17 January 2017
By email:
[FYI request #5033 email]
Dear Suzanna Grey,
In response to your Official Information Act (OIA) request of 29 November 2016, please find
our responses below.
1. What are the relationships between Callaghan Innovation, Wynyard Group and
Jade software organizations?
Sue Suckling, Chair of the Callaghan Innovation Board became the Chair of Jade
Software in October 2016, with no previous involvement before this date, and no
involvement with Wynyard Group.
Craig Richardson was a member of the Board of Callaghan Innovation and Audit &
Risk and Grants Sub-committees between February 2013 and September 2015.
Both companies are customers of Callaghan Innovation and have received R&D
funding.
2. How many individuals have performed duties for Callaghan Innovation, that
either are or were, advisors to, employees of or directors of either i) Wynyard
Group ii) or Jade Software?
Two; Sue Suckling and Craig Richardson.
3. How much R&D grants (both number of grants and the monetary amounts
involved) has Callaghan Innovation, or its predecessors, provided to either
Wynyard Group or Jade software?
We have provided information below on R&D Grants approved by Callaghan
Innovation and predecessor organisations since July 2010.
R&D Grants administered since Cal aghan Innovation’s formation in 2013 is publicly
available on our website:
https://www.callaghaninnovation.govt.nz/grants/grant-
recipients
Wynyard Group NZ:
Contract ID
Grant Type
Start date End date
Grant contract value
(GST exclusive)
WNZ6Y1501 Student Experience
01/10/2015 31/03/2016 $6,400.00
Grant
WNZ6Y1402 Student Career
04/08/2014 18/11/2015 $30,000.00
Grant
WNZ6Y1401 Student Career
04/08/2014 18/11/2015 $30,000.00
Grant
Contract ID
Grant Type
Start date End date
Grant contract value
(GST exclusive)
WNZ6Y1302 Growth Grant
01/10/2013 30/09/2016 20% of eligible R&D
expenditure, capped at
$5m per annum
WNZ6Y1201 Technology
01/03/2013 30/09/2013 $858,557.94
Development Grant
Jade Software
Contract
Grant Type
Start date
End date
Grant contract value
ID
(GST exclusive)
JADE1501
Student Experience
01/10/2015 31/03/2016 $32,000.00
Grant
JADE1401
Student Experience
04/08/2014 31/03/2015 $6,400.00
Grant
JADE1402
Student Experience
04/08/2014 31/03/2015 $6,400.00
Grant
JADE1403
Student Career
04/08/2014 30/09/2015 $30,000.00
Grant
JADE1303
Student Experience
01/11/2013 31/03/2014 $6,400.00
Grant
JADE1304
Student Experience
01/11/2013
31/03/2014
$6,400.00
Grant
JADE1302
Student Experience
01/11/2013 30/06/2014 $6,400.00
Grant
JADE1305
Student Experience
01/11/2013
30/06/2014
$6,400.00
Grant
JADE1306
Growth Grant
01/10/2013 30/09/2018 20% of eligible R&D
expenditure, capped at
$5m per annum
JADE1301
Student Career
01/09/2013 30/09/2014 $30,000.00
Grant
JADE1201
Student Career
01/07/2012 30/06/2013 $30,000.00
Grant
JADE
Student Career
01/07/2012 30/06/2013 $30,000.00
1102*
Grant
JADE1002
Technology
01/10/2010 30/09/2013 $3,201,000.00
Development Grant
JADE0902* Project Grant
01/08/2010 30/05/2011 $213,721.78
* Contracts JADE1102 & JADE0902 were approved in 2010 prior to Callaghan Innovation being
established.
Growth Grant value is 20% of a qualifying business's eligible R&D expenditure,
capped at $5m per annum. We do not release individual Growth Grant values as we
consider this information to be commercially sensitive and that we would be
breaching confidence with our customers if we released sensitive financial
information.
Therefore, this information is being withheld pursuant to these sections of the OIA:
9(2)(b)(ii) – This section provides that an organisation may withhold information
where necessary to protect information where the making available of the
information would be likely unreasonably to prejudice the commercial position of
the person who supplied or who is the subject of the information.
