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7 February 2025
John Luke
[FYI request #29243 email]
Our ref: OIA 117640
Tēnā koe John
Official Information Act request: Ministerial Advisory Group (MAG) for retail crime
Thank you for your email of 19 November 2024, to the Ministry of Justice (the Ministry)
requesting further information OIA 116412, under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
Specifically, you requested:
1. I noted, " The Chair of the MAG, Sunny Kaushal, also reviewed applications."
How has the chair appointment was made? It looks like the Chair role was
already confirmed and determined before this expression of interest process.
2. Also, "In response to your request, the process for appointing the members of the
MAG on victims of retail crime was through a targeted expression of interest
process." Can you confirm what do you means by targeted expression of interest
process, are there any database you are using and are you able to send me the
list of Communities and organisations you have sent the email requesting EOI to?
3.
How many meetings this Ministerial Advisory Group for retail crime had so far?
Can you please supply al the available agenda and full meeting minutes for this
group.
Your questions have been numbered to ease of response.
On 17 December 2024 the Ministry contacted you, advising that a response to your request
is being prepared. However, due to the need for external consultation, the time limit was
extended under 15A of the Act.
In response to question 1 of your request, the Chair of the Ministerial Advisory Group Retail
Crime (Advisory Group) was a Ministerial appointment by the Minister for Justice and
Associate Minister for Justice, on 26 June 2024. The Chair was appointed prior to the
expression of interest process commencing for the remaining members of the Advisory.
In response to question 2 of your request, a targeted expression of interest process involves
reaching out to specific communities and groups, who fit the selection criteria, inviting them
to submit an EOI. The offices for the Minister for Justice and Associate Minister for Justice
received enquiries about the Advisory Group once the announcement was made on 11 July
2024. Individuals who made enquiries were sent the expression of interest form once it was
released. No specific database was used.
To maintain the privacy of those who applied for a position in the group, I am unable to
provide you with the specific names of individuals, communities or organisations who
submit ed a response. I am therefore withholding this information under section 9(2)(a) of the
Act, to protect the privacy of natural persons. However, I can advise that the applications fell
into at least one of the fol owing broad categories:
•
people with extensive retail experience
•
members of governance boards
•
CE/CEOs of retail sector peak bodies
•
employees of large retail organisations with experience in crime prevention, and
•
business owners in the security and crime prevention spaces.
In response to question 3, please see the document table below which details the
information in scope of your request. Some information has been withheld under the
following provisions of the Act:
•
section 9(2)(a) to protect the privacy of natural persons
•
section 9(2)(f)(iv) to maintain the constitutional conventions that protect confidentiality
of advice tendered by Ministers and officials.
The Advisory Group has had five meetings since the members were announced in
September 2024. The agendas of each of these meetings are attached, there are no
meeting minutes in scope of this request. The meetings were held on the following dates:
•
Tuesday 3 September 2024, 9.15am to 10.15am
•
Monday 16 September 2024, 10am to 12pm
•
Wednesday 2 October 2024 4pm to 6pm
•
Thursday 7 November 2024 1pm to 4 pm
•
Thursday 5 December 2024 1pm to 4 pm.
Please note that this response, with your personal details removed, may be published on the
Ministry website at:
Of icial Information Act responses | New Zealand Ministry of Justice
If you are not satisfied with this response, you have the right to make a complaint to the
Ombudsman under section 28(3) of the Act. The Of ice of the Ombudsman may be
contacted by email to [email address] or by phone on 0800 802 602.
Nāku noa, nā
Jono Weir
Director, Office of the Deputy Secretary, Policy
Documents in scope of your request
No. Date
Document type Title
Decision on release
1.
3 September Agenda
Victims of Retail Crime Ministerial Advisory Released in full
2024
Group Meeting with Ministers Goldsmith
and McKee
2.
16
Agenda
Ministerial Advisory Group 1st meeting
Released in full
September
2024
3.
2 October
Agenda
Ministerial Advisory Group Members
Released in full
2024
Meeting
4.
7 November Agenda
Ministerial Advisory Group Members
Some information withheld under section 9(2)(a) and
2024
Meeting
9(2)(f)(iv)
5.
5 December Agenda
Ministerial Advisory Group Members
Some Information withheld under section 9(2)(a)
2024
Meeting
