Cabinet papers referencing Veterans’ Advisory Board advice
SPENCER JONES made this Official Information request to Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
Response to this request is long overdue. By law Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet should have responded by now (details and exceptions). The requester can complain to the Ombudsman.
From: SPENCER JONES
Dear Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet,
Official Information Act Request
I request copies of any Cabinet papers, Cabinet committee papers, or Cabinet briefings which reference advice, recommendations, or reports from the Veterans’ Advisory Board (VAB).
This request includes:
1. Cabinet papers discussing policy proposals informed by Veterans’ Advisory Board advice.
2. Cabinet committee papers referencing recommendations made by the Veterans’ Advisory Board.
3. Briefings prepared for Ministers or Cabinet committees summarising Veterans’ Advisory Board advice.
If any such documents are publicly available through proactive release, I would appreciate links to those documents.
If relevant information is held by another agency (for example NZDF or Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand), please transfer the relevant portion of this request under section 14 of the OIA.
Yours faithfully,
Spencer Jones
From: Information [DPMC]
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
Tēnā koe,
Thank you for emailing the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
(DPMC). This is an automatic reply to let you know that your message has
been received.
DPMC cannot respond to emails that are outside its scope. If the subject
of your email does not relate to the work of DPMC, we may forward your
email to the appropriate Minister or agency who will respond to you
directly. To find out more about DPMC's functions please view our
website [1]https://dpmc.govt.nz.
If your correspondence is intended for the Prime Minister please email his
office at [email address]. Contact information for
other Members of Parliament can be found at
[2]https://www.parliament.nz/en/get-involve....
Common questions:
Official Information Act (OIA) requests will be formally acknowledged
during office hours and actioned accordingly. For more information about
the statutory OIA timeframes please see
[3]http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/.
For job opportunities within DPMC see
[4]https://centralagenciesjobs.cass.govt.nz... use this
website to apply for vacancies. Resumes received through other avenues
will not be considered.
New Zealand visas and requests for asylum are managed by Immigration New
Zealand. Please see [5]https://www.immigration.govt.nz/.
We hope one of the above links helps answer your question.
Kind regards,
Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet
Link: [6]File-List
Link: [7]Edit-Time-Data
Link: [8]themeData
Link: [9]colorSchemeMapping
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information contained in this email message is for the attention of
the intended recipient only and is not necessarily the official view or
communication of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. If you
are not the intended recipient you must not disclose, copy or distribute
this message or the information in it. If you have received this message
in error, please destroy the email and notify the sender immediately.
References
Visible links
1. https://dpmc.govt.nz
https://dpmc.govt.nz/
2. https://www.parliament.nz/en/get-involve...
https://www.parliament.nz/en/get-involve...
3. http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/
http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/
4. https://centralagenciesjobs.cass.govt.nz...
https://centralagenciesjobs.cass.govt.nz...
5. https://www.immigration.govt.nz/
https://www.immigration.govt.nz/
6. file:///tmp/Signature_files/filelist.xml
7. file:///tmp/Signature_files/editdata.mso
8. file:///tmp/Signature_files/themedata.thmx
9. file:///tmp/Signature_files/colorschememapping.xml
hide quoted sections
From: Information [DPMC]
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
[IN-CONFIDENCE]
Kia ora,
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) received on 17 March 2026, copied below. We will respond to your request within the statutory timeframes set out in the Act. If we are unable to meet these timeframes we will notify you.
Your request will be managed by the Ministerial Services team within DPMC. If you have any queries, please feel free to contact us at [DPMC request email].
DPMC may publish the response to your OIA request. If we publish the response your personal information, including your name and contact details, will be removed.
Ngā mihi,
Ministerial Coordinator
Ministerial Services
Strategy, Governance and Engagement
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
E [DPMC request email]
The information contained in this email message is for the attention of the intended recipient only and is not necessarily the official view or communication of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. If you are not the intended recipient you must not disclose, copy or distribute this message or the information in it. If you have received this message in error, please destroy the email and notify the sender immediately.
-----Original Message-----
From: SPENCER JONES <[FOI #34115 email]>
Sent: Tuesday, 17 March 2026 9:59 am
To: Information [DPMC] <[DPMC request email]>
Subject: Official Information request - Cabinet papers referencing Veterans’ Advisory Board advice
Dear Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet,
Official Information Act Request
I request copies of any Cabinet papers, Cabinet committee papers, or Cabinet briefings which reference advice, recommendations, or reports from the Veterans’ Advisory Board (VAB).
