27 June 2025
Ethel Benjamin
By email: [FYI request #31199 email]
Tēnā koe Ms Benjamin
Re:
Information request
Our ref:
E25HDC00671
Thank you for your email
of
3 June 2025 requesting:
“We are requesting under the Official Information Act, the fol owing
information:
- The date the Commissioner became aware of a possible reduction in funding
for the 2025/2026 financial year
- The date of the establishment of the "Working Group" and dates of the
meetings held by the "Working Group"
- Copies of all relevant Governance Group meeting minutes from January 2023
onwards relating to discussion of the Legal Team's involvement in
Investigations Opinion reviewing, as well as copies of all submitted Governance
Group papers relating to this topic and associated decisions, and emails
communicating these decisions to relevant internal stakeholders
- Copy of any papers submitted to Governance Group or ELT in 2025 proposing
removal of Legal Review of Investigations Opinions and associated minutes,
decisions and subsequent communications
- Details of any consultation or discussion with any members of the Legal Team
before the above decision was made.
- The date on which restructure of the Legal Team was first proposed and
discussed in the "Working Group"”
We have considered your request under the Official Information Act 1982.
The Commissioner became aware of a potential reduction in HDC’s budget for
2025/26 in August 2024 when HDC was advised that time-limited funding of $2.9m
would be extended for the 2024/25 year.
Information withheld
Please note that we are withholding all information related to the other questions on
the fol owing basis:
Auckland Office: P O Box 1791 Auckland 1140; Wel ington Office (new address): PO Box 245, Wel ington 6140
Freephone: 0800 11 22 33; Email: [email address]; Website: www.hdc.org.nz
2
Personal information of other individuals pursuant to section 9(2)(a) of the
Official Information Act in order to protect their privacy.
All other information pursuant to section 9(2)(ba) of the Official Information
Act in order to protect information which is subject to an obligation of
confidence.
In relation to the information withheld, we are of the view that the reasons outlined
above are not outweighed by other considerations that render it desirable, in the
public interest, to make this information available.
You may seek a review of this decision from the Office of the Ombudsman.
Nāku iti noa, nā
Dr Craig Goodwillie
OIA Team Leader
