Subject: Official Information Request under LGOIMA – Environmental Plans & River Accord Involvement (DMPFarm)
Gerard Paver made this Official Information request to Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council
Response to this request is long overdue. By law Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council should have responded by now (details and exceptions). The requester can complain to the Ombudsman.
From: Gerard Paver
To: Chief Executive Officer Michael McCartney
Cc:- Rachel Keedwell Chair Horizons
Cc: Bruce Gordon ex chair and audit committee member
Horizons Regional Council
Email: [email address]
Subject: Official Information Request under LGOIMA – Environmental Plans & River Accord Involvement (DMPFarm)
Kia ora,
This is a request for official information under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA).
1. As a confirmed owner of DMPFarm (as per your rates records and previous correspondence), I have been seeking access to information held by Horizons Regional Council (HRC) relating to Environmental Farm Plans (EFPs) and any associated grants, reports, or site visits relevant to my property.
2. I have previously been advised that I may be charged for the provision of this information, on the grounds that it may take substantial staff time to locate. I have referred this matter to the Ombudsman for consideration.
3. In the meantime, through my own research, I have located public references which should greatly assist your team in identifying the specific documents I am seeking.
In particular, I refer you to the document:
• “13170 Annex A – Horizons 2013 Environmental Committee”, which discusses EFPs, grants, and implementation progress under the Manawatū River Leaders Accord.
Notably:
• On pages 18–19 of the report, it refers to Derek Ryan of HRC visiting "all dairy property owners" and signing up the farmers to the Accord.
• Derek Ryan is also listed as an author of an EFP related to my property (DMPFarm) and remains employed by HRC as a Project Coordinator for Environmental Plans.2025
• The same document ““13170 Annex A – Horizons 2013 Environmental Committee”” lists Jon Roygard (Freshwater and Science Manager) and Grant Cooper (Manager) as contributors to the document . It is also likely that Logan Brown is familiar with the relevant document and has sighted the documents.
Given this, I am now narrowing and formalising my request as follows:
Official Information Requested:
1.A copy of the “signed up” document or agreement that relates to DMPFarm under the River Accord initiative, as referred to in the 2013 report. I understand there may be more than one document involved.
2The date(s) of visits by Derek Ryan to DMPFarm in relation to the River Accord or Environmental Planning. And copy of the meeting notes .
3 The names of property owners visited by Derek Ryan as part of the sign-up process mentioned in the 2013 Environmental Committee report.
Additional Notes:
• Please acknowledge this request promptly as required under the Act.
please confirm a copy of this request has been sento
Chief Executive Officer Michael McCartney
Rachel Keedwell Chair Horizons
Bruce Gordon ex chair and member of the Audit committee
• I understand that HRC has 20 working days to respond, however, given the specificity and public availability of much of the information referenced, I believe this request can be fulfilled in a shorter timeframe. As a show of good faith, I request that the “signed documents” be provided within 10 working days.
• If any part of this request requires clarification, or if any information is to be withheld under a statutory reason, please advise accordingly. you have my contact details
Ngā mihi,
Gerard Paver
From: Help
Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council
Thank you for contacting the Help Enquiry Portal
Your enquiry regarding "Official Information request - Official
Information Request under LGOIMA – Environmental Plans & River Accord
Involvement (DMPFarm)" has been received and will be assigned to the
appropriate Horizons Staff Member.
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From: Gerard Paver
Dear HRC
thank you for your automated reply
for further clarity - and avoidance of doubt
When I am asking for the names of the property owners visited by Derek Ryan as referred to in the HRC environmental report committee report 2013 I am asking for the recorded names of the parties who Derek Ryan Visited ie:- property owners referenced in the report, these may not necessarily be the legal property owners or legal farmer.
The names visited will be in Derek Ryans Diary notes , the project Diary notes and records and of course in the signed documents.
hence the requests for copes of the documents
sincerely,
Gerard Paver
From: LGOIMA Requests
Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council
Dear Gerard,
Official information request for Environmental Plans & River Accord
Involvement (DMPFarm)
I acknowledge receipt of your official information request dated Wednesday
2 July 2025.
We received your request on Wednesday 2 July 2025. We will endeavour to
respond to your request as soon as possible and in any event no later
than Wednesday 30 July 2025, being 20 working days after the day your
request was received. If we are unable to respond to your request by then,
we will notify you of an extension of that timeframe.
A copy of your request has also been sent to:
Chief Executive Officer Michael McCartney
Rachel Keedwell Chair Horizons
Bruce Gordon
If you have any queries, please contact us by replying to this email. If
any additional factors come to light which are relevant to your request,
please do not hesitate to contact us so that these can be taken into
account.
Yours sincerely
On behalf of LGOIMA
[https://bit.ly/3k26P3T]
To: Chief Executive Officer Michael McCartney
Cc:- Rachel Keedwell Chair Horizons
Cc: Bruce Gordon ex chair and audit committee member
Horizons Regional Council
Email: [email address]
Subject: Official Information Request under LGOIMA – Environmental Plans &
River Accord Involvement (DMPFarm)
Kia ora,
This is a request for official information under the Local Government
Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA).