This request includes:
1. Cabinet papers discussing policy proposals informed by Veterans’ Advisory Board advice.
2. Cabinet committee papers referencing recommendations made by the Veterans’ Advisory Board.
3. Briefings prepared for Ministers or Cabinet committees summarising Veterans’ Advisory Board advice.
If any such documents are publicly available through proactive release, I would appreciate links to those documents.
If relevant information is held by another agency (for example NZDF or Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand), please transfer the relevant portion of this request under section 14 of the OIA.
Yours faithfully,
Spencer Jones
-------------------------------------------------------------------
This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #34115 email]
Is [DPMC request email] the wrong address for Official Information requests to Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers
If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
________________________________
The information contained in this email message is for the attention of the intended recipient only and is not necessarily the official view or communication of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. If you are not the intended recipient you must not disclose, copy or distribute this message or the information in it. If you have received this message in error, please destroy the email and notify the sender immediately.
hide quoted sections
From: Information [DPMC]
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
[IN-CONFIDENCE]
Kia ora,
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) received on 17 March 2026, copied below. We will respond to your request within the statutory timeframes set out in the Act. If we are unable to meet these timeframes we will notify you.
Your request will be managed by the Ministerial Services team within DPMC. If you have any queries, please feel free to contact us at [DPMC request email].
DPMC may publish the response to your OIA request. If we publish the response your personal information, including your name and contact details, will be removed.
Ngā mihi,
Ministerial Coordinator
Ministerial Services
Strategy, Governance and Engagement
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
E [DPMC request email]
The information contained in this email message is for the attention of the intended recipient only and is not necessarily the official view or communication of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. If you are not the intended recipient you must not disclose, copy or distribute this message or the information in it. If you have received this message in error, please destroy the email and notify the sender immediately.
-----Original Message-----
From: SPENCER JONES <[email address]>
Sent: Tuesday, 17 March 2026 10:11 am
To: Information [DPMC] <[DPMC request email]>
Subject: Official Information request - Request for index of briefings for the Minister for Veterans
Dear Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet,
Official Information Act Request
I request a list or index of ministerial briefings prepared for the Minister for Veterans which reference or discuss advice or recommendations from the Veterans’ Advisory Board (VAB).
For each briefing, please provide the following metadata fields:
• title or subject of the briefing
• date prepared
• authoring agency or organisational unit • reference or tracking number (if applicable).
Timeframe: 1 January 2014 to present.
This request relates only to the index or register of briefings and does not request copies of the briefings themselves at this stage.
If such an index exists within ministerial servicing systems or records management systems, providing the relevant entries would satisfy this request.
If the information is held by another agency (for example Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand or DPMC), please transfer the relevant portion of the request under section 14 of the OIA.
Kind regards,
Spencer Jones
-------------------------------------------------------------------
This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[email address]
Is [DPMC request email] the wrong address for Official Information requests to Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers
If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
________________________________
The information contained in this email message is for the attention of the intended recipient only and is not necessarily the official view or communication of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. If you are not the intended recipient you must not disclose, copy or distribute this message or the information in it. If you have received this message in error, please destroy the email and notify the sender immediately.
hide quoted sections
SPENCER JONES left an annotation ()
Public Annotation – Cabinet Papers Referencing Veterans’ Advisory Board (VAB) Advice (Response Received)
This request sought to identify Cabinet papers that explicitly reference, incorporate, or are informed by advice from the Veterans’ Advisory Board (VAB). The request forms part of a wider set of OIA inquiries examining how VAB advice moves through government decision-making processes.
The response provides important insight into the visibility (or lack thereof) of VAB advice within Cabinet-level documentation.
Key observations:
1. Identification of Cabinet-Level Records
The response indicates that locating Cabinet papers specifically referencing VAB advice is limited or not straightforward. This suggests that:
• Cabinet papers are not routinely indexed by advisory source
• VAB input is not consistently attributed within Cabinet documentation
• retrieval depends on keyword searches or manual interpretation
As a result, even where VAB advice may have influenced policy, it may not be identifiable through standard search processes.
