27 August 2025
John Luke
[email address]
Dear John
Official Information Act request: Appointment of Fale Andrew Lesā
Thank you for your email of 30 July 2025, requesting under the Official Information Act
1982, information about the appointment of Fale Andrew Lesā as a Justice of the
Peace (JP) and Visiting Justice. Specifically, you requested:
"Last week, McKee asked the Ministry of Justice to review the matter of “the
suitability of a recent Visiting Justice appointment”. ‘“It’s important to gather the
facts before commenting on the details of the case.”
I understand that Stuff has already requested similar information regarding Fale
Andrew Lesā. Would you mind sharing the same information with me as well?
This matter is of public interest, and all my requests are publicly viewable on
the FYI.org.nz website.
Additionally, I would like to request all emails relating to Fale Andrew Lesā from
Minister McKee’s office.
If there are any updates regarding the investigation, please kindly share them
with me. Alternatively, I would strongly encourage the Minister to make a public
statement on the matter, as such behaviour undermines the integrity of the
justice system.
As you are aware, I have asked my officials at the Ministry of Justice to investigate
and report back to me in respect of Mr Lesā’s statutory appointments as a JP and
Visiting Justice. While this process is ongoing, I am withholding information about
Mr Lesa’s appointments, including email correspondence, under the following sections
of the Act:
• Section 6(c) – as its release would likely prejudice the maintenance of the law,
including the prevention, investigation, and detection of offences, and
• Section 9(2)(a) – to protect the privacy of natural persons.
I acknowledge and share your concerns about this matter. Once the investigation is
concluded, I wil revisit whether and what information should be withheld in respect of
any new requests for information.
In accordance with section 9(1) of the Act, I have considered the public interest in
making available the information being withheld, and determined that it does not
outweigh the need to withhold the information at this time.
If you are not satisfied with this response, you have the right to make a complaint to
the Office of the Ombudsman under section 28(3) of the Act. The Ombudsman may
be contacted by email to [email address] or by phone on 0800 802
602.
Yours sincerely
Hon Nicole McKee
Associate Minister of Justice
