26 February 2025
Richard Shelton
[FYI request #30049 email]
Tēnā koe Richard
Your request for official information, reference: HNZ00079043
Thank you for your email on 12 February 2025, asking Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora for the
following under the Of icial Information Act 1982 (the Act):
“I am requesting information under the Official Information Act 1982 regarding the selection
process for the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Health New Zealand. I seek details on
how this appointment was made to ensure the role was fil ed by a candidate with the
necessary technical expertise, strategic leadership capabilities, and understanding of
healthcare digital transformation.
1. Position Description and Selection Criteria
1.1. Please provide a copy of the position description and selection criteria used for the
CTO appointment.
1.2. I would like details on how the selection criteria were established, including:
1.2.1. The required technical expertise, including healthcare IT, cybersecurity, digital
infrastructure, and data governance.
1.2.2. Any specific qualifications or experience that were preferred, such as a background
in clinical informatics, enterprise IT leadership, or government digital strategy.
1.2.3. Considerations given to knowledge of Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles, Māori data
sovereignty, and equity in digital health.
1.3. If the selection criteria have evolved compared to previous CTO appointments, I
request any documentation explaining these changes and their justification.
2. Recruitment and Selection Process
2.1. I request any documents outlining the recruitment and selection process, including:
2.1.1. The steps involved in advertising, shortlisting, and assessing candidates.
2.1.2. The interview process and key areas of assessment.
2.1.3. The weighting of technical versus leadership experience in final decision-making.
2.2. Please confirm whether an external recruitment agency was used. If so, I request:
2.2.1. The name of the agency.
2.2.2. The scope of their role in the selection process.
2.3. If any public or stakeholder input was sought regarding the qualities needed for the
CTO position, I request:
2.3.1. A summary of feedback received.
2.3.2. A list of organisations or groups consulted (excluding individual names).
3. Selection Panel and Decision-Making
3.1. I request details on the composition of the selection panel, including:
3.1.1. The roles or departments represented within Health New Zealand.
3.1.2. Any external advisors involved, such as IT governance experts, healthcare
professionals, or government representatives.
3.1.3. The presence of Māori, Pacific, or rural health representatives to ensure digital equity
considerations.
3.2. If policies exist to ensure diversity and representation on the selection panel, I request
a copy of those guidelines.
3.3. I also request any documents outlining processes to mitigate bias in the selection
process, including:
3.3.1. Guidelines on fair candidate evaluation.
3.3.2. Any training provided to panel members on unconscious bias or equitable hiring.
4. Transparency and Appointment Process
4.1. Please provide information on how the final decision was made and communicated,
including:
4.1.1. Whether an independent review of the selection process was conducted.
4.1.2. Any policies or procedures in place to ensure transparency in decision-making.
4.2. If any documents explaining the appointment process have been made publicly
available, I request a reference to where I can access them.
4.3. If this appointment was made as part of an internal promotion, I request:
4.3.1. The process followed to determine internal eligibility.
4.3.2. Any documents outlining why an internal appointment was preferred over external
recruitment.
5. Scope Management and Prioritisation
5.1 If this request is too broad, I am happy for Health Al iance NZ and Te Whatu Ora to
prioritise responding to the most critical sections first, particularly those covering:
5.1.1 (4.1.1; 3.3.1; 2.1.3; 1.2.1; 1.1; 1.2.2; 1.2.3; 3.1.1; 3.1.3; 3.2; 4.1.2; 2.1.1; 2.1.2; 3.1.2;
3.3.2; 2.2.1; 2.2.2; 2.3.1; 2.3.2; 1.3; 4.2; 4.3.1; 4.3.2)
5.2 Please prioritise completing as much of this request as possible in order as per 5.1.1. If
some aspects cannot be fulfil ed within this request, kindly provide an explanation. I may
submit a independent request for the remaining information as needed.”
Response
There has been no selection process. Currently, the position is fil ed by Health NZ staff as acting.
Health NZ supports its staff in acting in more senior positions with advice available from their HR
Business Partner contact.
Examples of when this may be required are:
• Manager is on leave.
• Manager is seconded into another role for a limited period.
• A more senior position is vacant and waiting to be fil ed.
Your request for this information is refused in full under section 18(e) of the Act as this information
does not exist or, despite reasonable ef orts to locate it, cannot be found.
How to get in touch
If you have any questions, you can contact us at
[email address].
If you are not happy with this response, you have the right to make a complaint to the
Ombudsman. Information about how to do this is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
by phoning 0800 802 602.
As this information may be of interest to other members of the public, Health NZ may proactively
release a copy of this response on our website. Al requester data, including your name and
contact details, wil be removed prior to release.
Nāku iti noa, nā
Danielle Coe
Manager (OIA) Government Services
Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora
TeWhatuOra.govt.nz
Health NZ, PO Box 793,
Wel ington 6140, New Zealand
