Thank you for contacting Hon. Penny Simmonds, Member of Parliament for
Invercargill, Minister for the Environment, Minister for Vocational
Education and Associate Minister for Social Development & Employment.
The Minister considers all correspondence important, however, as she
receives a large amount of correspondence, it is not always possible to
provide a personal response.
Please note the following guidelines:

* If you are an Invercargill constituent contacting the Minister about
an issue, then your email will be passed to her electorate office.
* Invitations and requests to meet with the Minister will be considered
and a staff member will be in touch with you in due course.
* Requests for official information will be managed in accordance with
provisions of the Official Information Act 1982, which may include a
transfer to a more relevant Minister or agency.
* If your email falls outside of the Minister's portfolio
responsibilities, expresses a personal view, or is copied to multiple
Members of Parliament, then your opinion will be noted and your
correspondence may be transferred to another office, or there may be
no further response to you.

Thank you once again for taking the time to write; it is very much
appreciated.
The Office of Hon. Penny Simmonds
(Please note that this acknowledgement is an automatically generated
email.)

Dear Luke,

Thank you for your email of 22 March in which you submitted an Official
Information Act request, which reads as follows:

I noted, Appointment to the Board of the Tertiary Education Commission |
Te Amorangi Mātauranga Matua
[1]https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://gaze...

 

May I ask how you called for public nomination and on what platform you
have call for public nominations e.g. govt.jobs website. A copy of your ad
and pay rate as well. Also, how many applications you have received for
each of the role from the public and how many you have received from other
nominating agencies such as TPK or Ministry of women etc for your role.
How many you have shortlisted and how many you have interviewed. Also, can
I request to view the appointment letter if there is one sent to the Scott
Nathan Haines JP. I am happy for you to remove any relevant personal
information.

Minister Simmonds is considering your request in accordance with the Act,
and you can expect a response by 23^rd April 2026.

Kind regards,

Office of Hon Penny Simmonds

Minister for the Environment | Minister for Vocational Education

Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment
MP for Invercargill
 

P: 04 817 6815

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

Authorised by Hon Penny Simmonds, 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. https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/gazet...

Apologies John the last part should have said:

Minister Simmonds is considering your request in accordance with the Act,
and you can expect a response by 21 April 2026.

 

Kind regards,

Office of Hon Penny Simmonds

Minister for the Environment | Minister for Vocational Education

Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment
MP for Invercargill
 

P: 04 817 6815

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

Authorised by Hon Penny Simmonds, 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.

 

From: Iain Forsyth On Behalf Of Penny Simmonds (MIN)
Sent: Monday, 23 March 2026 10:27 AM
To: '[FOI #34202 email]'
<[FOI #34202 email]>
Subject: PSTE-OI-26-007

 

Dear Luke,

Thank you for your email of 22 March in which you submitted an Official
Information Act request, which reads as follows:

I noted, Appointment to the Board of the Tertiary Education Commission |
Te Amorangi Mātauranga Matua
[1]https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://gaze...

 

May I ask how you called for public nomination and on what platform you
have call for public nominations e.g. govt.jobs website. A copy of your ad
and pay rate as well. Also, how many applications you have received for
each of the role from the public and how many you have received from other
nominating agencies such as TPK or Ministry of women etc for your role.
How many you have shortlisted and how many you have interviewed. Also, can
I request to view the appointment letter if there is one sent to the Scott
Nathan Haines JP. I am happy for you to remove any relevant personal
information.

Minister Simmonds is considering your request in accordance with the Act,
and you can expect a response by 23^rd April 2026.

Kind regards,

Office of Hon Penny Simmonds

Minister for the Environment | Minister for Vocational Education

Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment
MP for Invercargill
 

P: 04 817 6815

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

Authorised by Hon Penny Simmonds, 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. https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/gazet...

Dear John,

 

We have determined that the information requested is not held by the
Minister, but is believed to be held by and more closely connected with
the functions of the Ministry of Education. As such, we would ordinarily
be required to transfer both parts of your request to the Ministry of
Education, in accordance with sections 14(b)(i) and 14(b)(ii) of the Act.
However, we are aware that you have also made your request directly to the
Ministry of Education (reference OIA GEMS-46635), so transfer is not
necessary on this occasion. 

 

Kind regards,

Office of Hon Penny Simmonds

Minister for the Environment | Minister for Vocational Education

Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment
MP for Invercargill
 

P: 04 817 6815

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

Authorised by Hon Penny Simmonds, 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.