Thank you for contacting Hon Simon Watts, Member of Parliament for North
Shore, Minister of Climate Change, Minister of Local Government, Minister
of Revenue and Minister for Auckland.

The Minister considers all correspondence important but as he receives a
large amount of correspondence, it is not always possible to provide a
personal response.

Please note the following guidelines:

·         If you are a North Shore constituent contacting the Minister
about an issue, then your email will be passed to his 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 Simon Watts

(Please note that this acknowledgement is an automatically generated
email.) 

Good afternoon,

 

Thank you for your email in which you submitted an Official Information
Act request as follows:

 

Pursuant to the provisions of the Official Information Act 1982, I hereby
request the following information:

 

Any and all communications regarding LNG or LNG terminal funding,
including but not limited to texts, emails, letters, and other forms of
correspondence, as well as messages exchanged via communication
applications such as WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, Microsoft Teams, Slack,
from 2025-06-13 and 2026-02-10 between your office and the following
parties:

 

- Energy Resources Aotearoa

- John Carnegie (Energy Resources Aotearoa)

- Clarus

- Paul Goodeve (Clarus)

- Meridian Energy

- Mike Roan (Meridian Energy)

- Simon Craddock (Ports of Taranaki)

- Optima

- Methanex

- Contact Energy

- Genesis Energy

 

Minister Watts is considering your request in accordance with the Act, and
you can expect a response by 19 June 2026.

 

Kind regards,

 

 

Office of Hon Simon Watts

 

Minister of Climate Change

Minister of Local Government

Minister of Revenue

Minister for Auckland

Email: [1][Simon Watts request email] | Website: [2]www.beehive.govt.nz  

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

 

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Good afternoon Mr Cope,  

  

On behalf of Hon Simon Watts, thank you for your OIA request.  

  

As the subject matter you raise falls within the portfolio
responsibilities of Hon Simeon Brown, your request will therefore be
transferred to that office. 

 

Kind regards,

 

 

Office of Hon Simon Watts

 

Minister of Climate Change

Minister of Local Government

Minister of Revenue

Minister for Auckland
Email: [1][Simon Watts request email] | Website: [2]www.beehive.govt.nz  

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

 

 

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Kia ora Mr Cope,

 

Thank you for your request for official information under the Official
Information Act 1982 (the Act) that has been transferred to the Office of
Hon Simeon Brown. As per the transfer, you requested:

 

“On 2025-06-13 you said, LNG imports were a decision for the industry, but
that the Government was willing to provide non-financial support.

 

On 2026-02-09 you announced the Government would build a LNG terminal
funded by tax.

 

Pursuant to the provisions of the Official Information Act 1982, I hereby
request the following information:

 

Any and all communications regarding LNG or LNG terminal funding,
including but not limited to texts, emails, letters, and other forms of
correspondence, as well as messages exchanged via communication
applications such as WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, Microsoft Teams, Slack,
from 2025-06-13 and 2026-02-10 between your office and the following
parties:

 

- Energy Resources Aotearoa

- John Carnegie (Energy Resources Aotearoa)

- Clarus

- Paul Goodeve (Clarus)

- Meridian Energy

- Mike Roan (Meridian Energy)

- Simon Craddock (Ports of Taranaki)

- Optima

- Methanex

- Contact Energy

- Genesis Energy”

 

The reference number for your request is: SBOIA26-1075

As required under the Official Information Act 1982, the Office will
endeavour to respond to your request no later than 20 working days after
the day your request was received. You can expect a response by 13 July
2026.

 

Under section 28(3) of the Act you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to
review any decisions made under this request. The Ombudsman may be
contacted by email at: [1][email address] or by calling 0800
802 602. 

 

Ngâ mihi

 

Office of Hon Simeon Brown

Minister of Health

Minister for Energy

Minister for State Owned Enterprises
Email: [2][email address]

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

 

 

 

From: Simon Watts (MIN) <[3][email address]>
Sent: Friday, 12 June 2026 12:58 pm
To: [4][FOI #34760 email]
Cc: Simeon Brown (MIN) <[5][email address]>
Subject: RE: 140-26 Official Information request - Communications on LNG
terminal funding

 

Good afternoon Mr Cope,  

  

On behalf of Hon Simon Watts, thank you for your OIA request.  

  

As the subject matter you raise falls within the portfolio
responsibilities of Hon Simeon Brown, your request will therefore be
transferred to that office. 

 

Kind regards,

 

 

Office of Hon Simon Watts

 

Minister of Climate Change

Minister of Local Government

Minister of Revenue

Minister for Auckland
Email: [6][Simon Watts request email] | Website: [7]www.beehive.govt.nz  

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

 

 

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