14 April 2025
Phoebe McKinney
[FYI request #30638 email]
Dear Phoebe
Thank you for your request of 7 April 2025 to Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities for the
following information regarding the
Kāinga Ora Restructure Rationale under the Of icial
Information Act 1982 (the Act):
•
regarding the recent disestablishment of all the positions affected. I request the
following information:
1. **Rationale for Disestablishment**: Please provide a detailed explanation of the
rationale behind the disestablishment, broken down by team. I am particularly
interested in:
- The factors that led to the decision for each team involved.
- Any relevant documents or reports that outline the decision-making process.
- Why roles that were vacant were disestablished and the rationale including reports
as to why.
2. **Information on Redundancies**: I would like to understand why redundancies
have been announced in relation to this restructure.
Specifically:
- The reasons provided for the redundancies.
- Whether this indicates that more cuts wil be made in the future and, if so, the
criteria that wil be used to determine any further cuts.
I have interpreted your request regarding the
“disestablishment” as related to the
organisational change process currently underway at Kāinga Ora.
As part of the reset of Kāinga Ora to focus on providing and managing state owned social
housing more cost ef ectively, Kāinga Ora is currently seeking feedback from its staff on
proposed workforce changes. The consultation document has been shared in confidence
with staff for this purpose. No decisions relating to the proposed disestablishment of roles or
teams wil be made until this consultation process is completed. Where you have requested
information about decisions that have been made, we have interpreted this to be requests for
information about the proposed decisions.
Please note that some information regarding the consultation is available to the public via the
Kāinga Ora website and is available here
: Kāinga Ora workforce changes : Kāinga Ora –
Homes and Communities
I have provided responses to your questions below.
1. **Rationale for Disestablishment**: Please provide a detailed explanation of
the rationale behind the disestablishment, broken down by team. I am
particularly interested in:
- The factors that led to the decision for each team involved.
- Why roles that were vacant were disestablished and the rationale including
reports as to why.
I am withholding the aspects of the information requested above in full under the following
sections of the Act:
• 9(2)(a)
to protect the privacy of natural persons.
• 9(2)(ba)(ii)
to protect information which is subject to an obligation of confidence,
where the making available of the information would be likely otherwise to damage
the public interest; and
• 9(2)(g)(i)
to maintain the effective conduct of public affairs through the free and
frank expression of opinions by or between members of an organisation or officers
and employees of any public service agency or organisation in the course of their
duty.
- Any relevant documents or reports that outline the decision-making process.
Regarding the above aspect of your request for
any relevant documents or reports that
outline the decision-making process, we need more time to consider and assess the request
to make an informed response therefore we wil respond to you about this part by 8 May
2025 which is the statutory due date for this OIA.
2. **Information on Redundancies**: I would like to understand why
redundancies have been announced in relation to this restructure.
Specifical y:
- The reasons provided for the redundancies.
- Whether this indicates that more cuts wil be made in the future and, if so,
the criteria that wil be used to determine any further cuts.
In response to your question about whether more reductions wil be made in the future, as
with any organisation Kāinga Ora is likely to need to make future changes to improve
services and ensure efficient use of funds. However, no specific additional change processes
are planned at this stage.
In terms of section 9(1) of the Act, I am satisfied that, in the circumstances, the withholding of
information under section 9 is not outweighed by other considerations that render it desirable
to make the information available in the public interest.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this response.
Information about how to make a complaint is available online at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or by phone on 0800 802 602.
Please note that Kāinga Ora proactively releases our responses to official information
requests where possible. Our response to your request may be published at
https:/ kaingaora.govt.nz/publications/official-information-requests/ with your personal
information removed.
Yours sincerely
Tracey Taylor
General Manager, People Governance and Capability
