PSME-OI-25-030/OIAM-822
25 July 2025
Tyler Smith
[FYI request #31422 email] Dear Tyler,
Thank you for your email of 27 June 2025 requesting the following information under the
Official Information Act 1982 (the Act):
1. When was the Minister (or representatives/staff in her office) first asked to contribute
extra money towards the Tarawera Sewerage Scheme? and by who?
2. Was the Minister/staff in her office ever asked for an amount other than $1,000,000 to
contribute towards the scheme?
3. If the Minister was the decision maker, when did the Minister decide to contribute an
extra $1,000,000 to the scheme?
4. Please provide all communications from you/ staff in your office, including emails, txts,
app based messages, etc… relating to extra funds for the Tarawera Sewerage Scheme
5. Please provide all communications between you/staff in your office and Hon Todd
McClay/representatives/staff in his office regarding the Tarawera Sewerage scheme.
6. Please ensure communications in number 4 above include any communications with
Minister of Finance/her office and the Prime Ministers Office.
7. Please ensure communications provided in number 4 above include any
communications with Rotorua Lakes Council staff or elected members or Tarawera
residents/representatives.
8. Why did the Minister decide not to make the announcement herself, instead passing
the announcement to someone without responsibility for the funding, Rotorua MP Hon
Todd McClay.
9. Please provide any briefings/memos/cabinet papers/emails/etc related to the Tarawera
Sewerage Scheme
I note that the inclusive timeframe for your request is between November 2023 to 27 June
2025, when we received your OIA request.
I have identified 10 documents in scope of your request, as listed in the document schedule
below.
I am releasing two to you in full.
I am releasing eight to you in part, with some information withheld under 9(2)(a) of the Act; to
protect the privacy of natural persons.
Two of these documents also include information that has been redacted as out of scope.
In terms of section 9(1) of the Act, I am satisfied that, in the circumstances, the withholding
of information in this request 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 Office of the Ombudsman of
my decisions relating to this request, in accordance with section 28(3) of the Act. The
relevant details can be found at:
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz.
Yours sincerely,
Hon Penny Simmonds
Minister for the Environment
Document Schedule
Doc
Date
Title
Decision
Grounds
no.
1
20/5/2025 Email: FW: Final Spreadsheets –
Release in part Some
Lakes Programme and Lake Tarawera
information is
Sewerage Scheme – Summary -
withheld under
Urgent
the following
sections of the
Official
Information Act:
9(2)(a): protect
the privacy of
natural
persons,
including that of
deceased
natural persons
2
20/5/2025 Email: RE: Final Spreadsheets –
Release in part
9(2)(a)
Lakes Programme and Lake Tarawera
Sewerage Scheme – Summary -
Urgent
3
24/6/2025 Email: RE: Environment officials
Release in part
9(2)(a)
meeting notes – Monday 23 June
2025
4
24/6/2025 Screen short mobile phone – James
Release in full
NA
Palmer – b
5
25/6/2025 Screen short mobile phone – James
Release in full
NA
Palmer – a
6
26/6/2025 Email: RE: Advice requested on
Release in part
9(2)(a)
additional funding for Lake Tarawera
Reticulation Scheme
7
27/6/2025 Email: [Commercial] FW: Tarawera
Release in part
9(2)(a)
Wastewater Funding
8
27/6/2025 Crown Funding & Non-Standard Filing Release in part
9(2)(a)
Submission Coversheet #25760-2
9
27/6/2025 Email: [Commercial] FW: Tarawera
Release in part
9(2)(a)
Wastewater Funding
10
27/6/2025 Screen short mobile phone – Wes
Release in part
9(2)(a)
Patrick