9(2)(ba)(i) – This section provides that information may be withheld to protect
information which is subject to an obligation of confidence, where the making
available of the information would be likely to prejudice the supply of similar
information, or information from the same source, and it is in the public interest
that such information should continue to be supplied
4. What is / was the involvement of the (ex) Wynyard Group Managing Director
with Callaghan Innovation? Did any conflict of interest occur and how were
these managed?
Craig Richardson was a member of the Board of Callaghan Innovation and a member
of the Audit & Risk and Grants Sub-Committees from February 2013 to September
2015. All conflicts are declared and recorded in our register and managed through
that process (refer to answer below).
5. What is / was the involvement of the Callaghan Innovation’s Chairwoman with
Jade Software? Did any conflict of interest occur and how were these
managed?
The Chair of Callaghan Innovation became the Chair of Jade Software in October
2016. The Chair declared her conflict of interest which is recorded in our register
and managed through that process.
The Conflict of Interest process is as follows;
The Callaghan Innovation, Office of the Chief Executive and Board, maintains
a Board Interest Schedule.
This is published in the Board papers and is considered at the beginning of
every meeting. Any new interests that are either declared at the meeting, or
during the month are updated on the schedule immediately and noted in the
minutes.
During the year Callaghan Innovation proactively checks the Board Interest
Schedule against any potential grant applications to ensure there are no
potential conflicts likely to arise.
The Audit and Risk Committee specifically request that, as part of the Annual External
Audit conducted by PriceWaterhouseCoopers, (external auditors) that attention is
paid to the conflicts of interest of the Board of Directors due to the importance and
sensitivity around the administration of Grants.
If there is discussion or decisions made at Board level, where a member has a
potential conflict, that member is excluded from that discussion.
6. What is / was the involvement of Callaghan Innovation’s General Manager
People and Capability in the appointment of members of both Callaghan
Innovation’s stakeholder advisory group and Callaghan Innovation’s board?
Callaghan Innovation’s General Manager People and Capability does not have any
involvement in the appointment of members of both Cal aghan Innovation’s
Stakeholder Advisory Group and Cal aghan Innovation’s Board. These appointments
are undertaken by the Minister of Science and Innovation as per sections 9 and 11 of
the Callaghan Innovation Act 2012 and in consultation with/based on advice from
Senior Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) officials.
Callaghan Innovation Act 2012
9 Callaghan Innovation's board
The Minister must appoint at least 5, but not more than 9, persons as members of the
board.
11 Stakeholder Advisory Group
(1) The Minister may establish a stakeholder advisory group (an advisory group) to
provide advice to the board on matters relating to the performance of its functions.
(2) The board must consider any advice it receives from the advisory group.
(3) The members of the advisory group must be appointed by the Minister, on terms
and conditions that the Minister determines, by written notice to each member.
(4) When appointing members of the advisory group, the Minister must—
(a) consult with the board and have regard to its views; and
(b) ensure, as far as practicable, that—
(i) the advisory group's membership is broadly representative of the
manufacturing sector, services sector, and RS&T providers; and
(ii) the members collectively have sufficient experience and
knowledge of the manufacturing sector, of the services sector, and
as RS&T providers to give appropriate advice to the board.
(5) The Minister may, after consulting the board and having regard to its views, give
terms of reference on the topics or subject areas on which the advisory group may
advise the board.
(6) The advisory group must comply with any terms of reference given by the
Minister.
(7) The advisory group may determine its own procedure.
7. What is / was the involvement of Callaghan Innovation’s Chairwoman in the
appointment of members of both Callaghan Innovation’s Stakeholder Advisory
Group and Callaghan Innovation’s board?
As per above response the appointment of members of both Callaghan Innovation’s
Stakeholder Advisory Group and Cal aghan Innovation’s Board, are undertaken by
the Minister of Science and Innovation. When appointing members of the advisory
group, the Minister must consult with the Board and have regard to its view’s. S11 (4)
a of the Callaghan Innovation Act 2012 refers.
4) When appointing members of the advisory group, the Minister must—
(a) consult with the board and have regard to its views;
You have the right to request a review of this response, by the Ombudsman at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or by contacting 0800 802 602. Please contact
[email address] if you require any further information.
Yours Sincerely
Hemi Rolleston
Interim Chief Executive