1. As a confirmed owner of DMPFarm (as per your rates records and previous
correspondence), I have been seeking access to information held by
Horizons Regional Council (HRC) relating to Environmental Farm Plans
(EFPs) and any associated grants, reports, or site visits relevant to my
property.
2. I have previously been advised that I may be charged for the provision
of this information, on the grounds that it may take substantial staff
time to locate. I have referred this matter to the Ombudsman for
consideration.
3. In the meantime, through my own research, I have located public
references which should greatly assist your team in identifying the
specific documents I am seeking.
In particular, I refer you to the document:
• “13170 Annex A – Horizons 2013 Environmental Committee”, which discusses
EFPs, grants, and implementation progress under the Manawatū River Leaders
Accord.
Notably:
• On pages 18–19 of the report, it refers to Derek Ryan of HRC visiting
"all dairy property owners" and signing up the farmers to the Accord.
• Derek Ryan is also listed as an author of an EFP related to my property
(DMPFarm) and remains employed by HRC as a Project Coordinator for
Environmental Plans.2025
• The same document ““13170 Annex A – Horizons 2013 Environmental
Committee”” lists Jon Roygard (Freshwater and Science Manager) and Grant
Cooper (Manager) as contributors to the document . It is also likely that
Logan Brown is familiar with the relevant document and has sighted the
documents.
Given this, I am now narrowing and formalising my request as follows:
Official Information Requested:
1.A copy of the “signed up” document or agreement that relates to DMPFarm
under the River Accord initiative, as referred to in the 2013 report. I
understand there may be more than one document involved.
2The date(s) of visits by Derek Ryan to DMPFarm in relation to the River
Accord or Environmental Planning. And copy of the meeting notes .
3 The names of property owners visited by Derek Ryan as part of the
sign-up process mentioned in the 2013 Environmental Committee report.
Additional Notes:
• Please acknowledge this request promptly as required under the Act.
please confirm a copy of this request has been sento
Chief Executive Officer Michael McCartney
Rachel Keedwell Chair Horizons
Bruce Gordon ex chair and member of the Audit committee
• I understand that HRC has 20 working days to respond, however, given the
specificity and public availability of much of the information referenced,
I believe this request can be fulfilled in a shorter timeframe. As a show
of good faith, I request that the “signed documents” be provided within 10
working days.
• If any part of this request requires clarification, or if any
information is to be withheld under a statutory reason, please advise
accordingly. you have my contact details
Ngā mihi,
Gerard Paver
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From: LGOIMA Requests
Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council
Dear Gerard,
local government Official information and meetings act 1987 (lgoima)
request
I refer to your LGOIMA request dated 2 July 2025. You requested the
following official information:
a) A copy of the “signed-up” document or agreement that relates to
DMP Farm under the River Accord initiative, as referred to in the 2013
report.
b) The date(s) of visits by Derek Ryan to DMP Farm in relation to the
River Accord or Environmental Planning, and copies of any meeting notes.
c) The names of property owners visited by Derek Ryan as part of the
sign-up process mentioned in the 2013 Environmental Committee report.
Part of the information you have requested (the Environmental Farm Plan as
agreed) is enclosed. Please note that the funding stream used to develop
these Environmental Farm Plans was via the Fresh Start for Freshwater
Clean-up Fund, a Ministry for the Environment funding stream which
Horizons applied to (and were successful in receiving funding) on behalf
of the Manawatū River Leaders Forum.
However, for the remaining parts of your request, we are unable to provide
the requested information. The notes you refer to (both meeting notes and
notes of names) were collected prior to the 2013 committee report you have
referenced. These were subject to a 7-year retention period under our
Public Records Act 2007 retention and disposal policy. As these notes more
than seven years old, they are no longer required to be, and are not,
retained by Horizons. I am therefore refusing the remainder of your
request under section 17(e) of the LGOIMA, because Horizons does not hold
the official information requested.
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
[1]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely
On behalf of LGOIMA
[https://bit.ly/3k26P3T]
Dear HRC
thank you for your automated reply
for further clarity - and avoidance of doubt
When I am asking for the names of the property owners visited by Derek
Ryan as referred to in the HRC environmental report committee report 2013
I am asking for the recorded names of the parties who Derek Ryan Visited
ie:- property owners referenced in the report, these may not necessarily
be the legal property owners or legal farmer.
The names visited will be in Derek Ryans Diary notes , the project Diary
notes and records and of course in the signed documents.
hence the requests for copes of the documents
sincerely,
Gerard Paver
show quoted sections
From: Gerard Paver
To: Michael McCartney, Chief Executive Officer, Horizons Regional Council
Cc: Rachel Keedwell, Chair, Horizons Regional Council
Cc: Bruce Gordon, Former Chair and Current Audit Committee Member
Subject: Failure to Disclose Key Documentation – LGOIMA Request and Concerns Regarding Maladministration and Misuse of Public Funds
Dear Mr McCartney,
I write to formally express my concern regarding Horizons Regional Council’s (HRC) failure to adequately respond to my Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMA) request. HRC has, in my view, evaded its obligation to produce key documentation by claiming relevant records were deleted — despite their legal significance.
