taken to include other universities and experts?
4.6 If including other experts and academics and run by Victoria
University will Victoria dictate the research others work with?
4.7 If assigned to Victoria University who made that decision and why is it
still siloed to one university or one place?
5.
In the last OIA the response says that the “research assistant” is funded to be
a editor of a [questionable] journal .
5.1 Is it not true that assistant is actually a Victoria University Professor
with a new focus on these areas and a history in crime only ?
6.
The handpicked postgraduates are they funded or paid? The Budget reflects
there are three of them and all are Victoria university personal
6.1 Will they get additional qualifications from this?
6.2 If yes to the above what are their fees being covered? Total fees.
6.3 if fees are covered why is this not subject to the same application
process as Phds and Masters ?
7.
What is the cost of the Koroareka Writing Retreat for the centre staff ?
7.1 Is this something provided to all students or just the Victoria
University Post Grads?
8.
Is the Summer Scholarships referred to in the budget sheets active?
8.1 if so who selects those students
1.
13th August OIA response states the roles at the centre. Which are ALL
sourced internally and not advertised. And subject to Victoria
Collective agreement. You referred to documents for bands without
disclosing what bands apply to what roles.
1.1 What bands and $ amounts are the following roles on? Director,
Project Manager, Research Fellows x 2, Research Assistant x 1, Centre
Manager x 1
1.2 Are these roles fulltime?
Role
Band
Range
Fulltime/Part time
Director
Professorial salary range
$155,171 - $191,738 Part time
Project Manager
Professional Staff Band 6
$63,264 - $87,831
Fulltime
Research Fellow
Research Fellow salary
$86,776 - $102,221
Fulltime
range
Research Assistant Research Assistant salary
$53,568 - $77,340
Part time (no longer employed
range
in HTW)
Centre Manager
Professional Staff Band 7
$71,542 - $99,792
Part time
1.3 Part time roles: Are they employed in other roles at the University and
get a separate pay for those. (Double Dipping or two separate work
agreements? )
The Director is employed full time by the university but is on secondment from another
role in the University. The Director works 0.8 FTE at He Whenua Taurikura. The
remaining 0.2 FTE is with the department from which the Director is seconded. The
Centre Manager is employed part time by the university to work in He Whenua
Taurikura.
2.
Further to the two Postgraduates that were selected without a formal
process:
2.1 What are their degrees in ? From BA to Post grad please.
Both post-doctoral fellows have degrees to PhD level in fields appropriate to their current
research and the work of He Whenua Taurikura. Further information regarding the
qualifications of employees is withheld in accordance with s9(2)(a) of the Act in order to
protect the privacy of natural persons.
2.2 If new to this area of a study What engagement have, they done to
ensure they understand the field of Violent extremism and terrorism?
Security? Policing ? talked to police for example. Sought out those
academics for discussions? To ensure objectivity and not just write to
an agenda.
Post-doctoral fellows were employed on the basis of their doctoral research which is of
relevance to the work of He Whenua Taurikura. Post-doctoral fellows engage with other
academics in the security, criminology, policing and other fields regularly.
2.3
Depending on the degrees above: preventing radicalisation is a major
academic field of its own– anyone can see that in a google search and it
clearly needs specialist field expertise. What are these two Post grads doing
to ensure they obtain that ?
Radicalisation is not an academic field of its own. Both post-doctoral fellows have
completed research in the domain of political activism which incorporates radicalisation.
3.
The Centre’s research Committee assess applications as per the
previous OIA. Can you provide a link to that as this is not clear on the
website as to who this panel is?
https://hwt.ac.nz/our-people/
3.1 Do research associates attend meetings or gather together. If so, do they
get travel and accommodation paid for?
He Whenua Taurikura has hosted one hui for research associates in 2024. Other
engagements are online as needed.
3.2 if yes please provide a breakdown of costs – NOT personal details.
Travel
$3696
Accommodation
$894
Total
$4590
4.
Your response mentioned that “policy briefs” will be prepared.
4.1 Who for ?
Policy briefs are produced in line with HWT objectives to generate research and build
public partnerships and engagement. Currently there is one policy brief being prepared.
When completed, the policy briefs will be posted online for whomever is interested in
reading them.
4.2 Are these prepared by the HWT centre staff?
4.3 If not the HWT staff then who ?
4.4 If not the HWT staff then is it another body at Victoria University ?
4.5 If another body such as Victoria University, then what measures are
taken to include other universities and experts?
The policy brief is currently being prepared by a Centre staff member. It is anticipated
that future policy briefs will be prepared by both He Whenua Taurikura staff and other
academics at both VUW and other universities and organisations. He Whenua Taurikura
is working closely with the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet to identify
academics from a range of universities to work on policy briefs and other research
outputs.
4.6 If including other experts and academics and run by Victoria University
will Victoria dictate the research others work with?
Te Herenga Waka does not “dictate” research. It facilitates research, which is the role of
all universities.
4.7 If assigned to Victoria University who made that decision and why is it
still siloed to one university or one place?
N/A - staff at other universities are involved.
5.
In the last OIA the response says that the “research assistant” is funded
to be a editor of a [questionable] journal .
5.1 Is it not true that assistant is actually a Victoria University Professor
with a new focus on these areas and a history in crime only ?
No.
6.
The handpicked postgraduates are they funded or paid? The Budget
reflects there are three of them and all are Victoria university personal
As per the answer to question 1.2, post-doctoral fellows are employed by the University.
6.1 Will they get additional qualifications from this?
No
6.2 If yes to the above what are their fees being covered? Total fees.
N/A
6.3 if fees are covered why is this not subject to the same application
process as Phds and Masters ?
N/A
7.
What is the cost of the Koroareka Writing Retreat for the centre staff ?
$7605. A breakdown of these costs is as follows:
Per person
Total
Food
$97
$483
Travel
$198
$991
Accommodation
$732 ($183 per night)
$3658
Venue/ catering costs
$495
$2473
7.1 Is this something provided to all students or just the Victoria University
Post Grads?
Participants came from Victoria University Wellington, Otago University, Massey
University, University of Auckland, and Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.
8.
Is the Summer Scholarships referred to in the budget sheets active?
No.
8.1 if so who selects those students
N/A
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of the
decisions made regarding this request. Information about how to make a complaint is
available
at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
If you wish to discuss this decision with us, please feel free to contact me at
[email address].
Ngā mihi nui
Blair Doherty
Senior Advisor, Official Information and Privacy
Legal Services
Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington
