Kia ora Nik

 

Thank you for your request for information about Pasifika Festival

 

We have attached an information sheet on our processes and requirements
under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987.

 

We will respond to your request as soon as possible and in any event no
later than 20 working days after the day your request was received. This
will be by 04.07.2025

 

If you have further questions, please feel free to contact Joanne Kearney
via reply email to [1][ATEED request email] quoting
reference above

 

 

Ngā mihi,

The Privacy and LGOIMA team

Auckland Council

 

 

From: Nik Naidu <[FOI #31224 email]>
Sent: Thursday, 5 June 2025 4:17 pm
To: Official Information <[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - We would like to get more
information on the Pasifika Festival

 

Dear Tātaki Auckland Unlimited (Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic
Development Limited),

Could you please let us know how we can get more information on the
Pasifika Festival.

We had requested for information in March 2025 but have not received this.
So we are making this official request : .

- what are the guidelines around who can participate as performers?
- can you supply the guideline documents and minutes of meetings for the
Festival and organising committee?
- how were decisions made on which ‘villages’ and cultures to include, and
where to locate them?
- what criteria was used to choose people to manage the ‘villages’?
- who managed each ‘village, and how were they chosen, and what cultures
did they represent, and how are they representative of their respective
Pasifika community?
- who are the organisers of the actual Festival and/or organising
committee, and how are they representative of our Pacific Island
communities?
- who were the cultural and community representatives that you
collaborated with?
- can you give us a list of which individuals, companies and groups
received money for managing and performing at the 'villages'?

Our concern is that some cultures were excluded, and the Festival was not
inclusive and reflective of those ‘villages’ and our communities.

For example, the Fijian Village stage was sometimes empty or had Hawaiian
performers. Yet there are over 200 Fijian community groups in Tāmaki
Makaurau Auckland that could have provided performances.

And some 'villages' were located in inaccessible and difficult-to-find
locations.

And furthermore, it appears that the awarding of contracts and appointment
of 'village' and cultural managers was not done in a fair and transparent
manner, and there was possible nepotism and cronyism.

This is the response I received from Auckland Unlimited :
"Each village is managed by representatives from that specific culture to
ensure that their presentation remains true to their cultural customs. We
work closely with these representatives to provide support throughout the
festival. The festival is organised by a dedicated committee made up of
individuals with expertise in cultural representation, event management,
and community engagement. This group is committed to ensuring that all
voices are heard and represented.
In response to your inquiry, the guidelines for participation as
performers focus on ensuring cultural representation. The selection
process for the villages included in the festival involves collaboration
with cultural and community representatives. Our objective is to showcase
a broad spectrum of cultures, with decisions based on cultural and
community connections, as well as the cultures the representatives intend
to portray."

Yours faithfully,

Nik Naidu

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[2][FOI #31224 email]

Is [3][ATEED request email] the wrong address for
Official Information requests to Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic
Development Limited? If so, please contact us using this form:
[4]https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[5]https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA
page.

show quoted sections

 

Kia ora NIk

 

Under section 14 of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings
Act 1987, we are extending the timeframe for making a decision about your
request because we need more time to collate the information you
requested. We are extending the timeframe by two weeks. We will now
respond this request by 18 July

 

You have the right to make a complaint to the Ombudsman about this
extension.

 

If you have any questions, please contact me
at [ATEED request email]

 

Ngā mihi
 

Joanne Kearney she/her

Te Hoa Kaipakihi Matua Pārongo Tūmataiti, Ōkawa anō hoki | Senior Business
Partner, Privacy & Official Information

Te Wheako ā-Kirihoko me ngā Ratonga Matihiko | Customer Experience &
Digital Services

Te Kaunihera o Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland Council

135 Albert St Auckland CBD

Visit our website: [1]www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

[2]It's rego time. Renew before 1 August to avoid a late fee. Register
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Kia ora Nic

 

Our response to your request for information is attached. Thank you for
your patience as we prepared this information for you.

 

If you have any questions, please contact me at
 [1][email address]

 

Ngā mihi
 

Joanne Kearney she/her

Te Hoa Kaipakihi Matua Pārongo Tūmataiti, Ōkawa anō hoki | Senior Business
Partner, Privacy & Official Information

Te Wheako ā-Kirihoko me ngā Ratonga Matihiko | Customer Experience &
Digital Services

Te Kaunihera o Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland Council

135 Albert St Auckland CBD

Visit our website: [2]www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

 

 

 

Ngā mihi

 

 

Joanne Kearney she/her
Te Hoa Kaipakihi Matua Pārongo Tūmataiti, Ōkawa anō hoki | Senior Business
Partner, Privacy & Official Information
Te Wheako ā-Kirihoko me ngā Ratonga Matihiko | Customer Experience &
Digital Services
Waea | [mobile number]
Te Kaunihera o Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland Council

135 Albert St Auckland CBD

Visit our website: [3]www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

 

 

 

 

[4]It's rego time. Renew before 1 August to avoid a late fee. Register
Now.

CAUTION: This email message and any attachments contain information that
may be confidential and may be LEGALLY PRIVILEGED. If you are not the
intended recipient, any use, disclosure or copying of this message or
attachments is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email
message in error please notify us immediately and erase all copies of the
message and attachments. We do not accept responsibility for any viruses
or similar carried with our email, or any effects our email may have on
the recipient computer system or network. Any views expressed in this
email may be those of the individual sender and may not necessarily
reflect the views of Council.

References

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