Please do not further delay your response, particularly in providing the specific documents identified below. I now wish to clarify the basis of my continued request and raise the following points:
________________________________________
1. Context and Harm
1.1 We have suffered both direct and indirect financial loss as a result of what I believe to be maladministration by HRC.
1.2 This information request is also made in the public interest. It aims to improve transparency in HRC’s grant management process and to highlight risks for other elderly landowners who may have been similarly affected or misinformed.
________________________________________
2. Public Disclosure and Opportunity for Private Engagement
2.1 HRC chose to publish the Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) document containing the names of parties involved, rather than engage with me directly and privately, despite having my contact details.
2.2 The option for private clarification remains open. I welcome a direct discussion to resolve this matter constructively.
________________________________________
3. Deleted Documents and Key Legal Records
3.1 HRC has advised that records and notes from Derek Ryan’s visit to our farm, including meetings with the sharemilker, were deleted.
3.2 However, the signed document provided by the sharemilker was a foundational agreement between HRC and “DMPFarm” that triggered the release of public grant funding. As such, it should have been retained under public records legislation.
3.3 Any subsequent engagement with Landvision would have followed this agreement. Contractual documentation should therefore exist to support both the validity of the agreement and the disbursement of funds.
________________________________________
4. Timeline of Requests and Disclosures
4.1 In 2018, I formally requested all documentation related to this matter from Grant Cooper. No documents were provided.
4.2 In 2019, I raised the possibility of fraud in a meeting with yourself and Mr Bruce Gordon ex chair and current member of the Audit and Risk committee. I was assured no legal documents existed.
4.3 Later in 2019, Logan Brown confirmed the existence of a document signed by the sharemilker. I now formally request that this document be disclosed under LGOIMA.
4.4 In 2024, Jon Roygard acknowledged unauthorised use of public funds.
4.5 However, Craig Grant advised that it would cost approximately $2,155 to provide:
• All fencing-related grant information;
• Details on the grant application process relating to our farm;
• Records regarding EFP development and site visits;
• And correspondence or approvals involving any third party who claimed to represent the farm.
This fee appears excessive and obstructive, especially given the context of prior nondisclosure and the strong public interest in resolving the matter transparently.
________________________________________
5. Concerns Regarding the EFP Document
5.1 HRC provided a copy of the EFP with the statement “as agreed.” I dispute this claim. No such agreement exists, and the document was never provided to the farm owners prior to 2017/18.
Key facts include:
5.2 Prior to June 2013, HRC’s Derek Ryan signed up a party (the sharemilker) as the owner of “DMPFarm.”
5.3 At the time, the sharemilker managed only the dairy component of the farm — the smaller part. The remaining land (sheep and beef) was overseen by a consultant acting on behalf of the elderly owners.
5.4 The sharemilker had no legal or formal authority to act for the owners or the farm.
5.5 He never disclosed to the landowners the existence of any grants, the EFP, or any signed agreements, despite attending monthly meetings over several years.
5.6 The sharemilker was paid by the elderly owners to carry out extensive riparian fencing and planting — work that clearly qualified for public grant funding. Yet the landowners were never informed that funding had been accessed or was even available.
5.7 The EFP is dated 2016 and references internal HRC documents from 2015. Early drafts existed as far back as 2014. It was only disclosed by HRC following civil proceedings and formal requests made in 2017/18. The Sharemilker never produced the copy.
________________________________________
6. Legal References
To emphasise the seriousness of this matter and to discourage further deletion or suppression of records, I refer to the following sections of the Crimes Act 1961:
6.1 Section 240 – Obtaining by deception or causing loss by deception
6.2 Section 71 – Accessory after the fact
These provisions may be relevant given the misrepresentation involved and the apparent misuse of public funds.
________________________________________
7. Next Steps
I respectfully request that HRC:
7.1 Immediately provide the original signed document(s) between HRC and the sharemilker.
7.2 Disclose all correspondence, meeting notes, approvals, and internal discussions relating to the EFP process and visits to our farm.
7.3 Waive the $2,155 fee, given the significance of the public interest and previous withholding of information.
7.4 Provide details of all recipients of riparian fencing grants, including:
• Name of grant recipient.
• Name or location of farm.
• Amount of grant funding awarded (both Ministry and/or ratepayer funded amount);
• Year of grant approval.
Please note I will also file this as a separate request under FYI guidelines, but HRC may wish to proactively consider this request to avoid further scrutiny or escalation. I reserve the right to raise these matters with the Auditor-General if transparency continues to be lacking.
7.5 Confirm in writing what documentation (if any) has been actually deleted since my initial request to Grant Cooper 2018 and our subsequent meeting in 2019.
________________________________________
I have raised these matters with the Office of the Ombudsman and will continue to pursue that avenue if HRC does not meet its obligations under the law.
I trust this matter will now be addressed with the seriousness and transparency it warrants.
