23 September 2025
James
By email
to: [FYI request #32126 email]
Kia ora James
OFFICIAL INFORMATION ACT REQUEST 2025/66
On Tuesday, 26 August 2025 you made a request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the OIA)
for the following information:
All communications including but not limited to emails and texts regarding the selection,
approval and facilitating of Ruapotaka marae in Glenn Innes as a voting place in the Tamaki
Makaurau by-election. This should include the initial decision/reach out, selection criteria
obligations and staff selection for the voting place.
Please detail if any of the staff selected, worked in the 2023 election at the marae or are
connected to the Manurewa marae.
Was the Electoral Commission aware that former Te Pati Māori MP, Takutai - Tarsh Kemp
had actively lobbied Parliamentary Services to establish a constituency office at the marae?
Was the Electoral Commission aware the marae actively promoted Tarsh kemp/Te Pati
Māori in the last election?
If yes, please provide all details and communications, including how this conflict was
negated.
Please provide all communications if any, the Electoral Commission has had with Te Kotahi a
Tāmaki or their representatives since June 2025.
Please provide all communications if any, the Electoral Commission has had with Rangi
Mclean or Martin Cooper from January 2025.
Communications on selection of Ruapōtaka marae as a voting place
Ruapōtaka Marae was used as a voting place during the 2023 General Election. As part of the
planning process for the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election, the Electoral Commission reviewed the 2023
voting place assessment for Ruapōtaka Marae and confirmed with the Marae that no changes had
occurred that would impact the site’s suitability. The assessment form is provided, parts of this are
withheld under section 6(c) of the OIA where they may prejudice the maintenance of the law and
compromise security arrangements at elections. Some contact details, such as phone numbers,
some email addresses, and names, have been withheld under section 9(2)(a) of the OIA which
relates to the privacy of natural persons.
Email correspondence, the voting place confirmation letter and file notes of telephone
conversations relating to the Marae’s availability as a voting place for the by-election are provided.
Please note that individuals’ names and contact details have been withheld from these documents
under section 9(2)(a) of the Official Information Act 1982, on the grounds that the withholding the
information is necessary to protect the privacy of natural persons.
Electoral Commission
Level 4, 34-42 Manners Street, PO Box 3220, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
Telephone +64 4 495 0030
www.vote.nz | www.elections.nz
Staff selection
Six staff members worked at Ruapōtaka Marae during the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election. Of these,
three had also worked at the same location during the 2023 General Election, one during the 2020
General Election, and two had not previously worked at any election. None of these staff worked at
Manurewa Marae.
Please note that individuals’ names and contact details have been withheld from the attached
documents under section 9(2)(a) of the Official Information Act 1982, to protect the privacy of
natural persons.
Was the Electoral Commission aware of Takutai Tarsh Kemp actively lobbying Parliamentary
Service to establish a constituency office at the marae and was the Electoral Commission aware
the marae actively promoted Takutai Tarsh Kemp and Te Pāti Māori in the last election?
No. The Electoral Commission does not hold any communications or documents on these aspects of
your request.
Communications with Te Kotahi a Tāmaki since June 2025
As part of early engagement to identify potential voting places, the Electoral Commission’s Māori
advisory team emailed Te Kotahi a Tāmaki. Included in the email, all of which are provided, were
documents outlining potential staffing roles and guidance on what it means to be a voting place.
Please note that individuals’ names and contact details have been withheld from the attached
documents under section 9(2)(a) of the Official Information Act 1982, to protect the privacy of
natural persons.
Communications with Rangi McLean and Martin Cooper from January 2025
The Electoral Commission holds no communications with Rangi McLean or Martin Cooper from
January 2025.
In the interests of transparency, we release responses to Official Information Act requests every 3
months. We will publish this response with your personal details redacted.
You have the right under section 28(3) of the Act to make a complaint to the Ombudsman if you are
not satisfied with the response to your request. Information about how to do this is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or by phoning 0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely
Martin Rodgers
Director, Voting Services
2
