23 March 2026
Tēnā koe James
Official Information Act request
Thank you for your email of 24 February 2026, requesting information about the
number of times the current MP for Central Auckland has met with the Ministry of
Social Development (the Ministry) Auckland management to discuss homelessness
in Auckland’s CBD in the last 18 months.
I have considered your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
Please find my decision on your request set out below.
The Ministry were unable to find any record of any direct meetings between the
Ministry’s Auckland Regional Commissioner’s and Regional Director’s and the MP
for Auckland Central regarding homelessness in Auckland’s CBD. As such, your
request is refused under section 18(e) of the Act, as this information does not exist
or, despite reasonable efforts to locate it, cannot be found.
We note that we are aware that the MP for Central Auckland attended four
Auckland City Central Safety stakeholder meetings over the past 18 months,
chaired by the Minister of Auckland. Also, in attendance of these meetings was one
of the Ministry’s Regional Commissioners, who attended in her capacity as Regional
Public Service Commissioner and as a Ministry representative.
These are multi-agency forums involving government agencies, Auckland Council,
iwi representatives, city centre business and community providers, and they
included a focus on homelessness among other city-centre issues. I do not consider
that these meetings are in scope of your request.
We would like to note that the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development are the
lead agency for homelessness, and the responsible minister is Hon Chris Bishop.
If you wish to discuss this response with us, please feel free to contact
[MSD request email].
The Aurora Centre, 56 The Terrace, PO Box 1556, Wellington
– Telephone 04-916 3300 – Facsimile 04-918 0099
If you are not satisfied with my decision on your request, you have the right to
seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman. Information about how to
make a complaint is available a
t www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or 0800 802 602.
Ngā mihi nui
pp.
Anna Graham
General Manager
Ministerial and Executive Services