From: LGOIMA Requests
Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council
Dear Mr Paver,
Apologies the response we sent was missing the annex to the letter. Please
find attached the complete letter with annex.
Yours sincerely
On behalf of LGOIMA
Requester: Gerard Paver
Request email: [FOI #31467 email]
Created: Jul 2, 2025 10:03 AM
Due by: Sep 15, 2025 02:04 PM
Dear Mr Paver
local government Official information and meetings act 1987 (lgoima)
requests
I refer to your official information requests dated 30 July 2025 and 4
August 2025.
Given the number of individual requests, the decisions on these requests
are set out in the attached Appendix to this letter. These have been
collated and grouped by subject matter.
As identified in the Appendix, part of the information you have requested
is enclosed.
However, we have decided to refuse your requests for certain information
as explained below. In other cases, we are extending the time period for
our decision. We have provided further details below, and in the Appendix.
The request numbers respond to those used in the Appendix.
Request 1
We understand your request to be a summary of the content of all records
disposed of by Horizons since 2018. Unfortunately, it will not be possible
to advise you of Horizons decision within 20- working days of your
request, and we are notifying you of an extension of time for our
decision, to 15 September 2025.
This extension is necessary as the scope of your request is broad and will
necessitate a search through a large quantity of information to inform
Horizons decisions. Meeting the original timeframe would unreasonably
interfere with Horizons’ operations due to staff needing to be reassigned
to this task.
Request 2(d)
Horizons’ records do not identify the individual responsible for
authorising disposal of this information. These requests are therefore
refused under s 17(e) as the information requested no longer exists.
Request 3
Horizons does not hold records of each individual file in its archives.
Further detail is provided in the appendix below. These requests are
refused under s 17(e) as the information requested no longer exists.
Requests 8-9
As we have indicated, we are required to advise you of our decision on
your request no later than 20 working days after the day we received your
request. Unfortunately, it will not be possible to meet that time limit,
and an extension is necessary on our decision on these requests, to 15
September 2025.
Again, this request is for a large quantity of information, which requires
a search of a large quantity of information. Council officers will need to
be reassigned from existing tasks to do so within the existing timeframe,
and this would unreasonably interfere with Horizons’ operations.
In light of the above, we again ask whether you would please consider our
request to clarify dated 8 August 2025 and refine your requests 1, and
8-9. This would assist us in responding to your requests. We further note
that the amount of resource required to process your request means that
Horizons may consider charging for making any requested information
available.
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
[1]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
freephone 0800 802 602.
On behalf of LGOIMA
To: Michael McCartney, Chief Executive Officer, Horizons Regional Council
Cc: Rachel Keedwell, Chair, Horizons Regional Council
Cc: Bruce Gordon, Former Chair and Current Audit Committee Member
Attn: Sharon – Please ensure this message is forwarded in full to the
above recipients in line with Ombudsman guidance and previous
correspondence.
Subject: Re: LGOIMA Request ID ##232872## – Concerns Regarding Integrity
of Process and Historical Context
Dear Mr McCartney,
I am writing in response to your recent correspondence regarding my LGOIMA
submissions. While your request for clarification appears procedurally
reasonable on the surface, the wider context suggests otherwise. My view
is that this is yet another effort by Horizons Regional Council (HRC) to
delay or dilute scrutiny, rather than engage transparently with the
substance of the information requested.
1. Pattern of Obstruction and Lack of Good Faith
You state that HRC responds to all information requests “made in good
faith.” Based on my experience over several years, I must respectfully
disagree. My LGOIMA requests have consistently been met with partial
disclosures, critical omissions, and—in some cases—complete refusals to
provide documentation without just cause. That pattern undermines any
assertion of good faith.
For example:
1. In 2019, I lodged a serious complaint regarding suspected fraud
involving DMPFarm, which was raised directly with both yourself and
then-Chair Bruce Gordon. Despite the gravity of the concerns,
responses were dismissive and all documentation is now claimed to be
deleted.
2. Requests that were short, clear, and specific at the time produced no
meaningful result, necessitating the inclusion of context in later
submissions to avoid misinterpretation and selective omission.
2. Key Issues Supporting the Inclusion of Context
The following incidents underscore the necessity of including background
detail in my requests:
1. Derek Ryan’s Role: HRC knowingly or recklessly accepted Blair Drysdale
as a representative of DMPFarm without informing or involving the
actual elderly owners. When questioned, HRC yet still imposed charges
(over $2,100) to release remaining documents and now claim relevant
records were deleted, —while HRC has previously provided resources to
the Drysdales at no cost to produce a “technical report” used to
mislead a tribunal.
2. Misleading Tribunal Submission: In 2018, a “Technical Assessment” by
HRC’s Mair Owen was submitted by the Drysdales to the Palmerston North
District Court. The document can now be proven to be factually
inaccurate, raising questions about possible collusion or, at best,
lack of oversight by HRC.
3. Repeated Non-Disclosure: Grant Cooper supported Mair owens paper
knowing it was used in court by Drysdale to refute a legal claim, he
subsequently withheld background material relevant to the 2018
Tribunal undermining the rule of law, having knowledge that the
Drysdales had signed falsely as property owners.
