27 February 2026
Aaron W
[FYI request #33763 email]
Ref: PMO OIA 706-2025-26
Dear Aaron,
Official Information Act request: Information relating to the Prime Minister's response
to a supplementary question in the House
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) request, received on 18 February
2026. You requested:
“In question time you noted:
‘But I just want to reassure the member—and I appreciate his line of questioning—
emissions in the September quarter were, in fact, the lowest recorded since 2010, and,
of course, that was driven by renewable energy. What drove renewable energy? Fast-
track legislation, which he failed to support. In fact, there were weeks where we were at
98 percent renewables, thanks to this Government.’
1. Can you please provide all evidence you hold that backs up your statement that
lower emissions were driven by renewable energy which was driven by fast track
legislation?
2. Specifically, can I request a list of all projects generating renewable energy
currently that were approved and built under fast track legislation. Your statement
very much implies that the lower emissions are a result of fast track so I am
interested in the evidence relating to that.
I do not want to cause public servants any additional work so please only supply the
advice/evidence you or your office relied on. Nor do I wish for this to be transferred to
any govt department as this question relates to a statement you made.”
For ease of reference, I have numbered the parts of your request.
Part 1
The Prime Minister’s was responding to a supplementary question. He had no material with
him on this matter in the House, and based his response on the number of applications in the
system
: www.beehive.govt.nz/release/one-year-fast-track-building-nz%E2%80%99s-future. Part 2
The part of your request for a list of renewable energy projects approved under the Fast-
track Approvals Act 2024 is refused under section 18(d) of the Act this information is publicly
available at the above link and also on the Fast-track website:
www.fasttrack.govt.nz/projects?query=%21showal &f.Project+Sector%7CprojectSector=Ren
ewable+energy. The remainder of this part of your request, insofar as it concerns a list of ‘built’ renewable
energy projects, is refused under section 18(e) of the Act – the information does not exist.
You have the right to ask the Ombudsman to investigate and review my decision under
section 28(3) of the Act.
Yours sincerely,
Cameron Burrows
Chief of Staff
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