Jasper Brownley
[FYI request #28130 email]
10 October 2024
Dear Jasper,
OIA 24-25-16: Wellington Office Renovation Costs
Thank you for your email of 21 August 2024 to New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE),
making a request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act). You requested the following
information:
According to recent select committee answers NZTE has decreased its tax-payer funded
property costs in the WLG office.
Please provide clarity on this cost-saving:
Lease Costs 1a. Prior to moving from 3 floors to 2 floors of the Majestic Center, what was the annual
lease costs per floor?
1b. What were the annual contributions from Walking NZ and Callaghan and any other
agencies that might have shared the space?
1c. What is the current annual lease cost after reducing floors from three to two?
Renovation Costs 2a. When you moved from 3 floors to 2, what were the total renovation costs as a result of
that move (including design and engineering costs, redecorating, furniture, equipment,
tradespeople etc)? Please ensure any new office furniture and all consultation costs
associated with architects/designers are clearly stated. 2b. Were Wellington based employees consulted during the renovation process? Provide
documented internal consultation feedback i.e., positive/negative comments about the
suggested renovations including changes as a result of this feedback.
2c. Provide the business case for the renovation. 2d. Provide the board paper if required for any financial signing authority.
2e. Please provide the office floor plans both before and after the renovations.
Occupancy
3a. How many FTE staff are permanently based in the Wellington office? 3b. How many desks do you have to accommodate these FTEs in the Wellington office? 3c. What is the current requirement for employee days for working from the office vs working
from home each week?
Renovations in General
4a. Are there any other NZTE offices and/or event spaces in NZ or globally - currently being
considered for renovation?
Answers to your questions are as follows
T: +64 4 816 8100
F: +64 4 816 8101
W: nzte.govt.nz
W: newzealand.com/business
Level 15, The Majestic Centre, 100 Willis Street, Wellington 6011, New Zealand, PO Box 2878, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
link to page 2
1a. Annual lease costs per floor in 2022 (prior to moving NZTE Wellington office to two floors)
were $467,791 (total lease cost divided by three).
1b. Callaghan Innovation and Herenga ā Nuku Aotearoa’s contributions for 2023 were
$485,893.
1c. The current annual lease cost is $1,511,279 (as taken from NZTE Estimates Answers
2024/25). This is the total cost for all three floors. NZTE has co-location agreements with
Callaghan Innovation and Herenga ā Nuku Aotearoa under which these organisations pay rent
on one floor. Subtracting their contributions NZTE’s current annual lease cost is $1,009,059.
2a. Total renovation costs were $1,400,671. Please see attached as Appendix One a
breakdown of these costs.
2b. Yes, a cross-functional team was established during the design phase to ensure that NZTE
employees’ feedback was inputted into the design and consultation was undertaken. Please
see attached as Appendix Two the Wellington Office Refit Feedback- December 2022
summary pack. This pack is released subject to information being withheld under section
9(2)(a), to protect the privacy of NZTE employees, and section 6(d), to protect the safety of
NZTE employees, of the Official Information Act 1982.
Following the conclusion of the refit project, Wellington based employees completed a survey
which noted the following:
• 42% of employees in the Wellington office responded to the survey
• When asked
“How good a job did we do of the consultation and communications
pre and during the fit out” the average rating was 9.39 out of 10
• When asked “
How does the office meet your needs” the average rating was 9.05
out of 10.
• When asked what most people enjoyed about the office renovation, responses
were grouped into three categories: range/variety of spaces, meeting rooms and
zones.
• Areas for ongoing improvement were grouped into the following categories:
space, technology, people, zones, and team specific issues.
• In response to this feedback, the following actions were implemented: More
personalisation in the office fitout (less clinical), improved lighting, creating a
larger communal space and improved kitchen safety. Zone flexibility was also
acknowledged, and some zones were merged. Demand for quiet desks were not
as high as originally anticipated and so the number of these were reduced.
2c. Please refer to the Board Paper referenced in question 2(d) which includes a business
case.
2d. Please see the Board Paper for the Wellington Office Renovation attached as Appendix
Three subject to information being withheld under section 9(2)(a), to protect the privacy of
NZTE employees, and section 6(d), to protect the safety of NZTE employees, of the Official
Information Act 1982.
2e. NZTE is withholding this information under section 6(d) of the Official Information Act 1982,
as the use of this information may endanger the safety of NZTE employees.
3a. There are 91.13 FTEs in the Wellington office.
3b. There are 96 workstations.
3c. NZTE supports flexible working. Flexibility must work for NZTE and our customers, work for
the team, and work for the employee. Our approach requires people to be in the office or with
customers or key external stakeholders at least three days a week. This will be reviewed as
guidance from government is updated.
4a. There are renovation projects underway at New Zealand Centr
al1 and the Vancouver office.
There are proposed projects being considered for the Los Angeles and Auckland offices.
1 New Zealand Central operates under the New Zealand Consulate General in Shanghai. It is a
professional business and events centre for New Zealand companies doing business in China.
You have the right under section 28(3) of the Act to seek an investigation and review by the
Ombudsman. Information about how to make a complaint is available at:
www.ombudsman.parliament.govt.nz or freephone: 0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely
Melissa Trochon
Director – Board & Ministerial