4. Meeting in 2019: During a meeting with yourself and Bruce Gordon,
accompanied by Alan Wallbank, I was assured that no legal documents or
evidence of fraud existed. That statement is now demonstrably
incorrect.
5. Subsequent Reviews in 2023–2024: Only after HRC’s 16 August 2024
response did I realise the full extent of the misinformation provided
earlier. I reviewed documentation and confirmed serious
inconsistencies in statements by Dr Jon Roygard and Logan Brown. These
errors, omissions, and misrepresentations have never been corrected, I
am requesting details of ALL grants you have clear context.
3. Additional Considerations
1. I have no control over what others submit via FYI.org , though I found
the input useful and the submission prompted further valid inquiries.
2. I have consulted with professional advisers and auditors who have
confirmed that public release of these matters is now appropriate and
necessary to ensure transparency.
3. I now name key officials because I no longer believe the issue lies
with staff being misled—it appears clear that senior officials have
contributed to the lack of disclosure and accountability.
4. Requested Immediate Actions
To avoid further delay or unnecessary escalation, I respectfully request
the following:
1. Confirmation that no further deletion of relevant public records has
occurred, and that all backups and related material have been
preserved and those documents recovered.
2. Immediate release of the HRC disposal schedule and decision authority
(DA) records, as previously requested.
3. Provision of all outstanding documents related to my LGOIMA requests,
without cost or further obstruction.
4. Publication of a full list of grant recipients, as a matter of
transparency and public interest—this may help identify whether other
vulnerable individuals have been similarly affected.
5. Final Remarks
The inclusion of context in my LGOIMA submissions is not incidental—it is
essential. Without it, previous HRC responses have mischaracterised or
selectively responded to requests. I remain committed to a fair and
factual process, but that must be matched by transparency and integrity
from your side.
Any duplication of response can be cut and paste taking less than 5 mins.
There is no material overhead. Had HRC responded in a timely manner the
need for minor clarification points as per FYI guidelines would not be
required.
I appreciate your attention to these matters and look forward to a full
and timely response.
I am available for constructive resolution and if there is material you
wish to send via email that results in resolution I am willing to close
the FYI as complete by agreed wording
Yours sincerely
Gerad Paver
show quoted sections
From: LGOIMA Requests
Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council
Dear Mr Paver.
Further to our correspondence dated 15 September 2025, please see attached
the grant funding information requested.
As indicated in our correspondence, redactions have been made to personal
details of individuals pursuant to s 7(2)(a) of the LGOIMA.
If there are any queries, please let us know.
On behalf of LGOIMA
Requester: Gerard Paver
Request email: [FOI #31467 email]
Created: Jul 2, 2025 10:03 AM
Due by: Sep 29, 2025 02:04 PM
Dear Mr Paver
local government Official information and meetings act 1987 (lgoima)
requests
I write further to our letter of 27 August 2025 in which we extended the
time period for our decision on certain official information requests
dated 30 July 2025 and 4 August 2025.
Please see below our decision on these requests.
Confirm in writing what documentation (if any) has been actually deleted
since my initial request to Grant Cooper 2018 and our subsequent meeting
in 2019.
As we noted in our previous correspondence, we understand your request is
for a summary of the content of all records disposed of by Horizons since
2018. Despite our requests, we did not receive any further clarification
from you as to the scope of this request.
In any case, Horizons does not hold records of each individual file that
has been disposed of – records are categorised into folders relating to
their subject matter. When a folder is assessed eligible for disposal, it
is recorded that the folder has been disposed of. Details of the
individual files within the folder are not recorded.
As such, this request is refused under section 17(e) as the information
requested does not exist.
Details of all grants, gifts, donations, or public financial contributions
issued under the Manawatu River Leaders Accord – including riparian
fencing and planting grants, from inception to date:
· Date awarded
· Name or location of farm
· Name of recipient or recipient organisation
· Amount awarded or contributed (regardless of whether classified
as a grant, gift, donation, or ratepayer-funded support)
· Purpose of the award (eg: fencing, planting, or both – as
described in the original application)
· Total funding pool available by year
· Names of the awarding committee members for each year
We have decided to grant your request in part. It will take us some time
to prepare the information for release, however, we anticipate providing
the documents to you by Monday 29 September 2025.
We have withheld some information captured by your requests which relates
to personal details of individuals, which have been withheld under
section 7(2)(a) of the LGOIMA, to protect their privacy. I do not consider
that those persons’ privacy interests are outweighed by the public
interest in the information’s release. Information withheld pursuant to
this section will be redacted in the relevant documents and marked as
such.
We have refused your requests for the ‘total funding pool available by
year’ under section 17(d) as this information is publicly available. The
total funding pool available by year is what is set out in Horizons’
Annual Plan. These are available at
[1]www.horizons.govt.nz/publications-feedback/publications/annual-plans.
