Thank you for contacting Hon. Penny Simmonds, Member of Parliament for
Invercargill, Minister for the Environment, Minister for Vocational
Education and Associate Minister for Social Development & Employment.
The Minister considers all correspondence important, however, as she
receives a large amount of correspondence, it is not always possible to
provide a personal response.
Please note the following guidelines:

* If you are an Invercargill constituent contacting the Minister about
an issue, then your email will be passed to her electorate office.
* Invitations and requests to meet with the Minister will be considered
and a staff member will be in touch with you in due course.
* Requests for official information will be managed in accordance with
provisions of the Official Information Act 1982, which may include a
transfer to a more relevant Minister or agency.
* If your email falls outside of the Minister's portfolio
responsibilities, expresses a personal view, or is copied to multiple
Members of Parliament, then your opinion will be noted and your
correspondence may be transferred to another office, or there may be
no further response to you.

Thank you once again for taking the time to write; it is very much
appreciated.
The Office of Hon. Penny Simmonds
(Please note that this acknowledgement is an automatically generated
email.)

Dear R S Bicknell,

Thank you for your email of 24 July 2025 in which you submitted an Official Information Act request, which reads as follows:

- I understand Fale Andrew Lesa was appointed in or around 2020 to the governing council of both Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) and Unitec.

- I request all documents relating to the appointment of Mr Lesa to these positions.

Minister Simmonds is considering your request in accordance with the Act, and you can expect a response by 21 August 2025.

Ngā mihi,
Amy

Amy Stapleton (she/her)
Press Secretary | Office of Hon Penny Simmonds 
Mobile: +64 21 890 692

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Dear R S Bicknell,

Thank you for your email of 24 July 2025 in which you submitted an Official Information Act request, which reads as follows:

- I understand Fale Andrew Lesa was appointed in or around 2020 to the governing council of both Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) and Unitec.

- I request all documents relating to the appointment of Mr Lesa to these positions.

Minister Simmonds is considering your request in accordance with the Act, and you can expect a response by 21 August 2025.

Ngā mihi,
Amy

Amy Stapleton (she/her)
Press Secretary | Office of Hon Penny Simmonds 
Mobile: +64 21 890 692

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Dear R S Bicknell,

Thank you for your email of 24 July 2025 requesting the following under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act):

- I understand Fale Andrew Lesa was appointed in or around 2020 to the governing council of both Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) and Unitec.

- I request all documents relating to the appointment of Mr Lesa to these positions.

I am writing to notify you that the Office of the Minister for Vocational Education, Hon Penny Simmonds, is transferring your request in full to the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC), for response, as we believe the information to which your request relates is more closely connected with their functions.

In these circumstances, we are required by section 14 of the Act to transfer your request.

You will hear further from TEC regarding your request.

You have a right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision to transfer your request. Information about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or Freephone 0800 802 602.

Ngā mihi,
Amy

Amy Stapleton (she/her)
Press Secretary | Office of Hon Penny Simmonds 
Mobile: +64 21 890 692

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Dear R S Bicknell,

Thank you for your email of 24 July 2025 requesting the following under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act):

- I understand Fale Andrew Lesa was appointed in or around 2020 to the governing council of both Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) and Unitec.

- I request all documents relating to the appointment of Mr Lesa to these positions.

I am writing to notify you that the Office of the Minister for the Environment, Hon Penny Simmonds, is transferring your request in full to the Ministry of Education (MoE) for response, as we believe the information to which your request relates is more closely connected with their functions.

In these circumstances, we are required by section 14 of the Act to transfer your request.

You will hear further from MoE regarding your request.

You have a right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision to transfer your request. Information about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or Freephone 0800 802 602.

Ngā mihi,
Amy

Amy Stapleton (she/her)
Press Secretary | Office of Hon Penny Simmonds 
Mobile: +64 21 890 692

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Kia ora R S Bicknell  

 

Thank you for the information request attached, that was transferred to
the Ministry on 1 August 2025.  The Ministry will consider and respond to
your request in accordance with the Official Information Act 1982 the
Act).

 

Under section 15(1) of the Act, we are required to make and inform you of
our decision on your request as soon as reasonably practicable and in any
case not later than 20 working days after the day on which your request is
received. You can therefore expect to receive our decision on your request
on or before 29 August 2025. If more than 20 working days are needed due
to the potential workload and/or consultations involved in answering your
request, we will notify you accordingly.

 

The Ministry may publicly release on our website the response to your
request five days after you have received it. Any personal information
will be removed.

