[IN-CONFIDENCE - RELEASE EXTERNAL] 
 
Phillip Fry 
[FYI request #34127 email] 
 
17 July 2026 
Tēnā koe Phillip 
OIA: Follow up GEMS-47297 – Decision to proceed with Student Monitoring, 
Assessment and Reporting Tool (SMART) after Treasury concerns 
Thank you for your email of 13 July 2026 to the Ministry of Education (the Ministry) 
requesting the Ministry reconsider its decision on your previous Official Information 
Act request, reference GEMS-47297. 
Your previous request, reference GEMS-47297, was interpreted as information held 
by the Ministry that documents the formal decision to proceed with SMART. It was 
interpreted as such because this decision was documented through formal, official 
channels (i.e., the Cabinet Minute of Decision, which was provided to you as part of 
our response to GEMS-47297). 
As such, we do not consider the remaining documents listed in GEMS-48596 to be in 
scope of GEMS-47297. You are welcome to submit a further request for any other 
documents listed in GEMS-48596.  
You have the right to ask an Ombudsman to review the Ministry’s decision on your 
request, in accordance with section 28 of the Act. You can do this by writing to 
[email address] or to Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, 
Wellington 6143. 
Thank you again for your email.  
Nāku noa, nā 
 
Antony Harvey 
Acting Hautū | Deputy Secretary 
Te Poutāhū | Curriculum Centre 
 
 
Wellington – National Office, PO Box 1666, Wellington 6140 
Phone: +64 4 463 8000 
education.govt.nz 
[IN-CONFIDENCE - RELEASE EXTERNAL] 

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