26 March 2025
Sarah Samson
By email to:
[FYI request #30255 email]
Dear Sarah
OFFICIAL INFORMATION ACT REQUEST 2025/12
On the evening of Thursday 27 February, you made a request under the Official Information Act
1982 (the OIA) for the following information:
1. The total number of mediations since August 2022
2. The total number of mediations not settled since August 2022
3. The total number of personal grievances raised since August 2022
4. The number of personal grievances escalated to the ERA since August 2022
5. How many cases, including but not limited to personal grievances, were found against the
agency
since August 2022
6. Since August 2022, how much in total was paid to settle any cases– including but not limited to
those that reached the ERA
7. Since August 2022, how much money was paid to external legal consultants to defend cases in
the ERA or defend responses to cases that might not have reached the ERA?
Responses to each of your questions are listed below:
1. The total number of mediations since August 2022
From August 2022 to 2023 there were no mediations. There was one mediation in both 2024 and
2025.
2. The total number of mediations not settled since August 2022
No mediations have not been settled since August 2022.
3. The total number of personal grievances raised since August 2022
There were three personal grievances raised since August 2022.
4. The number of personal grievances escalated to the ERA since August 2022
Two personal grievances have been escalated to the ERA since August 2022.
5. How many cases, including but not limited to personal grievances, were found against the
agency since August 2022
Two cases were found against the Electoral Commission since August 2022.
Electoral Commission
Level 4, 34-42 Manners Street, PO Box 3220, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
Telephone +64 4 495 0030 Fax +64 4 495 0031
www.vote.nz | www.elections.nz
6. Since August 2022, how much in total was paid to settle any cases– including but not limited to
those that reached the ERA
$16,000 total has been paid to settle cases since August 2022.
7. Since August 2022, how much money was paid to external legal consultants to defend cases in
the ERA or defend responses to cases that might not have reached the ERA?
$33,417.
In the interests of transparency, we release responses to Official Information Act requests every 3
months. We will publish this response with your personal details redacted.
You have the right under section 28(3) of the Act to make a complaint to the Ombudsman if you are
not satisfied with the response to your request. Information about how to do this is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or by phoning 0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely
Lucy Hickman
Deputy Chief Executive, Enterprise Services
Electoral Commission
Level 4, 34-42 Manners Street, PO Box 3220, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
Telephone +64 4 495 0030 Fax +64 4 495 0031
www.vote.nz | www.elections.nz