Names of awarding committee members for each year
A panel has only recently been established approximately 12 months ago to
review and determine grant applications. The current members of the panel
are Logan Brown, Anna Regtien, Mair Owen and Lucy Ferguson.
Previously, grant applications were reviewed and determined by the
appropriate Horizons officer – either a Manager or Team Leader. Where a
grant amount exceeds $20,000, the application will also be reviewed by the
large grant committee. This currently comprises Lucy Ferguson, William
McKay, Malcolm Todd, Grant Cooper and Szabolcs Kosik.
If there are other granting bodies (such as in Pahiatua, Dannevirke,
Norsewood, or Wairarapa), please advise the details and provide the list
for those areas.
The grant funding information that will be provided to you captures the
various programmes under which funding has been allocated by the Manawatū
River Leaders Accord (and Horizons). It is noted that the Wairarapa does
not fall within the Horizons region, and therefore this information has
not been provided.
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
[2]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
freephone 0800 802 602.
On behalf of LGOIMA
Dear Mr Paver
local government Official information and meetings act 1987 (lgoima)
requests
I refer to your official information requests dated 30 July 2025 and 4
August 2025.
Given the number of individual requests, the decisions on these requests
are set out in the attached Appendix to this letter. These have been
collated and grouped by subject matter.
As identified in the Appendix, part of the information you have requested
is enclosed.
However, we have decided to refuse your requests for certain information
as explained below. In other cases, we are extending the time period for
our decision. We have provided further details below, and in the Appendix.
The request numbers respond to those used in the Appendix.
Request 1
We understand your request to be a summary of the content of all records
disposed of by Horizons since 2018. Unfortunately, it will not be possible
to advise you of Horizons decision within 20- working days of your
request, and we are notifying you of an extension of time for our
decision, to 15 September 2025.
This extension is necessary as the scope of your request is broad and will
necessitate a search through a large quantity of information to inform
Horizons decisions. Meeting the original timeframe would unreasonably
interfere with Horizons’ operations due to staff needing to be reassigned
to this task.
Request 2(d)
Horizons’ records do not identify the individual responsible for
authorising disposal of this information. These requests are therefore
refused under s 17(e) as the information requested no longer exists.
Request 3
Horizons does not hold records of each individual file in its archives.
Further detail is provided in the appendix below. These requests are
refused under s 17(e) as the information requested no longer exists.
Requests 8-9
As we have indicated, we are required to advise you of our decision on
your request no later than 20 working days after the day we received your
request. Unfortunately, it will not be possible to meet that time limit,
and an extension is necessary on our decision on these requests, to 15
September 2025.
Again, this request is for a large quantity of information, which requires
a search of a large quantity of information. Council officers will need to
be reassigned from existing tasks to do so within the existing timeframe,
and this would unreasonably interfere with Horizons’ operations.
In light of the above, we again ask whether you would please consider our
request to clarify dated 8 August 2025 and refine your requests 1, and
8-9. This would assist us in responding to your requests. We further note
that the amount of resource required to process your request means that
Horizons may consider charging for making any requested information
available.
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
[3]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
freephone 0800 802 602.
On behalf of LGOIMA
To: Michael McCartney, Chief Executive Officer, Horizons Regional Council
Cc: Rachel Keedwell, Chair, Horizons Regional Council
Cc: Bruce Gordon, Former Chair and Current Audit Committee Member
Attn: Sharon – Please ensure this message is forwarded in full to the
above recipients in line with Ombudsman guidance and previous
correspondence.
Subject: Re: LGOIMA Request ID ##232872## – Concerns Regarding Integrity
of Process and Historical Context
Dear Mr McCartney,
I am writing in response to your recent correspondence regarding my LGOIMA
submissions. While your request for clarification appears procedurally
reasonable on the surface, the wider context suggests otherwise. My view
is that this is yet another effort by Horizons Regional Council (HRC) to
delay or dilute scrutiny, rather than engage transparently with the
substance of the information requested.
1. Pattern of Obstruction and Lack of Good Faith
You state that HRC responds to all information requests “made in good
faith.” Based on my experience over several years, I must respectfully
disagree. My LGOIMA requests have consistently been met with partial
disclosures, critical omissions, and—in some cases—complete refusals to
provide documentation without just cause. That pattern undermines any
assertion of good faith.
For example:
1. In 2019, I lodged a serious complaint regarding suspected fraud
involving DMPFarm, which was raised directly with both yourself and
then-Chair Bruce Gordon. Despite the gravity of the concerns,
responses were dismissive and all documentation is now claimed to be
deleted.
2. Requests that were short, clear, and specific at the time produced no
meaningful result, necessitating the inclusion of context in later
submissions to avoid misinterpretation and selective omission.
2. Key Issues Supporting the Inclusion of Context
The following incidents underscore the necessity of including background
detail in my requests:
1. Derek Ryan’s Role: HRC knowingly or recklessly accepted Blair Drysdale
as a representative of DMPFarm without informing or involving the
actual elderly owners. When questioned, HRC yet still imposed charges
(over $2,100) to release remaining documents and now claim relevant
records were deleted, —while HRC has previously provided resources to
the Drysdales at no cost to produce a “technical report” used to
mislead a tribunal.
