Te Kaha mission
Andrew Riddell made this Official Information request to Minister of Defence
The request was partially successful.
From: Andrew Riddell
Dear Minister of Defence Mark Mitchell,
Please provide copies of all briefings you have received that lead to Te Kaha recently being assigned to a United States of America carrier group as reported in a recent press release in your name.
Please include the documentation you have on the purpose and scope for the assignment, the assessed risks, and the terms of engagement that apply.
I am a New Zeland citizen resident in New Zealand.
Yours faithfully,
Andrew Riddell
From: G Brownlee (MIN)
On behalf of Hon Gerry Brownlee thank you for your email. Your
correspondence has been noted and will be recorded.
All correspondence, including email, is routed through our mail tracking
process. Although email increases the speed of delivery, the
“behind-the-scenes” efforts of the Minister’s staff in responding to mail
cannot always provide the kind of speedy response users of email may
anticipate.
The Minister considers all correspondence important and your comments will
be noted.
Kind regards
The Office of Hon Gerry Brownlee
Member of Parliament for Ilam
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Minister Responsible for the Earthquake Commission
P: 04 817 6802 F: 04 817 6502
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From: Elliot Isaacs
Good morning Andrew
On behalf of Hon Mark Mitchell, Minister of Defence, I refer to your
request for information under the Official Information Act 1982 (“The
Act”) of 10 August 2017. Specifically you requested the following
information:
“The copies of all briefings you have received that lead to Te Kaha
recently being assigned to a United States of America carrier group as
reported in a recent press release in your name.
Please include the documentation you have on the purpose and scope for the
assignment, the assessed risks, and the terms of engagement that apply.”
A response to your request is currently being prepared. The Minsiter will
respond to your request by 07 August 2017.
Kind regards
Elliot Isaacs
Private Secretary | Office of Hon Mark Mitchell | Member of Parliament
for Rodney
Minister of Defence | Minister for Land Information | Associate Minister
of Justice
Parliament Buildings | Wellington 6160 | New Zealand | DDI: + 64
4 817 8384 | E: [1][email address] |
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References
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1. mailto:[email address]
From: Peter Carter
Dear Mr Riddell,
Please find attached an extension letter signed by Minister Mitchell. The
Minister has extended the response to this request by 12 working days, to
Wednesday, 23 August.
Regards, Peter
Peter Carter | Defence Private Secretary to Hon Mark Mitchell
Parliament Buildings |Private Bag 18041|Wellington 6160
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From: Elliot Isaacs
Good afternoon Andrew
On behalf of Hon Mark Mitchell, please find attached a signed response to
your request for information under the Official Information Act 1982.
Kind regards
Elliot Isaacs
Private Secretary | Office of Hon Mark Mitchell | Member of Parliament
for Rodney
Minister of Defence | Minister for Land Information | Associate Minister
of Justice
Parliament Buildings | Wellington 6160 | New Zealand |E:
[1][email address] |
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References
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1. mailto:[email address]
From: Andrew Riddell
Dear Elliot Isaacs,
The Minster of Defence has responded to my information request by providing one somewhat redacted document with the comment "I am sending you one document that falls within the scope of your request."
However there is no statement to the effect that this is the only document that should have been provided.
Indeed, reading the supplied document it is clear that there are other documents that need to be provided in order to meet my request, in compliance with the Official Information Act.
These include:
-- the caveats that would apply to the tasking of the ship by the US Navy that have been prepared in consultation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (see paragrpahs 7-9 of the one document provided so far)
-- the media statement identified at paragraph 14 of the one document provided so far
-- the media points identified at paragraph 15 of the one document provided so far
-- the further advice identified at paragraph 16 of the one document provided so far
Please provide all the documents identifed above and all other documents related to my original request.
I also advise that I will be challenging the decision to redact parts of paragraphs 7 and 8 in the one document provided to me so far to the Ombudsman.
It is, to say the least, disappointing that the Minster of Defence treats Official Information Act requests with such contempt as to not respond promptly and to then to provide an incomplete response.
Kia ora,
Andrew Riddell
From: Elliot Isaacs
Good morning Andrew
Please find attached the information you requested under the Official
Information Act 1982.
Kind regards
Elliot Isaacs
Private Secretary | Office of Hon Mark Mitchell | Member of Parliament
for Rodney
Minister of Defence | Minister for Land Information | Associate Minister
of Justice
Parliament Buildings | Wellington 6160 | New Zealand | DDI: + 64
4 817 8384 | E: [1][email address] |
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References
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1. mailto:[email address]
Andrew Riddell left an annotation ()
Interesting that it took a second request to get the extra documents that I consider should have been provided in response to the first request. Minister of Defence was taking a very narrow, literal, approach to answering the request.
Things to do with this request
- Add an annotation (to help the requester or others)
- Download a zip file of all correspondence
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Andrew Riddell left an annotation ()
I expect the first thing will be that Gerry Brownlee's office will forward my request to Mark Mitchell, Minister of Defence.
Link to this