[IN-CONFIDENCE]

 

Dear Jem

 

Please find attached an acknowledgement of your Official Information Act
request. We are working to reply to your request as soon as is practical.

 

 

Regards

 

Jean McDowall | Ministerial Advisor | Ministerial Advisory Service |The
Treasury - Te Kaitohutohu Kaupapa Rawa | 04 917 7227 |

[1][email address]

 

[IN-CONFIDENCE]

 

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CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE

The information in this email is confidential to the Treasury, intended
only for the addressee(s), and may also be legally privileged. If you are
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a. please immediately delete this email and notify the Treasury by return
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b. any use, dissemination or copying of this email is strictly prohibited
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References

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Dear Mr Traylen

 

Please find attached a response from the Treasury regarding your Official
Information Act request.

 

Kind regards

 

Cheryl Robb | MAS Team Assistant | The Treasury

Tel: +64 4 917 6101 | [1][email address]

   

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE

The information in this email is confidential to the Treasury, intended
only for the addressee(s), and may also be legally privileged. If you are
not an intended addressee:

a. please immediately delete this email and notify the Treasury by return
email or telephone (64 4 472 2733);

b. any use, dissemination or copying of this email is strictly prohibited
and may be unlawful.

[UNCLASSIFIED]

 

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Dear Jem,

We unreservedly apologise for the inappropriate use of Mr in the email. I can assure there was no intention to offend. Simply human error on a busy day (this does not excuse it, but it is a honest explanation). The Treasury has an active Rainbow group and takes diversity extremely seriously. As someone with a disability I can personally vouch for the seriousness with which it takes diversity.

The fact I am happy to be open about my dyslexia and dyspraxia should be an indication of the way diversity is encouraged and supported at the Treasury; in my case I am acutely aware that there is an entire generation of young people who need to be told its okay to be different, who's early experiences of life aren't always the best (if you have heard of the experiences that young dyslexics and dyspraxics have in the education system I can personally vouch for their validity). It is fair to say having a Master's degree from the London School of Economics makes it a whole lot easier than it is for most people to be open about such things (but with such privilege comes real and significant responsibility).

As for your complaint regarding the substance of the response, taking a complaint to the Ombudsman is the appropriate avenue if you disagree with our response. Though I will point you towards advice the Ombudsman has provided regarding the Budget and OIAs http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/syste... this speaks directly to Budget information and the OIA at the top of page six.

Yours sincerely
David Hammond

David Hammond | Senior Ministerial Advisor | Ministerial Advisory Service |The Treasury - Te Kaitohutohu Kaupapa Rawa | 04 917 6099 |
[email address]
[IN-CONFIDENCE]

                  
                                                           
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE
The information in this email is confidential to the Treasury, intended only for the addressee(s), and may also be legally privileged. If you are not an intended addressee:
a. please immediately delete this email and notify the Treasury by return email or telephone (64 4 472 2733);
b. any use, dissemination or copying of this email is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful.

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Dear Jem,

Thank you for your email. My apologies for the delay in getting back to you. I don't think you are going to like my response, but I do believe in providing giving people direct and honest responses.

There has been a convention that Budget related documents are not released prior to the Budget because until a policy has actually announced there is the potential for changes to be made or polices withdrawn. If a policy is withdrawn, there is the potential for it to be considered in future Budget bids, therefore, it is still considered to be under consideration until it is announced.

It is also a convention that holds for decisions outside the Budget process. In essence the convention ensures officials can provide free and frank advice while decisions are made in the knowledge that once decisions are made, the advice could end up in the public arena.

Essentially, the view has been that the public interest is served by providing officials and Ministers space to vigorously explore policy ideas before they are implemented or not implemented as the case may be (in practical terms it means the focus of the documents is on providing free and frank advice to Ministers rather than trying to achieve popularity in the public arena during the during the decision making process).

I know this is not the answer you were looking for but I hope this provides you with some context as to our thinking.

Yours sincerely,
David Hammond

David Hammond | Senior Ministerial Advisor | Ministerial Advisory Service |The Treasury - Te Kaitohutohu Kaupapa Rawa | 04 917 6099 |
[email address]
[IN-CONFIDENCE]

                  
                                                           
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE
The information in this email is confidential to the Treasury, intended only for the addressee(s), and may also be legally privileged. If you are not an intended addressee:
a. please immediately delete this email and notify the Treasury by return email or telephone (64 4 472 2733);
b. any use, dissemination or copying of this email is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful.

show quoted sections