29 October 2024
K Jack
Ref: PSTE-OI-24-024
[FYI request #28584 email]
Dear K Jack
Thank you for your email of 30 September 2024 requesting the following information:
1. Any drafts, summaries, and/or final copies of the initial report of the University
Advisory Group (UAG) due to have been provided to the government in August, and
any communications regarding this initial report;
2. Al communications (email, text, phone, etc.) between your office and the chair of
the UAG Sir Peter Gluckman;
3. Al materials held by your office related to the selection/invitation of Sir Peter
Gluckman as UAG chair.
I have considered your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
My office has not identified any drafts or summaries of the initial report in scope of
part one
of your request
. However, I can advise that I received a copy of the interim report on
3 October 2024 (after the date of your request), which I am withholding in full under section
9(2)(f)(iv) of the Act, to maintain the constitutional conventions for the time being which
protect the confidentiality of advice tendered by Ministers of the Crown and officials.
Regarding
part two of your request, I confirm that I have met with Sir Peter Gluckman on
several occasions since late last year, as set out below:
Date
Time
Details
14.12.23
3:30 – 4:30 PM
Initial meeting to discuss UAG
17.1.24
3:00 – 3:30 PM
Diarised meeting
24.1.24
2:45 – 3:15 PM
Teams call
8.2.24
9:30 – 10:00 AM
Teams call
12.3.24
9:00 - 9:45 AM
Diarised meeting
13.6.24
10:15 – 10:45 AM
UAG Meeting with Sir Peter, Minister teams’ in
11.7.24
11:15 – 11:45 AM
Sir Peter and Alastair MacCormick
1.8.24
9:00 – 9:30 AM
Teams call, Briefing on 1st report on the Science System
Advisory Group
These meetings have consisted of discussions on the formation of the UAG and it’s
progress. Sir Peter has utilised these meetings to keep me informed about other pieces of
work of interest to me as well. There are no minutes from these meetings.
Regarding
part three of your request, I can advise that there is no material held by my office
related to the selection of Sir Peter Gluckman. As such, I am refusing this part of your
request under section 18(e) of the Act, as the documents alleged to contain the information
requested do not exist or, despite reasonable efforts to locate them, cannot be found.
Even though I do not hold any material on the selection of Sir Peter Gluckman, I am happy
to provide some contextual information on this matter. Early in the formation of the 54th
Government, I had informal conversations with my caucus colleagues about establishing a
university advisory group. For background, in 2023, the Ministry of Education conducted
initial scoping for a review of the wider higher education funding system signalled by the
previous Government. I directed the Ministry to convene an expert advisory group (UAG) to
provide a report outlining challenges and opportunities, looking primarily at the university
system, to support future policy development.
The UAG’s work was to be undertaken in parallel with the work of MBIE’s Science System
Advisory Group which was focused on assessing the current state of the science system and
providing advice. Looking at the systems together provided an opportunity for a cohesive
consideration of the role of universities in the research and knowledge system alongside the
role of the science, innovation and technology system.
The considerable alignment with the Science System Advisory Group that Hon Judith Collins
was setting up was identified early on by myself, Hon Judith Collins and of icials. It made
sense to have these advisory groups chaired by one person to ensure efficiencies across
findings and approach. As a result of this alignment, I directed the Ministry of Education to
appoint Sir Peter Gluckman to the UAG role.
Thank you again for your email. You have the right to ask an Ombudsman to review this
decision. You can do this by writing to
[email address] or Of ice of the
Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143.
Kind regards
Hon Penny Simmonds
Minister for Tertiary Education and Skil s
