NBR Business Desk support from Callaghan
Suzanna Grey made this Official Information request to Callaghan Innovation
The request was refused by Callaghan Innovation.
From: Suzanna Grey
Dear Callaghan Innovation,
Please provide the monetary amount that Callaghan has paid to NBR's Business Desk for the last three calendar years (2014, 2015 and 2016).
See NBR's website: https://www.nbr.co.nz/article/callaghan-...
"Business Desk receives assistance from Callaghan Innovation to cover the commercialisation of innovation>"
Yours faithfully,
Suzanna Grey
From: Ministerial Services
Callaghan Innovation
Dear Suzanna Grey,
This email is to acknowledge receipt of your email dated 1 February 2017
and to advise that we are treating it as a request for information under
the Official Information Act 1982.
Your request will be considered and an answer provided in accordance with
the requirements of the Official Information Act 1982 on or before 2 March
2017.
Yours sincerely
Gemma
Gemma Seddon
Ministerial Services & Governance Support Advisor
[1]cid:image001.jpg@01D20DCB.40A4CCB0
DDI: +64 4 931 3169
0800 4 CALLAGHAN (0800 422 552)
Get inspired – read [2]Accelerate ezine
[3]cid:image003.jpg@01D1EBFA.AFC28FD0
[4]www.callaghaninnovation.govt.nz
This electronic transmission and any documents accompanying this
electronic transmission contain confidential information belonging to the
sender. This information may be legally privileged. The information is
intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above. If you
are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any
disclosure, copying, distribution or the taking of any action in reliance
on or regarding the contents of this electronically transmitted
information is strictly prohibited.
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From: Ministerial Services
Callaghan Innovation
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Dear Suzanna Grey,
Please find attached our response to your Official Information Act (OIA)
request of 2 February 2017.
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 [1][email address] if you
require any further information.
Regards
Gemma
Gemma Seddon
Ministerial Services & Governance Support Advisor
[2]cid:image001.jpg@01D20DCB.40A4CCB0
DDI: +64 4 931 3169
0800 4 CALLAGHAN (0800 422 552)
Get inspired – read [3]Accelerate ezine
[4]cid:image003.jpg@01D1EBFA.AFC28FD0
[5]www.callaghaninnovation.govt.nz
This electronic transmission and any documents accompanying this
electronic transmission contain confidential information belonging to the
sender. This information may be legally privileged. The information is
intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above. If you
are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any
disclosure, copying, distribution or the taking of any action in reliance
on or regarding the contents of this electronically transmitted
information is strictly prohibited.
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References
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1. mailto:[email address]
3. https://www.callaghaninnovation.govt.nz/...
4. https://www.callaghaninnovation.govt.nz/...
5. http://www.callaghaninnovation.govt.nz/
From: Suzanna Grey
Dear Mrs Carter,
Wow, I am shocked, for two reasons:
1) Callaghan refuses to disclose how much TAX PAYER’S money it spends on NBR sponsoring
2) the reasons for not disclosing it (“to prejudice the commercial position”)
I will contact the Ombudsman as you suggested but will also raise a follow up “Official Information Act” request.
Regards,
Suzanna
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- Add an annotation (to help the requester or others)
- Download a zip file of all correspondence
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Luke C left an annotation ()
I agree with your decision to seek a review of the decision to refuse you information that Callaghan has paid to the Business Desk for those three years.
In its response to your request, Callaghan did not go into detail to justify the use of the withholding provision 9(2)(b)(ii), which would tend to suggest they don't have any strong arguments why you ought not to have this information.
When deciding to rely on that section, there are a number of elements that must be satisfied, including that any withholding must be "necessary", and that any harm has to "unreasonbly prejudice" the third party's commercial position.
I would surmise that a significant proportion of the Business Desk's total revenue would need to be derived from Callaghan for there to be unreasonable prejudice caused to the Business Desk if the information were to be released. Did Callaghan consult the Business Desk about that in making its decision, I wonder?
An interesting 'own goal' is that the purpose of the spending is to "increase coverage of innovation and related issues in the mainstream media". Public funds are being used to increase public understanding. When considering the public interest, this factor adds weight to greater disclosure of the spending, rather than less.
Link to this