Dear Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga,

I would like to make the following request for information.

On 17 April 2015, Tina Wakefield from the Justice Ministry emailed Archives New Zealand. She made the following comment to the Chief Archivist:

“The Audit of the Ministry’s record keeping has failed to identify some fundamental and important gaps in our recordkeeping systems and processes. The audit is promoted by Archives New Zealand as a value-adding activity that will provide a gap analysis of our current recordkeeping capability against Public Record Act requirements and standards. The audit, however, has failed to accurately identify areas for improvement by overstating the current level of the Ministry’s compliance.”

What fundamental and important gaps in the Ministry’s recordkeeping was Ms Wakefield referring to? What advice and or recommendations (if any) did Archives provide the Justice Ministry in response to Ms Wakefield’s concerns? Please provide me with copies of all internal and external communication, including any discussion of Ms Wakefield’s concerns among any Archives’ employees, in regards to these questions. This includes information held in the minds of officials.

Please note that in Archives’ reply to me dated 26 October 2017, some documents supplied referred to meetings that were held which were attended by Archives’ employees. However, I have not been given a copy of any notes from these meetings. Were notes created? If so, please forward all information that Archives holds about these meetings, which may have been held in 2014 and 2015. This includes information held in the minds of officials. This part of my request is urgent as it should have been included in your response of 26 October. As an example of one such meeting, on 1 April 2015, Rebecca Smart from Archives emailed Bronwen Clifton from the Justice Ministry. Ms Smart wrote:

“As discussed on the phone, a two hour meeting between Maria, Rob, you and I would be beneficial to ensure we've covered all aspects of the audit plan. I have just gone through the audit plan and identified what extra evidence will be required, so please find attached that request. I look forward to hearing from in regards to the times available to meet.”

I have not been supplied with any information about the phone call between the two parties nor have I been supplied with notes from the two hour meeting that was to take place. I require all such records, including records of any other meetings or phone calls between Archives and the Justice Ministry in regards to recordkeeping in 2014 and 2015.

Please contact me if I you have any queries regarding my request.

Yours faithfully,

Ross Francis