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I was involved in the establishment of NZIST / Te Pūkenga, including the establishment
board for NZIST. Mostly on the funding side.
Here’s my view:
The then Minister of Education appointed the members of the NZIST Establishment
Board, not the Ministry.
Until NZIST was established by legislation on 1 April 2020, responsibility for
appointments to ITP (polytechnic) councils sat with TEC
The NZIST Establishment Board did not have the legal authority to make
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appointments
On 1 April 2020, the Establishment Board ceased to exist and the ITPs became
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subsidiary
companies of NZIST – and on that day
directors of those companies
were appointed by the Council of NZIST
The NZIST Establishment Board of course provided the incoming Council with
the paperwork to make appoint those directors, but the appointment decisions
were by the Council of NZIST, not the Establishment Board
The NZIST Establishment Board was
funded as a departmental expense (ie, as part
of the Ministry), but it’s a bit of a stretch to say it was housed in the Ministry
Information
MoE, TEC and NZQA each advised / supported the Establishment Board on the
things it was best placed to advise on
ie, I’m confident TEC led providing advice on appointments, including for when
ITPs transitioned from being ITPs to being subsidiary companies
A LOT of the establishment work was done by PwC – the paperwork (emails,
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etc) for any work they did on appointments would have been with the TEC
appointments team.
the
In short, TEC will be best-placed to advise on this OIA.
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Scott
Scott Connew-Simmons
Principal Advisor | Kaitātari Matua | Monitoring and Appointments
Te Pou Kaupapahere | Policy | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga
DDI +6444395062
Released
From: Jennifer Heersping <[email address]>
Sent: Friday, 15 August 2025 3:09 pm
To: Jax Ritchie <[email address]>; Kaupapahere Ministerials
<9(2)(a)
>
Cc: Monika Staven <[email address]>; Scott Connew
<[email address]>
Subject: RE: OIA Request 1351962 - Acknowledgement
Kia ora,
I’m not 100% sure... I thought TEC still managed the appointments. You could test with
Tertiary policy. It definitely wasn’t our team though.
Jennifer Heersping (she/her)
| Director
Monitoring & Appointments
Te Pou Kaupapahere | Policy
DDI +6444637734
1982
1 The Terrace
Act
From: Jax Ritchie <[email address]>
Sent: Friday, 15 August 2025 3:04 pm
To: Jennifer Heersping <[email address]>; Kaupapahere Ministerials
<9(2)(a)
>
Cc: Monika Staven <[email address]>; Scott Connew
<[email address]>
Subject: RE: OIA Request 1351962 - Acknowledgement
Information
Hey Jennifer,
Just checking before we transfer, we have been advised by the Office of Minister Simmons
that this sits within MoE:
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“For background, my understanding is that Mr Lesa's appointment was to the Unitec/MIT
subsidiary boards when Te Pukenga was established. The appointments were made by the
the
NZIST Establishment Board, which was appointed by and housed within MoE.”
Does this sit with TEC or MoE?
Thanks,
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Jax
From: Jennifer Heersping <[email address]>
Sent: Friday, 15 August 2025 2:37 pm
To: Kaupapahere Ministerials <9(2)(a)
>
Cc: Jax Ritchie <[email address]>; Monika Staven
Released
<[email address]>; Scott Connew <[email address]>
Subject: RE: OIA Request 1351962 - Acknowledgement
Kia ora,
This needs to sit with TEC
Jennifer Heersping (she/her)
| Director
Monitoring & Appointments
Te Pou Kaupapahere | Policy
DDI +6444637734
1 The Terrace
From: Kaupapahere Ministerials <9(2)(a)
>
Sent: Friday, 15 August 2025 1:51 pm
To: Jennifer Heersping <[email address]>
Cc: Jax Ritchie <[email address]>
1982
Subject: FW: OIA Request 1351962 - Acknowledgement
Kia ora Jen
Act
Please see the OIA that has come in via our Enquiries National inbox below. Would your
team be able to provide a SME to assist him with his response?