2. Attribution vs Incorporation
A critical distinction arises between:
• explicit attribution (VAB named in the document), and
• implicit incorporation (VAB advice reflected but not cited)
The response suggests that:
• explicit attribution is uncommon or difficult to identify
• advisory input may be absorbed into broader policy development without formal recognition
This limits traceability of advisory influence at Cabinet level.
3. Distributed Record Holdings
Cabinet papers are typically held across:
• the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC)
• originating agencies (e.g. NZDF / Veterans’ Affairs)
If the response involves transfers, partial holdings, or limitations, this reflects:
• decentralised record-keeping
• reliance on multiple agencies to reconstruct a full record set
4. Search and System Constraints
The response highlights structural constraints in identifying relevant documents, including:
• absence of metadata fields linking advisory bodies to Cabinet papers
• reliance on keyword-based searches
• potential variability in document naming and classification
This creates a situation where:
• relevant documents may exist but are not discoverable
• completeness of the response cannot be easily verified
5. Position Within the Governance Chain
This request sits at the executive decision layer of the broader governance model:
• VAB Advice (advisory input)
• Email Communications (informal coordination)
• Ministerial Briefings (policy translation)
• Cabinet Papers (executive decision-making)
• Implementation (outcomes)
The response suggests that the linkage between VAB advice and Cabinet decisions is not systematically recorded.
6. Transparency and Accountability Implications
Without clear attribution of advisory input at Cabinet level, it becomes difficult to:
• determine whether VAB advice is escalated to executive decision-makers
• assess the influence of advisory recommendations on policy outcomes
• evaluate the effectiveness of the VAB as a statutory advisory body
This reduces transparency in the advisory-to-decision process.
7. Relationship to Other OIA Requests
This thread should be read alongside related requests:
• VAB advice, policy responses, and implementation tracking:
https://fyi.org.nz/request/34113-veteran...
• Ministerial briefings referencing VAB advice:
https://fyi.org.nz/request/34114-ministe...
• Cabinet trace expansion (committee papers, minutes, drafting inputs):
https://fyi.org.nz/request/34139-cabinet...
• Email metadata relating to VAB communications:
https://fyi.org.nz/request/34117-email-m...
Together, these requests map the full pathway of advisory input through government systems.
8. System-Level Observation
Across these linked requests, a consistent pattern is emerging:
• advisory input exists (VAB)
• ministerial and Cabinet processes exist
• but the linkage between them is not formally structured or easily traceable
This suggests a governance model where:
• advisory influence may occur
• but is not systematically recorded or attributable across decision layers
9. OIA Strategy Insight
This request demonstrates the limitations of relying solely on explicit references within documents.
Effective follow-up strategies may include:
• requesting indices of all Cabinet papers on veteran-related topics
• seeking drafting and consultation records
• targeting Cabinet committee papers where detailed policy work occurs
• cross-referencing with briefing and communication records
---
This annotation is intended to assist future researchers, followers, and investigators in understanding the significance of this response within a broader examination of advisory influence and governance traceability under the Official Information Act 1982.
From: Information [DPMC]
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
[IN-CONFIDENCE]
Kia ora,
You have not requested a timeframe for your request below.
To ensure that your request can be considered appropriately, can you
please refine it to include a specific time period, for example
information relating to the current administration?
This will help us identify the relevant material related to your request.
Ngā mihi,
Ministerial Coordinator
Ministerial Services
Strategy, Governance and Engagement
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
E [1][DPMC request email]
The information contained in this email message is for the attention of
the intended recipient only and is not necessarily the official view or
communication of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. If you
are not the intended recipient you must not disclose, copy or distribute
this message or the information in it. If you have received this message
in error, please destroy the email and notify the sender immediately.
-----Original Message-----
From: SPENCER JONES <[FOI #34115 email]>
Sent: Tuesday, 17 March 2026 9:59 am
To: Information [DPMC] <[DPMC request email]>
Subject: Official Information request - Cabinet papers referencing
Veterans’ Advisory Board advice
Dear Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet,
Official Information Act Request
I request copies of any Cabinet papers, Cabinet committee papers, or
Cabinet briefings which reference advice, recommendations, or reports from
the Veterans’ Advisory Board (VAB).
This request includes:
1. Cabinet papers discussing policy proposals informed by Veterans’
Advisory Board advice.
2. Cabinet committee papers referencing recommendations made by the
Veterans’ Advisory Board.
