14th November 2024
Anna Wilson
[FYI request #29143 email]
Ref: OIA-2024/25-0433
Tēnā koe Anna Wilson
Official Information Act request relating to Ministerial diaries for international travel
Thank you for your request made under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act), received
on 11 November 2024. You requested:
“I am getting in touch with a question about the publication of Ministerial diaries on the
Beehive website. In the previous term of Government, these Ministerial diaries accounted for
all activities undertaken by Ministers - including their overseas travel. Domestic activities and
international activities were published in the same level of detail which was very useful. In
this current term of Government, I have noticed that Ministerial diaries now only list
"Overseas Travel" with an indication of the days overseas and there is no further detail
provided about what meetings or engagements the Minister undertook.
I made an OIA request for this information to Minister McClay's office who pointed me to the
proactive release of Cabinet papers reporting back on the Minister's overseas travel. While
these Cabinet papers include details of the people that the Minister met with while overseas,
they do not show the date of these meetings, the time of these meetings, the duration of
these meetings, or which officials or other parties were in attendance at these meetings. In
addition, these Cabinet papers have to go through a lengthy proactive release process in
contrast to the Ministerial diaries which are often uploaded quite soon after the conclusion of
each month.
I wanted to ask whether you knew why this change had been made and whether Ministers
are expected to account for their domestic and international engagements in a consistent
way? Is this governed by a standing order or a speaker's ruling. You can see the contrast in
available information if you look through the published Ministerial diaries of people like the
Foreign Affairs Minister or the Trade Minister in this Government and then the last few
Governments.”
I believe the information you have requested is more closely connected to the functions of
the Minister responsible for Ministerial Services, Rt Hon Christopher Luxon. Accordingly, I
have decided to transfer your request to the Minister responsible for Ministerial Services
under section 14(b)(ii) of the Act.
4964801
Executive Wing, Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand 6011
64 4 817 9700 Facsimile 64 4 472 3181 www.dpmc.govt.nz
The Minister responsible for Ministerial Services has the usual timeframes under the Act from
receipt of this transfer to make a decision on your request.
Nākū noa, nā
Amy Teague
Manager, Ministerial Services
4964801
Executive Wing, Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand 6011
64 4 817 9700 Facsimile 64 4 472 3181 www.dpmc.govt.nz
