23 June 2025
45 Pipitea Street, Thorndon, Wel ington 6011
PO Box 805, Wel ington
Phone +64 04 495 7200
Jim MacDonald
Email: [email address]
[FYI request #30994 email]
dia.govt.nz
Tēnā koe Jim,
Your Official Information Act 1982 request, reference OIA2425-1095
I am responding to your email of 16 May 2025 to the Department of Internal Affairs (the
Department) requesting the fol owing information under the Official Information Act 1982
(the Act):
…copies of:
- Al communications between the TAB and or Entain and the Department of Internal
Affairs regarding the Racing Industry Amendment Bil since the first reading of the Bil
- Al communications between the TAB and or Entain and the Ministers office regarding
the Racing Industry Amendment Bil since the first reading of the Bil
- Al advice to the Minister on amendments to the proposed Bil since the first reading
of the Bil
On 16 June 2025, you were notified that, the timeframe to respond to your request was
extended by 6 working days to 25 June 2025.
Response to your request
There are 14 documents that are in scope of your request. I am releasing 13 of these
documents to you with some information withheld under the fol owing sections of the Act:
• 9(2)(a): to protect the privacy of natural persons;
• 9(2)(b)(ii): to protect information where the making available of the information
would be likely unreasonably to prejudice the commercial position of the person who
supplied or who is the subject of the information; and
• 9(2)(g)(ii): maintain the effective conduct of public affairs through the free and frank
expression of opinions by or between or to Ministers of the Crown or members of an
organisation or officers and employees of any public service agency or organisation in
the course of their duty.
These documents are attached and appended as
Appendix A.
I am withholding document three under section 18(d) of the Act. This document is publicly
available on the Racing Industry Amendment Bill page of the Parliament website at the
following url: www.parliament.nz/resource/en-NZ/54SCGOA_EVI_5b1e49ce-798c-4466-e6ff-
08dd18052784_GOA31588/b9323e56c3a8f43ce410d6769f5f306221806cd1.
Page 1 of 4
Access to the Ombudsman
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.
Proactive release
We intend to publish our response to your request on www.dia.govt.nz. This letter, with
your personal details removed, will be published in its entirety. Publishing responses
increases the availability of information to the public and is consistent with the Act’s
purpose of enabling more effective participation in the making and administration of laws
and policies and promoting the accountability of Ministers and officials.
Nāku noa, nā
Jeremy Cauchi
Director Ministerial and Monitoring
Appendix A:
No. Title/Description
Date
Decision
Withholding grounds
1. Email chain about select committee preparation 13 – 14 January 2025
Partially released
9(2)(a)
9(2)(b)(ii)
2. Email forwarding TABs submission on Racing
22 January 2025
Partially released
9(2)(a)
Industry Amendment Bil ; one attachment
3.
Attachment one: TAB submission on
22 January 2025
Withheld
18(d)
Racing Industry Amendment Bill
4. Email chain about select committee timings
27 January 2025
Partially released
9(2)(a)
9(2)(g)(ii)
5. Email chain about an annual report query
10 March 2025
Released
N/A
6. Email chain about an annual report query
10 – 12 March 2025
Partially released
9(2)(a)
7. Email from TAB to the Department RE
18 March 2025
Partially released
9(2)(a)
Departmental Report
8. Email chain between TAB and the Department
1 April 2025
Partially released
9(2)(a)
RE a catch up
9. Text messages between TAB and the
15 – 17 April 2025
Released
N/A
Department
No. Title/Description
Date
Decision
Withholding grounds
10. Email chain with a letter to the Minister and
22 – 23 April 2025
Partially released
9(2)(a)
subsequent discussion; one attachment
11.
Attachment one: Letter from TAB to
22 April 2025
Partially released
9(2)(b)(ii)
Minister Peters
12. Email chain about a letter to the Minister and
22 – 24 April 2025
Partially released
9(2)(a)
subsequent discussion
13. Summary of Amendment Paper - Racing
No date
Released
N/A
Industry Amendment Bil
14. Summary of intended Departmental
No date
Released
N/A
recommendations to the Governance &
Administration Committee on the Racing
Industry Amendment Bil
