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11/02/2026
Phillip Fry
[FYI request #33341 email]
Tēnā koe Phillip
OIA: GEMS-46443 – Cabinet Minute CAB-25-MIN-0031 and associated SWC papers
Thank you for your email of 22 December 2025 to the Ministry of Education (the Ministry)
requesting the following information regarding the Student Monitoring, Assessment and Reporting
Tool (SMART) project:
1. A full copy of Cabinet Minute CAB-25-MIN-0031.
2. A copy of the Cabinet Social Wellbeing Committee (SWC) paper that preceded this minute.
3. Any Treasury reports, Aides-Memoire, or Briefings provided to the Minister or the
Committee regarding the financial case or budget drawdown for this specific project as
noted in the aforementioned minute
Your request has been considered under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
Regarding
parts one and
two of your request, the information you have requested is held by the
Minister of Education, Hon Erica Stanford. In these circumstances I would ordinarily transfer your
request to the Minster for a response. However, I understand you have made an identical request
to the Minister which is in progress. You can therefore expect to receive a response from the
Minister directly.
I have interpreted
part three of your request to be for any
Ministry reports, Aides-Memoires, or
Briefings. I have identified one report in scope of your request,
Report: Draft Cabinet paper and
Budget 25 pre-approval letter Establishing a new Standardised Tool for Assessment and
Aromatawai (reference 1341740). I am refusing your request for this report in full under section
18(d) of the Act, as this information will soon be publicly available. It is the Ministries intention to
publish these reports at the below weblink:
https://www.education.govt.nz/our-work/information-releases/advice-seen-our-ministers
Some information may be withheld from the published documents under the following sections of
the Act:
• 9(2)(a), to protect the privacy of natural persons,
Wellington National Office, 1 The Terrace, Levels 5 to 14, Wellington 6011
PO Box 1666, Wellington 6140, DX SR51201 Phone: +64 4 463 8000
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• 9(2)(f)(iv), to maintain the constitutional conventions for the time being which protect the
confidentiality of advice tendered by Ministers of the Crown and officials
• 9(2)(g)(i), to maintain the effective conduct of public affairs through the free and frank
expression of opinions by or between or to Ministers of the Crown or members of an
organisation or officers and employees of any public service agency or organisation in the
course of their duty
As required under section 9(1) of the Act, I have considered the public interest in releasing the
information withheld. I do not consider that the public interest considerations favouring the release
of this information are sufficient to outweigh the need to withhold it at this time.
Please note you can find information publish by the Treasury on the Budget 2025 drawdown for the
education portfolio at the below weblink should it be of interest to you:
https://www.treasury.govt.nz/publications/information-release/education-portfolio-budget-2025-
information-release
Thank you again for your email. You have the right to ask an Ombudsman to review my decision
on your request, in accordance with section 28 of the Act. You can do this by writing to
[email address] or to Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143.
Nāku noa, nā
Cindy McDonald
Principal Advisor
Government Executive and Ministerial Support
OIA: GEMS-46443
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