Printed from https://fyi.org.nz/request/does_the_waikato_regional_counci on April 25, 2024 10:13

Does the Waikato Regional Council open its meetings with a prayer?

Alex Harris made this Official Information request to Waikato Regional Council

The request was partially successful.

From: Alex Harris

Dear Waikato Regional Council,

As you may have read recently, the Whanganui District Council abolished its opening prayer after a complaint was made to the Human Rights Commission. I'm interested in learning how widespread this practice is, so I'd like to request the following information under the LGOIMA:

* Does the Council open its meetings with a prayer?
* If the answer to the above is "yes", then I'd like a copy of that prayer (or examples, if more than one is used), when the practice was first established, whether the council has considered abolishing it in the wake of the Whanganui decision, and any advice the council may hold on the prayer's compatibility with both the Human Rights Act 1993 and Bill of Rights Act 1990.

I would prefer to receive an electronic response. Queries about this request will be automatically forwarded to me by the fyi.org.nz website.

Yours faithfully,

Alex Harris

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From: Alex Harris

Dear Waikato Regional Council,

A response to this request was due three weeks ago. Will I be receiving one soon, or will I have to go to the ombudsman?

Yours faithfully,

Alex Harris

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From: Maureen Poole

Good afternoon Mr Harris.  I refer to your email of 26 June 2012 titled
“Official Information Act request – Does the Waikato Regional Council open
its meetings with a prayer?”
 
Firstly in response to your enquiry “A response to this request was due
three weeks ago.  Will I be receiving one soon, or will I have to go to
the ombudsman?”  Your email of 26 June 2012 is the first knowledge I have
of your request, so I sincerely apologise if there has been some delivery
fault through our website request/email receipt systems that has resulted
in your initial enquiry not being processed.
 
Secondly in response to your question – it is advised that some Waikato
Regional Council Committee and Subcommittee meetings are opened and closed
with a prayer, but this is not requirement for all meetings.
 
Maureen Poole| Manager Statutory Processes
Waikato Regional Council
P: +64 7 859 0999
P: +64 7 859 0780 (DDI)
F: +64 7 859 0998
Private Bag 3038, Waikato Mail Centre, Hamilton 3240
Please consider the environment before printing this email
 
 
 

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1. http://www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/

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