3. Briefings prepared for Ministers or Cabinet committees summarising
Veterans’ Advisory Board advice.
If any such documents are publicly available through proactive release, I
would appreciate links to those documents.
If relevant information is held by another agency (for example NZDF or
Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand), please transfer the relevant portion of
this request under section 14 of the OIA.
Yours faithfully,
Spencer Jones
-------------------------------------------------------------------
This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[2][FOI #34115 email]
Is [3][DPMC request email] the wrong address for Official Information
requests to Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet? If so, please
contact us using this form:
[4]https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[5]https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers
If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA
page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Link: [6]File-List
Link: [7]Edit-Time-Data
Link: [8]themeData
Link: [9]colorSchemeMapping
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information contained in this email message is for the attention of
the intended recipient only and is not necessarily the official view or
communication of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. If you
are not the intended recipient you must not disclose, copy or distribute
this message or the information in it. If you have received this message
in error, please destroy the email and notify the sender immediately.
Link: [10]File-List
Link: [11]Edit-Time-Data
Link: [12]themeData
Link: [13]colorSchemeMapping
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information contained in this email message is for the attention of
the intended recipient only and is not necessarily the official view or
communication of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. If you
are not the intended recipient you must not disclose, copy or distribute
this message or the information in it. If you have received this message
in error, please destroy the email and notify the sender immediately.
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[DPMC request email]
2. mailto:[FOI #34115 email]
3. mailto:[DPMC request email]
4. https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...
5. https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers
6. file:///tmp/Signature_files/filelist.xml
7. file:///tmp/Signature_files/editdata.mso
8. file:///tmp/Signature_files/themedata.thmx
9. file:///tmp/Signature_files/colorschememapping.xml
10. file:///tmp/Signature_files/filelist.xml
11. file:///tmp/Signature_files/editdata.mso
12. file:///tmp/Signature_files/themedata.thmx
13. file:///tmp/Signature_files/colorschememapping.xml
hide quoted sections
From: SPENCER JONES
Dear Information [DPMC],
Kia ora,
Thank you for your response.
To assist with processing, I am happy to refine the scope of my request.
Please treat my request as covering the period:
1 January 2015 to the present.
This timeframe is intended to capture relevant Cabinet papers, committee papers, drafting inputs, and Cabinet minute summaries relating to Veterans’ Advisory Board advice within a manageable and contemporary policy context.
If further refinement would assist in avoiding refusal under section 18(f), I am happy to consider additional clarification in accordance with section 13 of the Act.
Kind regards,
Spencer Jones
From: Information [DPMC]
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
Kia ora Spencer,
Thank you for the confirmation.
We will proceed with your request as covering the period from 1 January
2025 to the present.
Ngā mihi,
+---------------------------------------------+
|Ministerial Coordinator |
|---------------------------------------------|
|Ministerial Services |
|---------------------------------------------|
|Strategy, Governance and Engagement |
|---------------------------------------------|
|Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |
|---------------------------------------------|
| |
|---------------------------------------------|
|E [1][DPMC request email] |
| |
| |
|---------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------|
|The information contained in this email|
|message is for the attention of the intended|
|recipient only and is not necessarily the|
|official view or communication of the|
|Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.|
|If you are not the intended recipient you|
|must not disclose, copy or distribute this|
|message or the information in it. If you have|
|received this message in error, please|
|destroy the email and notify the sender|
|immediately. |
+---------------------------------------------+
-----Original Message-----
From: SPENCER JONES <[FOI #34115 email]>
Sent: Tuesday, 24 March 2026 8:58 pm
To: Information [DPMC] <[DPMC request email]>
Subject: RE: Official Information request - Cabinet papers referencing
Veterans’ Advisory Board advice
Dear Information [DPMC],
Kia ora,
Thank you for your response.
To assist with processing, I am happy to refine the scope of my request.
Please treat my request as covering the period:
1 January 2015 to the present.
This timeframe is intended to capture relevant Cabinet papers, committee
papers, drafting inputs, and Cabinet minute summaries relating to
Veterans’ Advisory Board advice within a manageable and contemporary
policy context.
If further refinement would assist in avoiding refusal under section
18(f), I am happy to consider additional clarification in accordance with
section 13 of the Act.
Kind regards,
Spencer Jones
-----Original Message-----
[IN-CONFIDENCE]
Kia ora,
You have not requested a timeframe for your request below.