Daisy Venables | Ministerials Advisor
Te Pou Kaupapahere | Policy
DDI +6444638188
Information
National Office 1 The Terrace
education.govt.nz
He mea tārai e mātou te mātauranga kia rangatira ai, kia mana taurite ai ōna huanga
We shape an education system that delivers equitable and excellent outcomes
Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga
Official
the
From: Jax Ritchie <[email address]>
Sent: Friday, 15 August 2025 1:45 pm
To: Kaupapahere Ministerials <9(2)(a)
>
Subject: FW: OIA Request 1351962 - Acknowledgement
under
Hey team, got one regarding appointments.
I’ve been advised that this one sits with Monitoring and Appointments, but I’ve been told
to go through your team first.
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“- I understand Fale Andrew Lesa was appointed in or around 2020 to the governing
council of both Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) and Unitec.
- I request all documents relating to the appointment of Mr Lesa to these positions.”
Here’s the JIRA. Are you able to assist me with this?
Feel free to reach out if you want to chat about this.
Thanks,
Jax
From: Enquiries National
Sent: Monday, 4 August 2025 9:15 am
To: [FYI request #31732 email]
Subject: OIA Request 1351962 - Acknowledgement
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Kia ora R S Bicknell
Thank you for the information request attached, that was transferred to the Ministry on 1
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August 2025. The Ministry will consider and respond to your request in accordance with
the Official Information Act 1982 the Act).
Under section 15(1) of the Act, we are required to make and inform you of our decision on
your request as soon as reasonably practicable and in any case not later than 20 working
days after the day on which your request is received. You can therefore expect to receive
our decision on your request on or before 29 August 2025. If more than 20 working days are
Information
needed due to the potential workload and/or consultations involved in answering your
request, we will notify you accordingly.
The Ministry may publicly release on our website the response to your request five days
Official
after you have received it. Any personal information will be removed.
In the interim, if you have any questions about your request, please email
the
[email address]
Ngā mihi
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Enquiries National Team | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | Ministry of Education | TW
education.govt.nz
We shape an education system that delivers equitable and excellent outcomes
He mea tārai e mātou te mātauranga kia rangatira ai, kia mana taurite ai ōna huanga
Released
From:
Jax Ritchie
To:
Cindy McDonald
Subject:
PRESEND CHECK: OIA Request 1351962
Date:
Tuesday, 19 August 2025 11:23:00 am
Thanks Cindy!
Name: R S Bicknell
Email: [FYI request #31732 email]
JIRA: 1351962
Tēnā koe,
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Thank you for your email of 24 July 2025 to the Minister of Vocational Education requesting the
following information:
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“I understand Fale Andrew Lesa was appointed in or around 2020 to the governing
council of both Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) and Unitec.
I request all documents relating to the appointment of Mr Lesa to these positions.”
You request was transferred to the Ministry of Education (the Ministry) on 4 August 2025. Your
request has been considered under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
Information
We understand that Te Pūkenga has previously responded to an OIA request via FYI.org.nz asking
for the same information.
As this information is publicly available, we are refusing your request under 18(d). You can find
the information provided in the following webpages:
Official
Full documents: https://fyi.org.nz/request/20887-board-member-information#incoming-
79667
Letter only:
the
https://fyi.org.nz/request/20887/response/79667/attach/7/TPNZIST0179%20Beryl%20B
eauchamp%20OIA%20response.pdf
Thank you again for your email. You have the right to ask an Ombudsman to review my decision
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on your request, in accordance with section 28 of the Act. You can do this by writing to
[email address] or to Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington
6143.
[Signature]
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-----Original Message-----
From: R S Bicknell <[FYI request #31732 email]>
Sent: Thursday, 24 July 2025 2:35 AM
To: Penny Simmonds (MIN) <[email address]>
Subject: PSTE-OI-25-036 / Official Information request - Fale Andrew Lesa
Dear Penny Simmonds,
I understand Fale Andrew Lesa was appointed in or around 2020 to the governing council of both
Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) and Unitec.
I request all documents relating to the appointment of Mr Lesa to these positions.
Yours faithfully,
R S Bicknell
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This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.
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