Response to your request
In response to part one of your request I can confirm that as part of the helicopter flight, the
Department did not organise or pay for any catering including the pavlova. As such, I am
refusing your request for these costs under section 18(e) of the Act, that the document alleged
to contain the information requested does not exist or, despite reasonable efforts to locate it,
cannot be found.
Further noting that, most of the Prime Minister's social media engagement is managed
through the Parliamentary Office of the Leader of the National Party which is not subject to
the Official Information Act.
On 18 September 2025, you refined part two of your request to the following:
With regards to part 2 of my request, you can limit the search to correspondence with
Australian officials in which these specific activities are suggested, organised and/or discussed:
1.
flying by helicopter to the mountain
2.
serving/eating a pavlova with the Australian PM
I have attached correspondence in scope of your refined request. This is attached with this
letter as
Attachment One. Some information from attachment one is withheld under the
following sections of the Act;
• 9(2)(a) - to protect the privacy of natural persons, and
• 9(2)(g)(ii)-to maintain the effective conduct of public affairs through the protection
of employees from improper pressure or harassment.
Further information has been removed from Attachment one as being outside the scope of
your request.
As is required by section 9(1) of the Act, I have considered whether the grounds for
withholding information under section 9(2) are outweighed by other considerations. In this
instance, I do not consider that to be the case.
We may publish this OIA response on www.dia.govt.nz (with your personal details having been
removed). Publishing responses to OIA requests increases the availability of information to
the public and is consistent with the purpose of the Act to enable effective participation in the
making and administration of laws and policies, and to promote the accountability of Ministers
and officials.
If you have any concerns with the information in this response, you have a right to request an
investigation and review by the Ombudsman under section 28(3) of the Act. Information on
how to do this is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely
Briget Ridden
General Manager - Ministerial Services
Partnerships and Commissions Branch
Department of Internal Affairs - Te Tari Taiwhenua
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