Dear Department of Internal Affairs,

I hereby request, under the Official Information Act 1982 of New Zealand, a copy of the current constitution/statutes of the Asylum Seekers Support Trust (ASST). I am making this request as a beneficiary, donor, and former board member of the said organization, which grants me a legitimate and direct interest.

According to the Official Information Act, any person has the right to access information held by public agencies in New Zealand, except in cases expressly provided for by law. The statutes constitute key administrative documents relevant for the transparency and good governance of registered entities.

I request that you provide me with a full and updated copy of the ASST’s constitution/statutes, or, if unavailable, access to the official document registered with Charities Services.

Yours faithfully,
Patricia Brevis

Dear RIS Official Correspondence,

I wish to thank you for acknowledging receipt of my request dated 6 October 2025, seeking access to the current constitution or statutes of the Asylum Seekers Support Trust (ASST).

The requested information is especially relevant considering that a recent judicial decision recognised that ASST operates with public funding from MBIE to provide emergency accommodation to asylum seekers.

In this context, access to the constitution and statutes is essential to understand how the organisation defines its charitable purposes and obligations towards its beneficiaries, in accordance with the Charities Act 2005 and the principles of transparency and good governance.

I would therefore be grateful if access to the full and updated version of the document could be prioritised, to help determine the legal and administrative framework under which ASST manages public funds and humanitarian services.

Thank you very much for your kind assistance and attention.

Yours sincerely,
Patricia Brevis