Subject: Official Information Act Request – 40-Year Trans-Tasman Standards Partnership Agreement
Dear OIA Coordinator,

Pursuant to the Official Information Act, I request the following information regarding the recent announcement of the new agreement to strengthen the Trans-Tasman standards partnership between New Zealand and Australia:
1. A copy of the full agreement or memorandum of understanding outlined in the announcement, including any annexes or technical schedules.
2. Any documents, briefings, or ministerial correspondence related to the negotiation, formulation, and approval of this agreement.
3. A summary of the expected benefits, sectors affected, and implementation timeline for this agreement within New Zealand.
4. A list of stakeholders and key agencies involved in developing, approving, and implementing the agreement.

If any of this information is withheld, please cite the relevant statutory grounds under the Official Information Act and provide an appropriate explanation.

Thank you for your attention to this request. I look forward to your timely response.

Sincerely,
FYI

Dear Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment,

Thank you for your response to my Official Information Act request regarding the 40-Year Trans-Tasman Standards Partnership Agreement.

I note with concern that the response appears to lack significant detail and contains substantial redactions. In particular:
• It has been publicly announced that the agreement has been signed, yet the response does not provide a copy of the signed Heads of Agreement itself.
• The documents provided are so heavily redacted that it is not possible to understand the full context of the Heads of Agreement, including what has been agreed in principle and what changes differ from the current arrangements.

Given that the signing of this agreement has been publicly announced, I respectfully request reconsideration of the decision to withhold the actual signed Heads of Agreement and the widespread redaction of associated material. Where information continues to be withheld, I ask that you:
1. Reconsider whether the withholding grounds remain justified in light of the public announcement.
2. Confirm whether all relevant information within scope of my request has been identified and considered for release.

I appreciate your further attention to this matter.

Yours faithfully,

GW