OIA26-0127
19 March 2026
Nigel Gray
[FYI request #33798 email]
Dear Nigel,
Thank you for your email of 23 February 2026 requesting information relating to forestry
briefings and communication documents. Your request has been considered under the
Of icial Information Act 1982 (OIA).
You requested the following:
Under the Official Information Act 1982, I request the following information for the
period 1 January 2021 – present.
1. Briefings and Key Messages
Copies of any briefings, talking points, or key-message documents prepared for
senior leadership or elected officials that relate to:
•
forestry slash events
•
erosion or sedimentation linked to forestry
•
public communications about forestry impacts
2. Communications Strategy and Perception Management
Copies of any communications plans or strategy documents that include reference
to:
•
“stakeholder messaging”
•
“public perception”
•
“communications risks”
•
“industry engagement”
…where these terms relate to forestry or forestry-related environmental impacts.
3. External Input Into Public Statements (Refined Clause)
Copies of any final versions of public statements (including press releases, website
updates, advisories, or social media posts) relating to forestry that were reviewed,
edited, or approved by any external party.
For each such document, please also provide:
a) the name of the external party involved
b) the nature of their input (e.g., review, edits, approval)
c) the date on which their input occurred
This request does not seek drafts, internal discussions, or emails — only the final
published versions and the record of external input.
4. Meetings With Forestry-Sector Representatives
A list of all meetings held since 1 January 2021 between your agency and:
•
forestry industry representatives
•
forestry lobby groups
•
PR or communications firms acting for forestry interests
•
the Forest Owners Association
Ministry for Primary Industries
Charles Fergusson Building
38-42 Bowen Street
PO Box 2526
Wellington 6140, New Zealand
mpi.govt.nz
•
Te Uru Rākau / NZ Forest Service
For each meeting, please provide:
•
Date
•
Attendees
•
subject or purpose of the meeting
I am not requesting minutes or detailed notes — only the meeting list.
5. Conflict-of-Interest Declarations
Copies of any conflict-of-interest declarations made by staff involved in:
•
forestry-related policy
•
forestry compliance or enforcement
•
environmental monitoring relating to forestry
•
forestry-related public communications
On 2 March 2026 you refined your request as follows:
I am happy to refine the timeframe for items 1 and 2 only, as these may involve a
larger volume of material.
Please refine sections 1 and 2 of my request to cover the period:
1 March 2023 – 22 February 2026.
On 5 March 2026, The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) transferred part of your request
to the office of Hon Todd McClay in his capacity as Minister of Forestry, concerning copies of
any briefings, talking points, or key message documents prepared for elected officials that
relate to:
• forestry slash events
• erosion or sedimentation linked to forestry
• public communications about forestry impacts
MPI regularly publishes forestry information relevant to the public, stakeholders, and industry
which you can find here:
https:/ www.mpi.govt.nz/forestry.
Further information about Te Uru Rakau / New Zealand Forest Service’s goals and partners
worked with to achieve these is available here:
https:/ www.mpi.govt.nz/forestry/about-te-uru-rakau-new-zealand-forest-service.
All forestry-related media releases can be found here:
https:/ www.mpi.govt.nz/news/media-releases?cat=9.
The remainder of questions one to four of your request have been assessed as substantial to
collate due to the length of time and broad nature of topics covered by your request.
Consequently, your request for this information is declined under section 18(f) of the OIA -
the information requested cannot be made available without substantial collation or research.
As per section 18B of the OIA, we have considered whether consulting with you would
enable the request to be made in a form that would remove the reason for the refusal.
However, we do not consider that the request can be refined further in this instance after
previously attempting to refine your request with you.
MPI requires our people and people leaders to exercise a high standard of judgement about
actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest, and avoid or mitigate any risks arising from
those conflicts in line with the expectations laid out by the Public Service Commission:
https:/ www.publicservice.govt.nz/guidance/model-standards-conflicts-of-interest. Staff and
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managers are encouraged to be open and proactive about identifying and appropriately
managing real or perceived conflicts of interest to uphold MPI’s impartiality and transparency.
Because your request seeks information concerning staff’s private matters, question five of
your request is refused under section 9(2)(a) of the OIA –
to protect the privacy of natural
persons.
MPI is satisfied that, in the circumstances of this case, the withholding of the information is
not outweighed by other considerations which render it desirable in the public interest to
make the information available.
Should you have any concerns with this response, I would encourage you to raise these with
the Ministry for Primary Industries at
[email address]. Alternatively, you
are advised of your right to also raise any concerns with the Office of the Ombudsman.
Contact details are: Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143 or at
[email address].
Yours sincerely,
Olivia Sullivan
Director Forestry System
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