 

In the interim, if you have any questions about your request, please email
[1][email address]

 

Ngā mihi

 

Enquiries National Team | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | Ministry of
Education | TW

[2]education.govt.nz

We shape an education system that delivers equitable and excellent
outcomes
He mea tārai e mātou te mātauranga kia rangatira ai, kia mana taurite ai
ōna huanga
[3]Te TD huhu o te MD tauranga

 

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[IN-CONFIDENCE - RELEASE EXTERNAL]

Tçnâ koe,

 

Thank you for your email of 24 July 2025 to the Minister of Vocational
Education requesting the following information:

 

“I understand Fale Andrew Lesa was appointed in or around 2020 to the
governing council of both Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) and
Unitec.

I request all documents relating to the appointment of Mr Lesa to these
positions.”

 

You request was transferred to the Ministry of Education on 4 August 2025.
Your request has been considered under the Official Information Act 1982
(the Act).

 

We understand that Te Pûkenga has previously responded to an OIA request
via FYI.org.nz asking for the same information.

 

As this information is publicly available, we are refusing your request
under 18(d). You can find the information provided in the following
webpages:

Full documents:
[1]https://fyi.org.nz/request/20887-board-m...

Letter only:
[2]https://fyi.org.nz/request/20887/respons...

 

Thank you again for your email. You have the right to ask an Ombudsman to
review my decision on your request, in accordance with section 28 of the
Act. You can do this by writing to [3][email address] or to
Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143.

 

  

Nâku noa, nâ,

Official and Parliamentary Information | Ministry of Education | CM

[4]education.govt.nz

He mea târai e mâtou te mâtauranga kia rangatira ai, kia mana taurite ai
ôna huanga
We shape an education system that delivers equitable and excellent
outcomes
[5]Te Tâhuhu o te Mâtauranga

 

 

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[UNCLASSIFIED]
 
Kia ora R S Bicknell
 
Thank you for your request.
 
The Ministry will consider and respond to your request in accordance with
the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
 
Under section 15(1) of the Act, we are required to make and inform you of
our decision on your request as soon as reasonably practicable and in any
case not later than 20 working days after the day on which your request is
received. You can therefore expect to receive our decision on your request
on or before 22 September 2025. If more than 20 working days are needed
due to the potential workload and/or consultations involved in answering
your request, we will notify you accordingly.
 
The Ministry may publicly release on our website the response to your
request five days after you have received it. Any personal information
will be removed.
 
In the interim, if you have any questions about your request, please email
[1][email address]
 
Ngā mihi
 
Enquiries National Team | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | Ministry of
Education | PN education.govt.nz
 
We shape an education system that delivers equitable and excellent
outcomes He mea tārai e mātou te mātauranga kia rangatira ai, kia mana
taurite ai ōna
 
 
 

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[IN-CONFIDENCE - RELEASE EXTERNAL]

Kia ora,

 

Please find a letter transferring part of your request of 25 August 2025
to Te Pūkenga.

 

Nāku noa, nā,

Official and Parliamentary Information | Ministry of Education | LJ

[1]education.govt.nz

He mea tārai e mātou te mātauranga kia rangatira ai, kia mana taurite ai
ōna huanga
We shape an education system that delivers equitable and excellent
outcomes
[2][IMG]

 

show quoted sections

Kia ora R S Bicknell

 

We write to acknowledge receipt of an information request, regarding the
appointment of Fale Andrew Lesa, you sent to the Ministry of Education |
Te Tâhuhu o te Mâtauranga on 25 August 2025.

 

On 3 September the Ministry transferred the following part of your request
to Te Pûkenga – New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology for
response:

 

There now exists a clear public interest in understanding how Mr Lesa came
to be appointed to various Crown boards. I contend that it is not
acceptable to rely on the previous grounds used to withhold information in
the earlier release. A more appropriate response, given significant
community concern relating to Mr Lesa, and given other agencies have
released information relating to appointment processes, would be to
undertake a fresh analysis.

 

Your request is being considered under the Official Information Act 1982.

 

You can expect a decision on your request within 20 working days, by 1
October 2025.

 

Ngâ mihi

Cat

 

Office of the Chief Executive

 

Level 2, Wintec House
Cnr Anglesea & Nisbet Streets
Hamilton 3204
— 
[1]tepûkenga.ac.nz 

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1. https://www.tepûkenga.ac.nz/
http://www.tepukenga.ac.nz/

[IN-CONFIDENCE - RELEASE EXTERNAL]

Tēnā koe

 

Please find attached a response to your request under the Official
Information Act.

  

Nāku noa, nā,

Official and Parliamentary Information | Ministry of Education | CM

[1]education.govt.nz

He mea tārai e mātou te mātauranga kia rangatira ai, kia mana taurite ai
ōna huanga
We shape an education system that delivers equitable and excellent
outcomes
[2]Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga

 

 

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