Anevili
No address provided
Via email: <[FYI request #32549 email]>
7 November 2025
Kia ora Anevili
Official Information Act request dated 10 October 2025
We refer to your email dated 10 October 2025 requesting information under the
Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
Request 1: Please provide the fol owing information pertaining to the production titled
‘I’m Not Racist, But…’: Al correspondence between TVNZ and Pango Productions.
Request 2: Please provide the fol owing information pertaining to the production titled
‘I’m Not Racist, But…’: Al communications & correspondence made by TVNZ or Pango
Productions staff for the purpose of finding participants, cast members, interviewees
(including but not limited to emails, social media posts, texts, media plans, notes,
casting strategies).
Request 3: Please provide the fol owing information pertaining to the production titled
‘I’m Not Racist, But…’: Al internal communications & correspondence within TVNZ
(including but not limited to TVNZ’s employees, contractors, advisors, management or
leadership) regarding the production and its approach to the subject of racism or race
relations in NZ (including but not limited to production meeting minutes, text or email
exchanges about participants and story angles, ideas and intentions for the
production).
Request 4: Please provide the fol owing information pertaining to the production titled
‘I’m Not Racist, But…’: Can you please outline which individuals, groups, organisations
were considered or contacted to appear on the show, when they were considered or
contacted, and how or why they were selected? Can you also confirm whether they
were compensated and how?
Response: Clearly, this request is very wide. Identification of responsive information
would therefore require substantial collation and research. In accordance with section
15 of the Act, a charge would apply. To assist you in taking a cost-effective approach,
please note:
1. For most, if not all of the information requested in Requests 2 and 4, the
following withholding grounds will likely apply:
• Section 9(2)(a): participant information (including as to potential
participants and casting) wil likely be withheld to protect the privacy of
relevant individuals;
• Section 9(2)(b)(i ): much of the information requested belongs to Pango
Productions and release of that information would be likely unreasonably
to prejudice Pango’s commercial position;
• Section 9(2)(b)(i): where the information belongs to TVNZ, much of the
requested information is likely to be withheld on the basis that it is TVNZ’s
commercial work product, and release of information about how we
produce our content (including shows produced external y) would put us
at strategic disadvantage to our competitors in the media industry.
2. For Request 3, in addition to the grounds listed above, section 9(2)(b)(h) is
likely to apply; much of the information “regarding the production and its
approach to the subject of racism or race relations in NZ” is legal y privileged.
3. As Request 1 overlaps with Requests 2, 3 and 4, the above withholding grounds
will likely apply in the same manner.
4. Final y, as much of the information requested relates to activities in which TVNZ
had no involvement (e.g. production logistics), parts of this request will likely be
declined on the basis of section 18(e): the information is not held by TVNZ so
does not exist for the purposes of the Act.
To be clear, given the size of your request, we have not yet reviewed the responsive
information, but thought it would be helpful to set out this background before you
confirm the extent to which you wish us to search.
We trust the above information assists. So that we can progress your request, please
advise:
1. Acknowledging the information we have set out above, and acknowledging
that a charge per the Charging Guidelines will apply, please confirm whether
you would like to us to undertake the significant collation and research required
to provide information responsive to Requests 2, 3 and 4. The charge is an
hourly rate of $76 per the Charging Guidelines available on the Ministry of
Justice website.
2. If, acknowledging the above, you would also like us to proceed with Request 1,
please set out your request with due particularity in accordance with section
12(2) of the Act i.e. specify what particular correspondence you are requesting
during which timeframe and regarding what specific subject (“al
correspondence between TVNZ and Pango Productions” wil be declined on the
basis that the information requested cannot be made available without
significant collation or research”.)
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Please note that we wil not take further steps until we hear from you further.
If you are dissatisfied with this response section 28 of the Act provides you with the
right to make a complaint to the Ombudsman in order to seek an investigation and
review.
Yours sincerely,
Official Information Requests Team
TVNZ
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