Dear New Zealand Defence Force, Veterans Affairs.

Kia ora,

I refer to your response to my request (OIA-2026-5686), in which parts of the request were refused under section 18(e) on the basis that no relevant information “has been identified”.

To understand how this conclusion was reached, I request the following information relating to the search and decision-making process undertaken.

1. Systems and Repositories Searched

Please identify all systems, repositories, and locations that were searched for information within scope of my request, including (but not limited to):

• email systems (e.g. Outlook or equivalent)
• document and records management systems
• ministerial servicing or briefing systems
• shared drives or team collaboration platforms
• archived or legacy systems

2. Search Methodology

Please provide details of how searches were conducted, including:

• keywords or search terms used
• whether Boolean or advanced search techniques were applied
• any filters used (e.g. date ranges, custodians, business units)
• whether searches were targeted or system-wide

3. Staff and Business Units Consulted

Please specify:

• which business units were consulted
• the roles or positions of staff involved in identifying or confirming whether information was held

4. Scope of Document Types Considered

Please confirm whether the following document types were specifically searched or considered:

• ministerial briefings and aide memoires
• internal reports or draft advice
• email correspondence
• meeting notes or minutes
• Cabinet or inter-agency material

If any of these categories were not searched, please explain why.

5. Basis for Section 18(e) Decision

Please explain:

• the steps taken to satisfy yourselves that the requested information does not exist
• whether any potential sources of information were excluded from the search
• how completeness of the search was assessed

6. Recordkeeping and Classification Context

Please provide:

• any policies, guidance, or practices relevant to how material of this nature (e.g. ministerial advice, cross-agency coordination, or service gap analysis) is recorded, stored, or classified

7. Limitations

Please identify any limitations in the search process, including whether:

• relevant information may exist but was not captured due to
– inconsistent terminology
– classification practices
– storage in unstructured systems

For clarity, this request does not seek the substantive documents previously requested, but rather information about how the decision under section 18(e) was reached.

If any part of this request can be answered more efficiently through discussion or refinement, I am happy to assist under section 13 of the Act.

Kind regards,
Spencer Jones

Yours faithfully,

SPENCER JONES