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Claire
[FYI request #33950 email]
18 May 2026
Tēnā koe Claire
OIA: GEMS-47111 - Science curriculum conflict of interest and risk register
Thank you for your email of 4 March 2026 to the Ministry of Education (the Ministry)
via the FYI website requesting the following information:
1) I request all correspondence between Chris Duggan, or any other staff
member or representative of the House of Science, and the Hon. Erica
Stanford, Minister of Education, including correspondence conducted
through the Minister's office, ministerial staff, private email accounts, or
personal text or messaging services, for the period 1 January 2024 to 31
December 2025.
This request includes but is not limited to:
- Emails sent to or from any ministerial email address, the Minister's private
email address, or ministerial staff acting on behalf of the Minister;
- Text messages or messages sent via any personal or professional
messaging platform (including but not limited to iMessage, WhatsApp, or
Signal);
- Any letters, briefing notes, or written communications passed through the
Minister's office;
- Any responses or acknowledgements sent by the Minister or ministerial staff
to House of Science staff.
2) Can I also ask for any emails outlining potential conflicts of interest for
Chris Duggan and copies of risk registers related to the Science curriculum
development work and her appointment to the curriculum writing team for
Science in January 2025.
Wellington – National Office, PO Box 1666, Wellington 6140
Phone: +64 4 463 8000
education.govt.nz
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Your request has been considered under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
Part one of your request was transferred to the Minister of Education (the Minister)
under section 14(b)(i) of the Act as the information to which the request relates is not
held by the Ministry but is believed to be held by the Minister.
Regarding
part two of your request, Ms Duggan did declare a conflict of interest in
her appointment disclosure form. Aotearoa is a small place so it's common for staff
and contractors at the Ministry to have conflicts of interest. In the case of Ms
Duggan, a conflict of interest was declared, and the Ministry has processes in place
that support the consideration of conflicts raised and to manage them. I am releasing
part of Ms Duggan’s appointment disclosure form as an extract under section 16
(1)(e) of the Act as
Appendix A.
I am also releasing in part two emails relating to the conflict of interest declared by
Chris Duggan. I am also releasing an extract from an email relating to the conflict of
interest under section 16(1)(e) of the Act. These are attached as
Appendix B. I am
withholding the names and contact details of Ministry staff and contractors under
section 9(2)(a) of the Act. In reaching this decision we have had particular regard to
the potential for these individuals to receive unsolicited online attention arising from
their involvement in these issues. I am also withholding one internal Ministry email
address under section 9(2)(k) of the Act, to prevent the disclosure or use of official
information for improper gain or improper advantage.
I am also withholding some information from those emails under 9(2)(g)(i) of the Act
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. The information being withheld under section 9(2)(g)(i)
does not relate to Ms Duggan’s conflict of interest.
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.
The Ministry maintains a programme risk register for the overal delivery of the
Curriculum and Assessment Change Programme. The register identifies and records
risks and issues relating to matters such as programme scope, timeframes and
dependencies, cost pressures, resourcing, quality, and engagement.
The risk register is used as an internal management tool to support the ongoing
monitoring of programme delivery and to inform regular programme status reporting
and decision‑making, with mitigation actions and hygiene practices in place to
support delivery.
education.govt.nz
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There is no specific risk register for the science curriculum development work and
Chris Duggan’s appointment to the curriculum writing team for science in January
2025.I am therefore refusing the aspect of the request for
risk registers related to the
Science curriculum development work and her appointment to the curriculum writing
team for Science in January 2025 under section 18(e) of the Act as the information
requested does not exist.
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 t
o [email address] or to Office of the Ombudsman,
PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143.
Nāku noa, nā
Antony Harvey
General Manager (Acting), Business Operations
Te Poutāhū | Curriculum Centre
education.govt.nz
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