29/08/2025
DOIA25/077
Maggie H
[FYI request #31878 email] Tēnā koe Maggie H
I refer to your request received on 3 August 2025, which has been considered under
the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). You requested the following information:
[t]he total cost to operate the Te Ara online encyclopedia
https://teara.govt.nz/en including all sub sites such as dictionary of biographies.
Please break down costs by business group or service area, for the past
decade (2015-2025).
Please also provide all advice, memos, briefings, A3s, emails and other
correspondence to and from the Ministry to the Minister for Culture and
Heritage in relation to the disestablishment of historian roles and the future of
the Te Ara resource at MCH.
After we advised you of the challenges in collating your request as originally worded,
you agreed to refine your request to the following:
All formal advice (Briefings, Aides Memoire and A3's) in relation to the
disestablishment of historian roles and the future of the Te Ara resource at
MCH.
Information publicly available
To assist in your understanding of this matter, we believe it is useful to direct you to
publicly available sources related to this topic.
• Responses to written Parliamentary questions
: https://shorturl.at/UGTRN.
• Hansard transcript of the recent Vote Arts, Culture and Heritage Estimates
Hearing
: https://www.parliament.nz/resource/en-NZ/54SCSSC_EVI_75b8cdf3
-1828-49cd-cdc8-08dd9cbad1c0_SSC21005/9e09ecad92
be68fdb2ff987fac2b75dc211dc585. This matter was discussed at this
Hearing.
• 2023/24 Annual Review of Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Responses to Written Questions 1-203:
5d176172855b77
3221a0a77b5c352bd5faf6ad4c. Queston 23 provides information on websites
run by Manatū Taonga.
Response to request
During the change process, the responsible Minister (Hon Paul Goldsmith) was
verbally advised by officials from Manatū Taonga of a change proposal which
included information relating to a proposed structure. Decisions relating to the
change proposal are the responsibility of the Ministry’s Chief Executive.
There is one document within the scope of your request. This is an A3 that was
presented in a meeting to assist with a discussion. This is the totality of relevant
material and is released to you.
If you wish to discuss this decision with us, please feel free to contact
[Ministry for Culture and Heritage request email]. 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 via
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Nāku noa, nā
Daiman Smith
Pou Mataaho o Te Iho – Deputy Secretary, Corporate Services
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Document Outline
