OIA 154 James Webb response letter.pdf

Ref: OIA 154

James Webb
[FYI request #29617 email]

Dear James
Thank you for your email of 19 December 2024 requesting, under the Official Information Act
1982 (the Act), the following information:
Please provide all communications to and from your office on the minimum wage
since January 2024.
Please also provide all advice received on minimum wage. Please ensure that copies
provided are versions with the Minister’s decisions on them.
I also request all notes made by office staff on the Minister’s preferences and
feedback on the minimum wage settings.
On 15 and 27 January 2025, my Of ice contacted you to refine the scope of your request
and on 27 January 2025 you confirmed that you were not amendable to rescoping your
request and referred to your suggested scope of 22 January 2025. The request of 22
January 2025 was for the following information:
Please provide all communications to and from your office between MPs and officials
on the minimum wage since January 2024.
Please also provide all advice received on minimum wage. Please ensure that copies
provided are versions with the Minister’s decisions on them and any written notes.
On 11 February 2025, I wrote to you refusing the first part of your request under section 18(f)
of the Act, as the information could not be made available without substantial collation or
research. I also extended the time to respond to your request under section 15A(1)(a) of the
Act, as the request necessitated a search through a large quantity of information.
I have interpreted the scope of your request to exclude advice relating to the 2024 minimum
wage on the basis that your original request wording specifically focussed on information
relating to ‘Minimum Wage 2025’.
There are 15 documents (some with documents attached) in scope of your request and the
relevant documents are set out in the attached table. Of these, three documents have been
withheld in full, under sections 6(a) and 9(2)(g)(i) of the Act to prevent prejudice to the
security or defence of New Zealand or the international relations of the Government of New
Zealand, and to maintain the effective conduct of public affairs through the free and frank
expression of opinions.
I am not providing the following documents as they substantially duplicate the final version of
the Minimum Wage Review 2024 or Cabinet paper that is publicly available on the Ministry
of Business, Innovation and Employment’s website at:

•  Annex One to BRIEFING-REQ-0005658 Minimum Wage Review 2024 – Setting the
2025 rates (https:/ www.mbie.govt.nz/dmsdocument/29987-minimum-wage-review-
2024-pdf)
•  Annex One to BRIEFING-REQ-0006486 Minimum Wage Review 2024 – final
Cabinet paper for lodgement (https://www.mbie.govt.nz/dmsdocument/29983-
minimum-wage-review-2024-setting-the-2025-rates-proactiverelease-pdf)
•  Annex Two to BRIEFING-REQ-0006486 Minimum Wage Review 2024 – final
Cabinet paper for lodgement (https://www.mbie.govt.nz/dmsdocument/29987-
minimum-wage-review-2024-pdf).
I am releasing the remaining items to you, subject to the redaction of information that is
outside the scope of your request, and other redactions under the following sections of the
Act:
•  6(a), to prevent prejudice to the security or defence of New Zealand or the
international relations of the Government of New Zealand
•  9(2)(a), to protect the privacy of natural persons
•  9(2)(f)(iv), to maintain the constitutional conventions for the time being which protect
the confidentiality of advice tendered by officials
•  9(2)(g)(i), to maintain the effective conduct of public affairs through the free and frank
expression of opinions by or between Ministers of the Crown and officials.
I do not consider that the withholding of information is outweighed by public interest
considerations in making the information available.
If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request or this response, or if you require any
further assistance, please contact my office at [Brooke van Velden request email].
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision.
Information about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz
or freephone 0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely

Hon Brooke van Velden
Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety

Documents attached
#
Date
Title/Description
Summary of decisions
Release, with material
1
22 July 2024
2425-0100 Initial briefing - Minimum
Wage Review 2024
redacted under section
9(2)(a).
Excerpt from 2425-0318 MBIE
Release, with material
Workplace Relations and Safety
redacted under sections:
2
12 September
2024
Policy Weekly Report for the period
•
from 06 September 2024 – 12
  9(2)(a)
September 2024
•  9(2)(g)(i).
Release, with material
3
20 September
RE: Minister's updated decision on  redacted under section
2024
Minimum wage review
9(2)(a) and material out of
scope redacted.
BRIEFING-REQ-0005658 Minimum  Release, with material
4
Wage Review 2024 – Setting the
redacted under section
2025 rates
9(2)(a).
Not provided as it
4 November
substantially duplicates the
-
Annex One: Draft Minimum Wage
2024
Review 2024
Minimum Wage Review
2024 that is publicly
available.
Annex Two: Incomplete draft Cabinet
4.1
paper (to be adapted by your office  Release in full.
to reflect your preferred approach)
Release, with material
5
7 November
2024
RE: Min wage data request
redacted under section
9(2)(a).
Withhold in full under
sections:
6
8 November
2024
RE: Minimum wage paper MO edits
•  6(a)
•  9(2)(g)(i).
Withhold in full under
sections:
7
8 November
2024
RE: Minimum wage paper MO edits
•  6(a)
•  9(2)(g)(i).
8
11 November
2024
Further requests re: Minimum Wage   Release, with material
redacted under section

9(2)(g)(i) and material out
of scope redacted.
Withhold in full under
sections:
9
11 November
2024
Min wage Cab paper
•  6(a)
•  9(2)(g)(i).
Release, with material
10
26 November
RE: MB to check! Cabinet paper -
2024
Minimum wage 26 Nov
redacted under section
9(2)(a).
BRIEFING-REQ-0006486 Minimum  Release, with material
11
Wage Review 2024 – final Cabinet
redacted under section
paper for lodgement
9(2)(a).
Not provided as it
Annex One: Cabinet paper for
substantially duplicates the
-
Cabinet paper, Minimum
27 November
lodgement - Minimum Wage Review:  Wage Review: Setting the
2024
Setting the 2025 rates
2025 rates, that is publicly
available.
Not provided as it
substantially duplicates the
-
Annex Two: Minimum Wage Review
2024
Minimum Wage Review
2024 that is publicly
available.
RE: BRIEFING-REQ-0006486 Aide  Release, with material
12
27 November
Memoire - Minimum Wage Review
2024
2024 – final Cabinet paper for
redacted under section
lodgement
9(2)(a).
13
Minimum wage talking points for
ECO on 4 December 2024
Release in full.
29 November
2024
Minimum Wage Review - Setting the
13.1
2025 rates – Talking points for ECO  Release in full.
meeting on 4 December 2024
Release, with material
14
Background on starting out wage
redacted under section
5 December
9(2)(f)(iv).
2024
14.1
20241204 Starting-out wage info
sheet
Release in full.

Release, with material out
of scope redacted and
RE: CAB_24_MIN_0489 Minimum
material redacted under
15
10 December
sections:
2024
Wage Review - Setting the 2025
Rates.doc
• 9(2)(a)
• 9(2)(f)(iv).