S. Fitzgerald
ESOIA386
[FYI request #30024 email]
Tēnā koe S. Fitzgerald,
Thank you for your email of 10 February 2025 requesting the following information:
1. Please supply under the OIA all correspondence between yourself/your staff and
former Labour MP Stuart Nash OR any representative from Mr Nash's company
"Nash Kelly Global", which is described on Mr Nash's LinkedIn page as a ".. bespoke
consultancy dealing with ultra-high-net-worth individuals who require the most
networked and connected company in New Zealand to help them either resettle,
invest through the AIP visa programme, become a digital nomad, purchase a house,
undertake high-end government relations work. ."
This includes (but is NOT limited to) all communication on text messages, Whatapp,
Signal, Telegram, Facebook Messenger, Instagram direct message, LinkedIn direct
message, Twit er (X) direct message, email, and any hard copy
letters/memos/documents.
2. Please also include all communications and correspondence (in any format)
between yourself and any other person relating to Mr Nash or Nash Kelly Global. For
example, any communication with the Prime Minister's Office or another Minister
regarding Mr Nash or Nash Kelly Global.
3. Please also supply a list of all phone calls between yourself or your staff and Mr
Nash or any person from Nash Kelly Global, including the date and length of call. I
note that iPhones are supplied to Ministers and their staff by Ministerial Services and
that iPhones by default keep details of the last 100 calls. Please supply your
recollections of any phone calls between yourself/your staff and Mr Nash or any
person from Nash Kelly Global if the call log does not go back to 1 July 2024.
4. Please also supply any records or notes of conversations between Mr Nash or any
person from Nash Kelly Global and yourself or your staff. This includes but is not
limited to your Ministerial diary entries, file notes kept online, hand written notes, and
your/your staff's recollections of any communications.
I have considered your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
I have had no communications with Mr Nash via text messages, Whatapp, Signal, Telegram,
Facebook Messenger, Instagram direct message, LinkedIn direct message, Twit er (X) direct
message, email, and any hard copy letters/memos/documents. I am also advised that none
of my staff have had any contact with Mr Nash either.
Therefore, in response to
parts one, two, and three I am refusing these parts under section
18(e) of the Act that the document alleged to contain the information requested does not
exist or, despite reasonable efforts to locate it, cannot be found.
In response to
part four of your request, I have spoken briefly to Mr Nash at some events,
including at an Immigration Stakeholder lunch on 19 January, a Sail GP function hosted by
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise on 19 January, an event as part of the Far Out Convoy
Event on 7 February, and at the Active Investor Visa announcement on 9 February. My
recollection of these conversations is that they were general in nature covering education
and immigration as well as current events.
My advisor also spoke with Mr Nash at the NZTE Sail GP event on 19 January. Her
recollection of this conversation is that they talked mainly about education as they both have
children in the education system. On 9 February they had a brief conversation about the
Active Investor Visa announcement.
Information regarding my schedule is also published regularly on the Beehive website as
part of the Ministerial Diary release which can be accessed here:
Search | Beehive.govt.nz
As such, I am refusing this part of your request under section 18(d) of the Act, as the
information wil be or is publicly available.
In regard to file notes of conversations kept online, and hand written notes, I am refusing this
part of your request under section 18(e) of the Act that the document alleged to contain the
information requested does not exist or, despite reasonable efforts to locate it, cannot be
found.
In relation to Nash Kelly more broadly, Andrew Kelly has been a personal acquaintance of
mine for a number of years. I speak to him in a personal capacity but I have never spoken to
him in regard to the Investor Visa. As far as I am aware I have not spoken with anyone else
at Nash Kelly regarding the Investor Visa. However, I speak to many people as part of my
Ministerial engagements and am not always advised who they work for.
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.
Nāku noa, nā
Hon Erica Stanford
Minister of Immigration