2. Misleading Tribunal Submission: In 2018, a “Technical Assessment” by
HRC’s Mair Owen was submitted by the Drysdales to the Palmerston North
District Court. The document can now be proven to be factually
inaccurate, raising questions about possible collusion or, at best,
lack of oversight by HRC.
3. Repeated Non-Disclosure: Grant Cooper supported Mair owens paper
knowing it was used in court by Drysdale to refute a legal claim, he
subsequently withheld background material relevant to the 2018
Tribunal undermining the rule of law, having knowledge that the
Drysdales had signed falsely as property owners.
4. Meeting in 2019: During a meeting with yourself and Bruce Gordon,
accompanied by Alan Wallbank, I was assured that no legal documents or
evidence of fraud existed. That statement is now demonstrably
incorrect.
5. Subsequent Reviews in 2023–2024: Only after HRC’s 16 August 2024
response did I realise the full extent of the misinformation provided
earlier. I reviewed documentation and confirmed serious
inconsistencies in statements by Dr Jon Roygard and Logan Brown. These
errors, omissions, and misrepresentations have never been corrected, I
am requesting details of ALL grants you have clear context.
3. Additional Considerations
1. I have no control over what others submit via FYI.org , though I found
the input useful and the submission prompted further valid inquiries.
2. I have consulted with professional advisers and auditors who have
confirmed that public release of these matters is now appropriate and
necessary to ensure transparency.
3. I now name key officials because I no longer believe the issue lies
with staff being misled—it appears clear that senior officials have
contributed to the lack of disclosure and accountability.
4. Requested Immediate Actions
To avoid further delay or unnecessary escalation, I respectfully request
the following:
1. Confirmation that no further deletion of relevant public records has
occurred, and that all backups and related material have been
preserved and those documents recovered.
2. Immediate release of the HRC disposal schedule and decision authority
(DA) records, as previously requested.
3. Provision of all outstanding documents related to my LGOIMA requests,
without cost or further obstruction.
4. Publication of a full list of grant recipients, as a matter of
transparency and public interest—this may help identify whether other
vulnerable individuals have been similarly affected.
5. Final Remarks
The inclusion of context in my LGOIMA submissions is not incidental—it is
essential. Without it, previous HRC responses have mischaracterised or
selectively responded to requests. I remain committed to a fair and
factual process, but that must be matched by transparency and integrity
from your side.
Any duplication of response can be cut and paste taking less than 5 mins.
There is no material overhead. Had HRC responded in a timely manner the
need for minor clarification points as per FYI guidelines would not be
required.
I appreciate your attention to these matters and look forward to a full
and timely response.
I am available for constructive resolution and if there is material you
wish to send via email that results in resolution I am willing to close
the FYI as complete by agreed wording
Yours sincerely
Gerad Paver
show quoted sections
From: Gerard Paver
To: Michael McCartney, Chief Executive Officer, Horizons Regional Council
To: Michael McCartney, Chief Executive Officer, Horizons Regional Council
Cc: Rachel Keedwell, Chair, Horizons Regional Council
Cc: Bruce Gordon, Former Chair and Current Audit Committee Member
Subject: LGOIMA Request – Riparian Fencing and Planting Grants, Gifts, and Contributions
27 September 2025
Dear Mr. McCartney,
Thank you for your letter dated 15 September 2025.
However, I must respectfully dispute several key assertions. I have responded to Horizons Regional Council (HRC) on numerous occasions regarding these matters. This is clearly evident to any objective reader reviewing my prior correspondence via FYI.org.nz — particularly if they read both the content of my requests and the full substance of HRC’s replies.
It is increasingly apparent that HRC’s attempts to summarise or reframe my LGOIMA requests omit key queries and ignore critical context. I have no issue with genuine requests for clarification, but I ask that all communications reference the FYI request ID and directly address the relevant bullet points.
Below I summarise several concerns with HRC’s position and reiterate my request for full disclosure of the information sought — in unredacted form — as required under LGOIMA and consistent with guidance from the Ombudsman, Department of Internal Affairs (DIA), and Auditor-General.
1. Background and Prior LGOIMA Correspondence
1. I have repeatedly requested full details of communication and documents relating to the EFP, all grants, gifts, and contributions issued by HRC, especially through the Manawatū River Leaders’ Accord and related riparian fencing and planting initiatives. In 2018 Grant Cooper reaffirmed there was no grants or funding related to my Farm and expressed ignorance on the origins of the ERP, it now appears he was an author in the quarterly environmental reports on progress of the programme initiatives and EFP’s.
2. On 19 October 2022 (via FYI.org.nz), I explicitly requested this grant funding information for each year.
In November 2022, Logan Brown responded with only a partial list of community grants for the 2022 year only.
3. On 2 July 2025, I submitted a LGOIMA re:-HRC’s Derek Ryan apparent signing a landowner agreement for our farm without the knowledge of the actual elderly landowners, effectively depriving the elderly owners of the service and associated fencing grants despite the owners paying the worker for fencing which was clearly eligible for grants.
