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CMC
[FYI request #34728 email]
16 June 2026
Tēnā koe CMC
OIA: – GEMS-47959 contractor and consultancy costs relating to New Zealand
Curriculum Brief summary of request
Thank you for your email of 4 May 2026 to the Ministry of Education (the Ministry) for
information about contractor and consultancy costs relating to changes to the New
Zealand Curriculum. Thank you also for refining your request on 18 May to be for the
following information:
1. The total amount paid to Learning First (including any payments made to Dr
Ben Jensen) for any work relating to the New Zealand Curriculum and Te
Marautanga o Aotearoa Refresh, from January 2024 to the date of this request
— including fees, honoraria, contracts, or any other payments.
2. The total amount paid to Dr Nina Hood for any work relating to the
Curriculum Refresh over the same period.
3. The total amount paid to Dr Michael Johnston for any work relating to the
Curriculum Refresh over the same period.
4. The total amount paid to Professor Elizabeth Rata for any work relating to
the Curriculum Refresh over the same period.
5. The total cost incurred by the Ministry of Education to send Ministry staff or
staff from the Minister of Educations [sic] office to Australia to work with
Learning First, including travel, accommodation, and any associated
expenses, from January 2025 to the date of this request.
Your request has been considered under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
The Ministry needs to extend the timeframe for responding to your request, pursuant
to section 15A(1)(b) of the Act, as consultations necessary to make a decision on the
request are such that a proper response cannot reasonably be made within the
original time limit. You can now expect to receive a response to your request on or
before 30 June 2026, which is an extension of 10 working days.
Wel ington – National Office, PO Box 1666, Wellington 6140
Phone: +64 4 463 8000
education.govt.nz
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You have the right to ask an Ombudsman to review my 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.
Nāku noa, nā
Principal Advisor
Te Pou Rangatōpū | Corporate
education.govt.nz
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