17 March 2026
Julian Jackson
[FYI request #33338 email]
Dear Julian
Official Information Act request: Ministerial Advisory Groups
I refer to your email of 20 December 2025 to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet
(DPMC), requesting information under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act), regarding
Ministerial Advisory Groups (MAG).
On 2 February 2026, DPMC partially transferred your request to my office under section 14 of
the Act. Specifically, you requested:
I am writing under the Official Information Act 1982 to request the following information
regarding ministerial advisory groups established since the formation of the current
coalition government (National, ACT, and New Zealand First) following the 2023 general
election:
1. A complete list of all ministerial advisory groups formed since 27 November 2023,
including their official titles, responsible ministers, and terms of reference.
2. For each such group, please provide:
- The total allocated budget (including any revisions) for the group’s operations for the
2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years; - A breakdown and the totals of actual
expenditures to date, including but not limited to: payments or honoraria to members,
catering and venue costs, administrative or secretariat support, travel and
accommodation, and any other operational expenses; - Copies of any Cabinet papers,
funding approvals, or internal budgeting documents authorizing the group’s financial
resourcing.
In response to your request, I can advise that two groups fall within my portfolio responsibilities
as Minister of Justice. These are:
• MAG for Victims of Retail Crime, and
• MAG on the Review of Treaty Principles Provisions.
Ministerial Advisory Group for Victims of Retail Crime
The Ministers responsible for this MAG are myself and Hon Nicole McKee. Your request for
the Terms of Reference is refused under section 18(d) of the Act, as the document is publicly
available at: justice.govt.nz/justice-sector-policy/ministerial-advisory-group-for-victims-of-
retail-crime/
Budget and expenditure
The MAG incurred no budget or expenditure in the 2023/24 financial year, as it had not been
established. The budget for 2024/25 was a total of $1,350,000.
Expenditure for 2024/25 is broken down as follows:
Expense category
Total spend ($)
Chair & Members fee
$234,528.00
Travel & accommodation
$18,758.00
Administration*
$150,238.00
Personnel
$484,499.00
*Included in the administration costs is $12,416 spent on events hosted by the Ministerial
Advisory Group.
Expenditure for the 2025/26 financial year is outside the scope of your request.
There is one briefing and one Cabinet Paper regarding funding, both of which are
attached to
this response and listed in
Table below. Some information has been withheld under section
9(2)(a) of the Act, to protect the privacy of natural persons.
In accordance with section 9(1) of the Act, I have considered the public interest in making
available the information being withheld and determined that it does not outweigh the need to
withhold the information at this time.
Ministerial Advisory Group on the Review of Treaty Principles Provisions
The MAG reported to a Ministerial Oversight Group appointed to make decisions on the
review, comprising of myself as Minister of Justice, the At orney-General, Hon Judith Collins
KC, the Minister for Regional Development, Hon Shane Jones, and the Minister for Māori-
Crown Relations, Hon Tama Potaka. I am the Minister responsible.
Your request for the Terms of Reference is refused under section 18(d) of the Act, as the
document is publicly available at:
forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/WT/wt_DOC_230562166/Wai%203300%2C%20B0
25.pdf [pages 14–16].
Budget and expenditure
The budget for costs associated with the advisory group is $120,000 allocated across the
2024/25 and 2025/26 fiscal years.
There was no expenditure during the year ending 30 June 2025, although $8,106.74 in costs
were incurred. This amount was paid and accounted for as part of the 2025/26 fiscal year,
comprising:
• $7,721.35 for services provided by advisory group members; and
• $385.39 for travel-related costs.
A further $11,210.11 was expended for services provided by MAG members across the
2024/25 and 2025/26 fiscal years, for which services were not invoiced separately according
to fiscal year. We therefore cannot determine what portion of these further costs, if any, was
accrued before 30 June 2025. Expenditure for the 2025/26 financial year is outside the scope
of your request.
The Cabinet Paper outlining funding is refused under section 18(d) of the Act, as this is publicly
available at: forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/WT/wt_DOC_230562166/Wai%203300
%2C%20B025.pdf [pages 9–10].
If you are not satisfied with this response, you have the right to make a complaint to the Of ice
of the Ombudsman under section 28(3) of the Act. The Ombudsman may be contacted by
email to [email address] or by phone on 0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely
Hon Paul Goldsmith
Minister of Justice
Table: Documents in scope of request
Doc no. Date
Document type Title
Decision on release under the Act
1
19/06/2024 Cabinet minute
Ministerial Advisory Group: Victims of Retail Crime Released in full
2
30/11/2024 Briefing
Victims of Retail Crime Ministerial Advisory Group:
Revised budget and 2024 work programme
Some information withheld under s9(2)(a)