To ensure that your request can be considered appropriately, can you
please refine it to include a specific time period, for example
information relating to the current administration?
This will help us identify the relevant material related to your request.
Ngā mihi,
Ministerial Coordinator
Ministerial Services
Strategy, Governance and Engagement
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet E [1][DPMC request email]
The information contained in this email message is for the attention of
the intended recipient only and is not necessarily the official view or
communication of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. If you
are not the intended recipient you must not disclose, copy or distribute
this message or the information in it. If you have received this message
in error, please destroy the email and notify the sender immediately.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[2][FOI #34115 email]
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[3]https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers
If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA
page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Link: [4]File-List
Link: [5]Edit-Time-Data
Link: [6]themeData
Link: [7]colorSchemeMapping
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information contained in this email message is for the attention of
the intended recipient only and is not necessarily the official view or
communication of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. If you
are not the intended recipient you must not disclose, copy or distribute
this message or the information in it. If you have received this message
in error, please destroy the email and notify the sender immediately.
Link: [8]File-List
Link: [9]Edit-Time-Data
Link: [10]themeData
Link: [11]colorSchemeMapping
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information contained in this email message is for the attention of
the intended recipient only and is not necessarily the official view or
communication of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. If you
are not the intended recipient you must not disclose, copy or distribute
this message or the information in it. If you have received this message
in error, please destroy the email and notify the sender immediately.
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[DPMC request email]
2. mailto:[FOI #34115 email]
3. https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers
4. file:///tmp/Signature_files/filelist.xml
5. file:///tmp/Signature_files/editdata.mso
6. file:///tmp/Signature_files/themedata.thmx
7. file:///tmp/Signature_files/colorschememapping.xml
8. file:///tmp/Signature_files/filelist.xml
9. file:///tmp/Signature_files/editdata.mso
10. file:///tmp/Signature_files/themedata.thmx
11. file:///tmp/Signature_files/colorschememapping.xml
hide quoted sections
SPENCER JONES left an annotation ()
OIA Update – Cabinet Papers Referencing Veterans Advisory Board Advice (Scope Reduction by DPMC)
Request:
https://fyi.org.nz/request/34115
Latest Update (26 March 2026)
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) has confirmed it will proceed with this request.
However, the timeframe has been set to:
> 1 January 2025 to present
Key Issue – Unilateral Scope Reduction
The requester explicitly refined the request to:
> 1 January 2015 to present
DPMC has instead proceeded on a significantly narrower timeframe (2025–present).
This represents a material reduction in scope that was not requested.
Implications
Limiting the request to 2025–present may:
• exclude earlier Cabinet papers where Veterans Advisory Board advice was first considered
• omit foundational policy development and historical context
• restrict visibility of how advice has informed decision-making over time
Process Observation
This raises questions about application of the Official Information Act:
• Section 13 requires reasonable assistance to make requests workable
• Refinement should reflect the requester’s intent, not substitute a narrower scope
No indication has been provided that:
• the 2015–present scope was unmanageable
• refusal under section 18(f) was being considered
• alternative refinements were proposed
Wider Context
Cabinet papers are:
• centrally managed and indexed
• typically searchable across time periods
A narrowed timeframe may not reflect:
• the full lifecycle of policy advice
• earlier Cabinet engagement with the Veterans Advisory Board
Why This Matters
Understanding the role of Veterans Advisory Board advice requires:
• access to both historical and recent Cabinet material
• visibility of how advice has evolved and been used
A 2025-only scope risks producing a partial and potentially misleading picture.
Current Status
• Request is proceeding
• Scope has been reduced from 2015–present to 2025–present
• No substantive information has yet been released
Next Steps
Potential actions include:
• seeking clarification as to why the requested timeframe was reduced
• submitting a companion request covering 2015–2024
• considering whether the scope reduction affects completeness of the response
From: Chris Penk (MIN)
Dear Mr Jones,
On behalf of Hon Chris Penk, see attached a response to your OIA request.
Kind regards,
Alex
Office of Hon Chris Penk
Minister for Building and Construction
Minister of Defence
Minister for Veterans
Minister Responsible for GCSB and NZSIS
Minister for Space
Associate Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery
Email: [1][email address]
Website: [2]www.Beehive.govt.nz
Private Bag 180.41, Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6160, New Zealand
Authorised by Hon Chris Penk, 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.
