4 August 2025
Tēnā koe Lance D Lavery,
Official Information Act request
Thank you for your email of 3 July 2025, requesting information about the Youth
Parliament 2025 speeches.
I have considered your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
Please find my decision on your request set out below.
1. All email communications from MYD’s Youth Parliament Project Team sent
to Youth MPs between 1 April and 2 July 2025 whose subject lines include
“Changes required” (or similar wording) that advised removals or edits
regarding:
a. Criticism of ministers or government,
b. Politically sensitive themes (e.g. pay equity, climate, Treaty
Principles Bill, voting rights, freedom of expression),
c. Concerns about defamation, political neutrality, or non-partisanship.
2. Internal guidance, memos, or policy documents that informed or justified
these communications.
3. Any correspondence relating to the decision not to livestream Youth
Parliament debates or to restrict public access to recordings.
Following the Youth Parliament 2025 in-person event, the Ministry of Youth
Development (MYD) – Te Manatū Whakahiato Taiohi is preparing a proactive
release of all documents relating to this topic. This proactive release will include
reports provided to the Minister for Youth on the subject of Youth Parliament 2025,
Youth MP information packs and guidance documents, application forms, feedback
provided to Youth MPs on their General Debate speeches, code of conduct and
training, and information about the live streaming.
As such, your request is refused under section 18(d) of the Act, as this information
is soon to be made publicly available.
Your request for all email communication would require substantial manual
collation to locate and prepare all documents within scope of your request. As such,
I refuse your request under section 18(f) of the Act. The greater public interest is
in the effective and efficient administration of the public service.
I have considered whether the Ministry would be able to respond to your request
given extra time, or the ability to charge for the information requested. I have
concluded that, in either case, the Ministry’s ability to undertake its work would
still be prejudiced.
The Aurora Centre, 56 The Terrace, PO Box 1556, Wellington
– Telephone 04-916 3300 – Facsimile 04-918 0099
I will be publishing this decision letter, with your personal details deleted, on the
Ministry’s website in due course.
If you wish to discuss this response with us, please feel free to contact
[MSD request email]. If you are not satisfied with my decision on your request, you have the right to
seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman. Information about how to
make a complaint is available
at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or 0800 802 602.
Ngā mihi nui
pp.
Anna Graham
General Manager
Ministerial and Executive Services
