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Kind regards,
[cid:image001.jpg@01DA43A9.6D8F41D0]
Office of Hon Simeon Brown MP
Minister of Transport, Minister of Local Government, Minister for Energy,
Minister for Auckland
Email: [Simeon Brown request email]
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Dear James,

Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) request, received on 19/07/2024, in which you requested the following information:

In the Select Committee Report for the "Electoral (Lowering Voting Age for Local Elections and Polls) Legislation Bill" (the Bill) the Committee report states:

"We are appalled that the Minister saw fit to write to this committee and in substance (if not in form) direct the committee to cease its consideration." in regards to "a letter from the Minister of Local Government dated 20 December 2023".

Further, it noted:

"We are deeply concerned at the precedent that the decision of this committee not to proceed to a full consideration of the bill sets."

Please provide the following:

1) The letter sent to the Justice Committee dated 20 December 2023.
2) All responses received by the Minister in reply to the letter.
3) All briefings, meetings, minutes, notes, and emails, etc. as it relates to the letter. This includes but is not limited to, correspondence with the Minister and others when creating the letter, discussions around the language used, and any anticipated responses or opinions. This also includes communication with the Minister about the letter and its contents after it was sent to the Committee.

Please answer the following:

1) Did the Minister consider the legality of directing the Committee to cease consideration of the Bill (or the content of the letter)? If so, what was the conclusion?
2) Did the Minister consider any precedent for directing the Committee to cease consideration of the Bill (or the content of the letter)? If so, what was the conclusion?
3) Since the Minister was made aware of the Committee report, has the Minister considered the precedent the letter may set? If so, what was the conclusion?

Please provide this information in an accessible, searchable format without a watermark.
If any information needs to be withheld from a document, please ensure this is not done in a way that makes the surrounding content (such as other content on the same page) inaccessible.
Please provide both the reason for removal of information as well as the grounds in support of that reason as outlined by section 17(2)(b) of the Act.
I am a New Zealand citizen.

Your request will be answered within the provisions of the Official Information Act.

Kind regards,
Office of Hon Simeon Brown

-----Original Message-----
From: James B <[FOI #27719 email]>
Sent: Friday, July 19, 2024 1:37 AM
To: Simeon Brown (MIN) <[email address]>
Subject: OIA24-303 | Official Information request - Letter sent to Justice Committee dated 20/12/23 directing the Committe to cease consideration

Dear Simeon Brown (Minister of Local Government),

In the Select Committee Report for the "Electoral (Lowering Voting Age for Local Elections and Polls) Legislation Bill" (the Bill) the Committee report states:

"We are appalled that the Minister saw fit to write to this committee and in substance (if not in form) direct the committee to cease its consideration." in regards to "a letter from the Minister of Local Government dated 20 December 2023".

Further, it noted:

"We are deeply concerned at the precedent that the decision of this committee not to proceed to a full consideration of the bill sets."

Please provide the following:

1) The letter sent to the Justice Committee dated 20 December 2023.
2) All responses received by the Minister in reply to the letter.
3) All briefings, meetings, minutes, notes, and emails, etc. as it relates to the letter. This includes but is not limited to, correspondence with the Minister and others when creating the letter, discussions around the language used, and any anticipated responses or opinions. This also includes communication with the Minister about the letter and its contents after it was sent to the Committee.

Please answer the following:

1) Did the Minister consider the legality of directing the Committee to cease consideration of the Bill (or the content of the letter)? If so, what was the conclusion?
2) Did the Minister consider any precedent for directing the Committee to cease consideration of the Bill (or the content of the letter)? If so, what was the conclusion?
3) Since the Minister was made aware of the Committee report, has the Minister considered the precedent the letter may set? If so, what was the conclusion?

Please provide this information in an accessible, searchable format without a watermark.
If any information needs to be withheld from a document, please ensure this is not done in a way that makes the surrounding content (such as other content on the same page) inaccessible.
Please provide both the reason for removal of information as well as the grounds in support of that reason as outlined by section 17(2)(b) of the Act.
I am a New Zealand citizen.

Yours faithfully,

James B

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