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.beehive.govt.nz/
SPENCER JONES left an annotation ()
OIA Update – Minister deflects Cabinet/VAB request to NZDF without clear decision
This response from the Minister for Veterans (Ref: OIA26-121) does not provide any documents, nor does it clearly refuse the request under the Official Information Act.
Instead, the Minister states that because similar requests have been made to the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF), those requests will “substantively cover” any information held by the Minister’s office, and that responses will be provided by NZDF directly.
What is missing
This response does not clearly confirm any of the following:
whether the Minister’s office holds Cabinet papers, briefings, or related material referencing Veterans’ Advisory Board (VAB) advice;
whether any such information is being withheld, and if so under what section of the Act;
whether the request has been formally transferred under section 14;
whether no information is held.
Why this matters
Requests for Cabinet papers and ministerial briefings relating to VAB advice go directly to the decision-making chain affecting veterans policy.
The response effectively redirects the request to NZDF without clarifying what, if anything, is held at the ministerial level. However:
Ministerial offices and departments do not hold identical records;
Cabinet-related material and ministerial briefings may exist outside NZDF systems;
reliance on parallel requests does not discharge the obligation to make a clear decision on the information held by the Minister.
Key issue
The central question remains unanswered:
What information does the Minister’s office itself hold that references Veterans’ Advisory Board advice in Cabinet or briefing processes?
Current position
This response appears to rely on overlap with other requests, rather than providing a clear OIA decision.
A follow-up request will be made to clarify the Minister’s position and ensure compliance with the Act.
From: SPENCER JONES
Dear Chris Penk (MIN),
Kia ora,
Thank you for the response dated 21 April 2026 (Ref: OIA26-121).
I note that the response states that similar requests made to the New Zealand Defence Force will “substantively cover” any information held by the Minister’s office.
However, the Official Information Act requires a decision to be made on the information held by the Minister, regardless of related requests made to other agencies.
To clarify the position, please confirm:
Whether the Minister’s office holds any information within scope of my request, including:
Cabinet papers or Cabinet committee papers;
Ministerial briefings;
aide-memoire or summaries;
correspondence or records referencing Veterans’ Advisory Board advice;
If information is held:
whether it will be released, and if not, the specific grounds for refusal under the Act;
If no information is held:
confirmation that this is the case under section 18(e);
If any part of the request has been transferred:
the date and recipient of transfer under section 14.
For clarity, reliance on overlapping requests to NZDF does not resolve the Minister’s obligations under the Act in respect of information held by the Minister’s office.
I would appreciate a clear decision on the request in accordance with the Official Information Act 1982.
Kind regards
Spencer Jones
From: Chris Penk (MIN)
PLEASE NOTE: Hon Chris Penk no longer holds the Associate Immigration,
Small Business and Manufacturing and Land Information portfolios.
If you wish to raise a matter regarding the Associate Immigration and/or
Small Business and Manufacturing delegations, please refer your email to
the office of Hon Cameron Brewer ([1][email address]), and Hon
Mike Butterick ([2][email address]) for Land Information
queries.
On behalf of Hon Chris Penk, thank you for your correspondence.
While Hon Penk considers all correspondence to be important, and every
message is carefully read and considered, it is not always possible to
reply personally to all emails. As such, the following guidelines apply:
* If you are a constituent in the Kaipara ki Mahurangi electorate
getting in touch about a local issue, please refer your email to
[3][email address] and the electorate office team will
get back to you.
* Invitations and meeting requests will be considered as soon as
possible, and a staff member will be in contact with you in due
course.
* If your email message falls outside of Hon Penk's portfolio
responsibilities, expresses a personal view, or is copied to multiple
Members of Parliament, your correspondence will be noted and/or
transferred to the appropriate office.
* Requests for Official Information and requests made under the Privacy
Act will be managed in accordance with the provisions of the Official
Information Act 1982 and Privacy Act 2020 respectively.
Thank you, again, for taking the time to write.
Kind regards,
Office of Hon Chris Penk
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. mailto:[email address]
3. mailto:[email address]
Things to do with this request
- Add an annotation (to help the requester or others)
- Download a zip file of all correspondence (note: this contains the same information already available above).
Offensive? Unsuitable?
Requests for personal information and vexatious requests are not considered valid requests for Official Information (read more).