4. On 29 July 2025, HRC responded that all records had been deleted under the Public Records Act 2007 after 7 years. The actual legislation is the Public Records Act 2005 (PRA) which contains no reference to seven year periods. It is concerning that this response was based on non-existent statutory provisions. It is also concerning that, as set out below, this forms part of a pattern of mis-citation of statute and regulations.
HRC did provided a copy of the 65-page EFP document, which reinforced that significant public monies had been spent some of which contracted to third parties.
5. Between 30 July to 8 August 2025, I responded, highlighting that the requested records related to grants, meetings with landowners, and signed agreements — all of which should be considered protected records under the PRA due to their connection to the disbursement of public funds (including from MfE), and to an earlier concern of possible fraud which I raised in 2019 directly with HRC’s CEO and Chair.
2. Recordkeeping and Deletion Concerns
2.1. On 29 August 2025, HRC now advised:
1. All the Records were deleted after only 3 years under ALGIM 2021 Disposal Authority Z23.5.5.
2. Files were bulk deleted by folder and no record or log of deleted files is kept.
3. HRC does not record who authorised the disposal of files.
4. In response to Ms. Agnes M.'s query about protected records related to concerns of fraud , HRC claimed deletion was in accordance with ALGIM 2021 and stated that it would consider developing policies in the future….
2.2. I must stress that:
1. Z23.5.5 relates to internal administrative meetings — not external meetings or agreements that underpin public funding and contractual obligations.
2. Such records fall under protected classes (e.g. Z8.14) and should have been preserved — especially where public money is involved or concerns of financial irregularities are raised.
3. HRC’s mass deletion of information/records without any record of what was deleted or when deleted or on whose authority appears to encompass meetings, agreements, and communications associated with approximately 87 farms visited by and signed up by Derek Ryan, impacting up to $5.2 million in MfE funding — part of a broader $30 million public programme.
3. HRC’s 15 September 2025 Response – Summary of Concerns
1. A grant panel was only established in 2024.
2. Prior to that, Team Leaders or Managers made grant decisions.
3. HRC refused to disclose the total funding pool, claiming it is published in the Annual Report (without granularity).
4. HRC refused to disclose names of grant recipients or HRC officials involved in approving grants, citing privacy.
4. Privacy and Transparency
4.1. HRC has previously disclosed names of grant recipients — including partial response from Logan Brown to my 2022 FYI request.
4.2. On 16 August 2024, Dr. Jon Roygard claimed that all relevant information had been provided; this was demonstrably untrue. Only partial records were released.
4.3. HRC has published names in public forums — e.g., the Bush Telegraph on 14 March 2022 refers to a $15,000 grant/gift and mentions the recipient receiving multiple grants. These grants/gifts were not apparent in disclosed recipients.
Thus, HRC’s current invocation of privacy appears inconsistent and selective. Earlier responses offered the information either in full or in part, or offered to release it subject to payment — not privacy concerns. Further, any privacy concerns are outweighed by the public interest in transparency and accountability.
5. Grant Totals and Traceability
5.1. While HRC claims total funding is disclosed in Annual Reports, there is:
1. No traceability to individual grants, recipients, or purposes.
2. No reconciliation with internal approvals or external disbursements.
6. Authority and Governance
6.1. Please provide:
• The authorisation limits for Team Leaders and Managers who approved grants 2010 to 2024.
• The names of HRC officials who authorised each grant or gift.
6.2. I reiterate that I have raised concerns about potential misuse of funds, and the mass deletion of underpinning records raises significant questions about financial probity and public accountability.
7. Risk of "Salami Slicing" and Circumvention of Controls
7.1. I understand that a panel is now required for grants over $20,000.
7.2. There is a public interest in identifying whether previous disbursements were structured to fall below scrutiny thresholds — a common risk referred to as “salami slicing.”
8. Ombudsman Precedent – Case 446391
The Ombudsman has clearly ruled (Case Ref. 446391) that where public money is involved, the low privacy interest in names of individuals is outweighed by the public interest in transparency and accountability. This ruling was in relation to guest lists for council-funded events — a far less significant use of public money than grant disbursement under a $30 million programme.
9. Conclusion and Request
Given the above, I respectfully request HRC respond to my previous LGOIMA in full including:
1. Full and unredacted disclosure of all grant recipients, with name amounts, dates, and approving officials.
2. Disclosure of the funding pools used and criteria applied.
3. Confirmation that all decisions were consistent with proper delegation and public sector financial controls.
Failure to provide this information undermines public confidence and is inconsistent with LGOIMA, the Public Records Act, and best practice guidelines issued by the Ombudsman, DIA, and the Auditor-General.
Please also Provide the Names and positions of the HRC Officials who have responded to my LGOIMA requests.
Yours Sincerely
Gerard Paver
[email address]
Yours sincerely,
Gerard Paver
Things to do with this request
- Add an annotation (to help the requester or others)
- Download a zip file of all correspondence (note: this contains the same information already available above).