24 April 2018
Tony Randle
[FYI request #7507 email]
REF: OIA-3684
Dear Mr Randle
Extension of time to respond to request made under the Official Information Act 1982
Thank you for your email
of 23 March 2018 requesting the following information under the Official
Information Act 1982 (the Act):
inToday the Stuff news site had a story titled "Government-funded report
advocated cheaper Wellington rail fares - but it was never published"
(https://scanmail.trustwave.com/?c=2838&d=l7602vpWjFi1VPQax0mBbR9_w4QiJr
GUkbnmAbaF4g&u=https%3a%2f%2fwww%2estuff%2eco%2enz%2fnational%2f10227916
7%2fgovernmentfunded-report-advocated-cheaper-wellington-rail-fares--but
-it-was-never-published%29 This story was based on a NZTA report called
"Metropolitan rail: external benefits and optimal funding", The story
claimed the report "evaluated optimal subsidies for rail in Wellington
and Auckland" and it was "released last month under the Official
Information Act".
1) Can I have a copy of the Metropolitan rail: external benefits and
optimal funding Report referred to in this story ?
2) Can I have a copy of the report Terms of Reference and/or letter of
engagement and/or other information that outlined the purpose and
deliverables of this report when it was commissioned ?
3) Can I have a copy of the supporting calculations from the report
consultants that "found rail fares in Wellington should be subsidised by
between 55 and 100 per cent, and that the "average" fare should be about
$1.70" ?
4) Can I have a copy of the "internal peer review" of the report
referred to in the story ?
This letter is to advise you that the NZ Transport Agency is extending the 20 working days available to
respond to your request, as allowed for under section 15A of the Act. We require an additional 5
working days to respond to your request. We wil send you a response on or before 02 May 2018.
The deadline is being extended because of the consultations necessary to make a decision on your
request. A thorough response to your request cannot reasonably be made within the 20 working day
limit.
Under section 28 of the Act, you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to review my decision to extend
this request. The contact details for the Ombudsman can be located at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz.
If you would like to discuss the extension with the Transport Agency, please email
[NZTA request email].
Yours sincerely
Leisa Coley
Manager, Ministerial Services
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