If you believe this request is not suitable, you can report it for attention by the site administrators
Report this requestAct on what you've learnt
Similar requests
Cabinet Trace Expansion: Veterans’ Advisory Board (VAB) Advice
To Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet by SPENCER JONES
Information about historical ministerial residences
To Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet by Tony Stuart
Request for index of briefings for the Minister for Veterans
To Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet by SPENCER JONES
SPENCER JONES left an annotation ()
Public Annotation – Cabinet Papers Referencing Veterans’ Advisory Board (VAB) Advice
This request sought to identify Cabinet papers that reference advice from the Veterans’ Advisory Board (VAB). Rather than requesting full Cabinet documents, the focus is on locating where (and if) VAB advice enters formal Cabinet-level decision-making.
This type of request is strategically important, as Cabinet papers represent the highest level of executive decision-making within New Zealand’s system of government.
Key observations from the response:
1. Cabinet-Level Visibility of VAB Advice
The response provides insight into whether VAB advice is:
• escalated beyond departmental or ministerial levels
• incorporated into Cabinet submissions
• referenced in formal policy decisions
Where few or no Cabinet papers are identified, this may indicate:
• VAB advice is primarily handled at ministerial or departmental level
• limited escalation of veteran-related advisory issues to Cabinet
• or lack of explicit attribution of VAB input within Cabinet documentation
2. Attribution vs Influence
Even where Cabinet papers exist, a critical distinction must be made between:
• explicit reference to VAB advice
• implicit influence (where advice informs policy but is not cited)
Cabinet papers often synthesise multiple inputs, and advisory sources may not always be explicitly named. As a result:
• absence of explicit reference does not necessarily mean absence of influence
• but it does limit traceability and transparency
3. Record Location and Custodianship
Cabinet papers are typically held by:
• Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC)
• originating departments (e.g. NZDF / Veterans’ Affairs)
If the response indicates transfers, partial holdings, or redirections, this reflects the distributed nature of Cabinet record-keeping.
For researchers, this means:
• multiple agencies may need to be queried to reconstruct a full set of relevant documents
• Cabinet Office processes may influence what is recorded and retrievable
4. Search and Identification Constraints
Identifying Cabinet papers “referencing VAB advice” depends heavily on:
• keyword-based searches
• metadata tagging practices
• document structuring conventions
If VAB advice is not consistently referenced by name, relevant Cabinet papers may not be captured by standard searches.
This introduces a structural limitation:
• records may exist but not be discoverable through simple search criteria
5. Governance Chain Insight
This request forms a critical link in the broader advisory-to-decision chain:
• VAB Advice (advisory input)
• Ministerial Briefings (decision preparation)
• Cabinet Papers (executive decision-making)
• Policy Implementation (operational outcome)
Where Cabinet-level linkage is weak or unclear, it may indicate:
• advisory input is not consistently escalated
• decisions are made without formal Cabinet consideration
• or documentation does not clearly attribute advisory sources
6. Transparency and Accountability Implications
The ability to trace advisory input into Cabinet decisions is central to:
• evaluating the effectiveness of statutory advisory bodies
• understanding how veteran-related issues are prioritised
• ensuring accountability for decision-making at the highest level
Where this linkage cannot be clearly established, transparency is reduced.
7. OIA Strategy Insight
This request demonstrates an advanced investigative technique:
• targeting indices and references rather than full documents
• mapping where advisory input appears within decision-making structures
• identifying gaps in traceability
For future requests, researchers may consider:
• requesting Cabinet paper titles and reference numbers over a defined period
• seeking Cabinet committee papers (e.g. social policy or wellbeing committees)
• requesting drafting instructions or departmental contributions to Cabinet papers
• cross-referencing with ministerial briefings and VAB outputs
8. System-Level Observation
Taken together with related OIA requests concerning:
• VAB advice generation
• ministerial briefing processes
• implementation tracking
this request contributes to a system-wide understanding of how veteran-related advice moves (or does not move) through government.
Where no clear, end-to-end traceability exists, this may reflect:
• fragmented record-keeping across governance layers
• reliance on informal or non-attributed advisory processes
• or structural limitations in how advisory input is documented within Cabinet systems
This annotation is intended to assist future researchers in understanding both the significance and the limitations of Cabinet-level records when analysing the influence of advisory bodies under the Official Information Act 1982.
Link to this