Advice to the AG about Yardley v Minister of Workplace Relations and safety in 2022

Erika Whittome made this Official Information request to Judith Collins

Response to this request is long overdue. By law Judith Collins should have responded by now (details and exceptions). The requester can complain to the Ombudsman.

From: Erika Whittome

Dear Attorney General,
I request information from early 2022 pursuant to the Yardley case in the High Court:

YARDLEY v MINISTER FOR WORKPLACE RELATIONS AND SAFETY [2022] NZHC 975

[https://www.justice.govt.nz/jdo_document...

Please share any reviews, memos, comments, text messages, whatsapp (etc) and correspondence to the Attorney General and its office from 15 February 2022 until 25 March 2022 about this case Yardley v Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety

Yours faithfully,

Erika Whittome

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From: Judith Collins (MIN)
Judith Collins

Thank you for contacting Hon Judith Collins KC MP, Attorney-General,
Minister of Defence, Minister for Digitising Government, Minister
Responsible for the GCSB, Minister Responsible for the NZSIS, Minister for
the Public Service and Minister for Space.
 
Hon Judith Collins considers all correspondence important and appreciates
you taking the time to write. As the Minister receives a large amount of
correspondence, it is not always possible to personally reply to all
emails.
 
If your correspondence is related to a constituent matter, please get in
touch with the Minister's electorate team by emailing
[email address] or by calling the Papakura
office on (09) 299 7426.
 
If your correspondence is diary related, requests will be processed
accordingly, and we will be back in contact with you. If your
correspondence requires a response, you can expect a response in due
course. If your correspondence relates to another Minister's portfolio,
your correspondence will be transferred to the appropriate minister.
 
If your correspondence expresses an opinion, it will be noted. If you have
made a request pursuant to the Official Information Act 1982, this will be
managed in accordance with the Act which may include transfer to another
minister or to an agency.
 
If your correspondence relates to media, it will be referred to the media
team. Latest information from the Beehive can be found here:
[1]https://www.beehive.govt.nz
 
Thank you for taking the time to write.
 
Kind regards
Office of the Hon Judith Collins KC MP

References

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1. https://www.beehive.govt.nz/

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From: Judith Collins (MIN)
Judith Collins

Good afternoon,

 

This is an official acknowledgement of your OIA request.

 

 

Warm regards,

 

Office of Hon Judith Collins KC

 

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From: Erika Whittome

Dear Judith Collins (MIN),

Thank you for the update. I request any information containing legal advice is also included because it is my expereince that redacted responses are completely illegible.

As well as ethical obligations, the attorney client privilege does not cover the cooperation and planning and enabling of the violation of laws. I request that if there are redacted statements, I request confirmation that these redacted statements do not discuss any violations of laws, such as the New Zealand Bill of Rights and the Human Rights Act 1990 or any other legislation.

Yours sincerely,

Erika Whittome

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From: Judith Collins (MIN)
Judith Collins


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Dear Erika

 

On behalf of Hon Judith Collins KC, thank you for your email of 8 March
2026.

 

Your request has been transferred to the Crown Law Office. The information
you have requested is more closely connected with the functions of that
agency. I am therefore required under section 14 of the Official
Information Act to transfer your request.

 

You can expect a response from Crown Law by the end of the day. They can
be contacted at [1][email address].

 

Warm regards,

Office of Hon Judith Collins KC

 

 

 

 

 

Anna Bebbington

Private Secretary (Administration) | Office of Hon Judith Collins KC MP

 

Member of Parliament for Papakura

Attorney-General | Minister of Defence | Minister for Digitising
Government | Minister for the Public Service  Minister Responsible for
the GCSB | Minister Responsible for the NZSIS | Minister for Space

 
 

DDI: 04 817 6808

Email: [2][email address]   Website:
[3]www.Beehive.govt.nz

Private Bag 18041, Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6160, New Zealand

 

 

 

Authorised by Hon Judith Collins KC, Parliament Buildings, Wellington

Disclaimer: The information in this email (including attachments) is
confidential and may be legally privileged. If an addressing or
transmission error has misdirected this email, please notify the author by
replying to this email and destroy the message. If you are not the
intended recipient, any use, disclosure, copying or distribution is
prohibited and may be unlawful.

Please note information about meetings related to the Ministers’
portfolios will be proactively released (this does not include personal or
constituency matters). For each meeting in scope, the summary would list:
date, time (start and finish), brief description, location, who the
meeting was with, and the portfolio. If you attend a meeting with the
Minister on behalf of an organisation, the name of the organisation will
be released. If you are a senior staff member at an organisation, or meet
with the Minister in your personal capacity, your name may also be
released. The location of the meeting will be released, unless it is a
private residence. The proactive release will be consistent with the
provisions in the Official Information Act, including privacy
considerations. Under the Privacy Act 1993 you have the right to ask for a
copy of any personal information we hold about you, and to ask for it to
be corrected if you think it is wrong. If you’d like to ask for a copy of
your information, or to have it corrected, or are concerned about the
release of your information in the meeting disclosure, please contact the
sender. You can read more about the proactive release policy at
[4]https://www.dia.govt.nz/Proactive-Releas...

 

 

From: Judith Collins (MIN) <[5][email address]>
Sent: Tuesday, 10 March 2026 1:23 PM
To: Erika Whittome <[6][FOI #33998 email]>
Subject: RE: JCOIA-516 Official Information request - Advice to the AG
about Yardley v Minister of Workplace Relations and safety in 2022

 

Good afternoon,

 

This is an official acknowledgement of your OIA request.

 

 

Warm regards,

 

Office of Hon Judith Collins KC

 

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From: OIA


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Attachment OIA 2526168 Response to Erika Whittome 10145097.2.pdf
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Kia ora Erika

 

Please see attached for the response to your Official Information Act
request of 8 March 2026.

 

Ngā mihi nui | Kind regards

 

Te Tari Ture o te Karauna Crown Law Office

19 Aitken Street | PO Box 2858 | Wellington 6011

 

[1]A picture containing text Description automatically generated

 

Confidentiality Notice: This email may contain information that is
confidential or legally privileged. If you have received it by mistake,
please:
(a) reply promptly to that effect, and remove this email and the reply
from your system; (b) do not act on this email in any other way. Thank
you.

References

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From: Erika Whittome

Dear Mr McMennamin

Thank you for the update.. Would you please confirm That the withheld legal advice does not discuss any violations of laws, such as the New Zealand Bill of Rights and the Human Rights Act 1990 or any other constitutional legislation?

As well as ethical obligations, the attorney client privilege does not cover the cooperation and planning and enabling of the violation of laws.

Yours sincerely,

Erika Whittome

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From: OIA


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Kia ora Erika

 

We have nothing further to add to our previous correspondence and remind
you that you have the right to seek an investigation and review by the
Ombudsman of this decision.

 

Information about how to make a complaint is available at
[1]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.

 

Kind regards | Ngā mihi nui

 

Te Tari Ture o te Karauna Crown Law Office

19 Aitken Street | PO Box 2858 | Wellington 6011

 

[2]A picture containing text Description automatically generated

 

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From: Erika Whittome

Dear OIA,

Are you refusing to confirm that the withheld legal advice does not discuss any violations of laws, such as the New Zealand Bill of Rights and the Human Rights Act 1990 or any other constitutional legislation?

Yours sincerely,

Erika Whittome

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Things to do with this request

Anyone:
Judith Collins only: