From: Miles Stratford - MethSolutions <[email address]>
Sent: Sunday, 23 September 2018 5:13 PM
To: Izaac Sugrue <[email address]>
Cc: REA Legal <[email address]>
Subject: Re: OIA Request- REA work regarding methamphetamine in property

Director

MethSolutions

0800 638 4522

+64 21 819 345

 

Sent from my mobile device

Hi Miles,

 

Thank you for your patience. As discussed, yesterday we had a conversation about your Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) request (received 4 September 2018) centred around methamphetamine residue in properties (attached for your reference).

 

I began the conversation by explaining that your request, as it was written, was quite broad and if interpreted strictly would capture many documents that may not be useful to you. To help narrow the scope of your request, you explained to me the background of the request which, at a high level, is your concern over the Government’s recent work in methamphetamine residue in housing, and more specifically in terms of this request, your concern over the REA’s current approach to methamphetamine residue in housing as set out in this media release on 7 June 2018.

 

In terms of the purpose of your request, what you are interested in is the influences behind the REA’s approach here, the focus of your request being on the email from Kevin Lampen-Smith to Reubhan Swann on 6 June 2018, setting out the process that led to that media release.

 

In light of that background and purpose, we reassessed the scope of your request. Essentially, you would like:

 

• Copies of the key communications (plus meeting notes, advice, proposals and other documents) within the REA and between the REA and other agencies/third parties relating to the development of the approach to methamphetamine residue in housing taken in the 7 June media release, as set out in the 6 June email.
• We didn’t specifically discuss this, but extrapolating from that, I presume you’ll also like copies of the key communications (plus meeting notes, proposals and other documents) relating to any further discussion or development in approach to methamphetamine residue in housing post 6 June 2018.
• We didn’t discuss this either, but presumably you’ll still want details of the “number of other scientists” referred to in the 6 June 2018 email.
• I asked if you wanted internal REA communications relating to the development of the 7 June 2018 press release from a marketing perspective. You replied that you did.
• You were also interested in any communications from major real estate agency brands (but not individual branches) containing those brands’ views on the matter of methamphetamine residues in housing. We didn’t discuss the timespan of that, but I presume it will be from 2017 onwards up until 6 June 2018, and after 6 June 2018.

 

You have indicated that you are not interested in the following information:

 

• Administrative communications and documents, or other documents of only tangential relevance (for example, meeting requests, scheduling, proofreading, or documents that merely reference the methamphetamine residue issue without going any further than that).
• Questions from individual licensees or agency branches about methamphetamine residue in housing in the REA’s general inquiries inbox, and any material (internal communications etc) related to the answering of those questions.

 

Lastly, you requested the following principle to be adopted: If in doubt, put it in.

 

Please confirm whether you are comfortable with the above reframing of your request, whether you feel I have misrepresented you anywhere, or whether you have any other comments to make.

 

 

Timeframe

 

I also spoke to you about expected timeframes for providing a response to your request. The timeframe for response under section 15(1) of the Official Information Act 1982 is as soon as reasonably practicable and in any case no later than 20 working days after the date the request was received, so in this case the initial deadline of this request is 2 October 2018. I explained to you that I will need to extend that deadline (as is permitted under section 15A(1) of the OIA). We discussed a provisional extension to 16 October 2018, but unfortunately I forgot to factor into this the third party consultation that will be necessary to make a decision on the parts of the request which relate to communications and documents from and to third parties.

 

I have not yet calculated how long the collation of information and consultation will take, but I am reasonably confident it won’t be much longer than that 16 October estimate. In any case, I will be in touch next week with an official extension to your request.

 

As per the initial request through FYI.org.nz, I will respond to the FYI email provided. I can also copy in your MethSolutions email address, if you would prefer.

 

Kind regards,

Izaac

 

 

Thanks Izaac

 

Kind regards

 

Miles

 

 

 

Miles Stratford

CEO

Tel 09 320 0863

[mobile number]

 

 

Decent people working together

 

www.methsolutions.co.nz

 

This email and attachments (if any) are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual to whom it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient, be advised that you have received this error and that any use dissemination, forwarding, printing, or copying of this email is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email in error, please contact the sender. Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author and not those of the Company. This email and its attachments are believed to be virus free. Any damage that occurs as a result of receiving this transmission is not the responsibility of the sender.

 

 

 

 

Good afternoon Miles,

 

Thank you for the conversation earlier. My intention was to write a summary of our conversation right now, but there’s a few matters I have to attend to this afternoon before that. I’ll aim to get back to you later this afternoon/evening.

 

Thank you,

Izaac

 

Izaac Sugrue | Solicitor
email [email address] | ddi 04 471 8941
Level 10, 95 Customhouse Quay, Wellington
PO Box 25 371, Featherston Street, Wellington 6146
rea.govt.nz | settled.govt.nz 

	|

CAUTION: This email message and any accompanying attachments is intended for the named recipient only and may contain information that is subject to legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, disclosure or copying of this message or attachments is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email message in error please notify us immediately and erase all copies of the message and attachments. Thank you.