Employment of Tania McInnes since the 2019 Local Government election
dave hookway made this Official Information request to Far North District Council
The request was successful.
From: dave hookway
Dear Far North District Council,
I wish to know, yes or no, if Tania McInnes or any company/agency she is employed/contracted by, has received any payment from the Far North District Council for work not associated with her previous councillor role, since the 2019 Local Government election.
If the answer is yes, then I wish to know the nature of the work associated with such payment. .
Yours faithfully,
dave hookway
From: Ask Us Team
Far North District Council
Thank you for contacting the Far North District Council. We have received
your message and a member of our customer service team will issue a
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If you feel that your enquiry requires urgent attention, please contact us
on our service number 0800 920 029 or 09 401 5200 – available 24 hours a
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From: Ask Us Team
Far North District Council
Kia ora Dave
Thank you for your request received 30 April 2020 5:12:26 p.m.
Your request has been referred to our legal services. We will endeavour
to provide a full response within 20 working days. We will be in touch if
there is an issue meeting this timeframe.
If you need to contact us again about this request, please quote your
customer reference RFS-4004530.
Nga mihi,
Vicki Hamilton
[1][IMG] Ask Us Team
District Services
Far North District Council
09 401 5200 or 24-hour Contact Centre 0800 920 029 |
[2][Far North District Council request email]
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From: Erica Cooney
Far North District Council
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Dave Hookway
By email only to: [FOI #12740 email]
Tēnā koe Mr Hookway
Official information request - RFS 4004530
I refer to your information request received 1 May 2020, which has been
referred to Legal Services for consideration, in accordance with the
provisions of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act
1987 (“the LGOIMA”).
Information request
You asked the Far North District Council (the ‘Council’) whether “Tania
McInnes or any company/agency she is employed/contracted by, has received
any payment from the Far North District Council for work not associated
with her previous councillor role, since the 2019 Local Government
election.”
If the answer was yes – then you sought information on the “nature of the
work associated with such payment”.
Council response
In requests for access to information held by local authorities, section
10(2) of the LGOIMA requires that in order to be a valid request “The
official information requested shall be specified with due particularity
in the request.” A request that lacks due particularity is considered not
be valid, and the requirements of the LGOIMA do not apply, (including the
relevant timeframes). A requester of official information is obliged to be
as specific as they can be, and to be open in identifying the information
sought. It is also encouraged that the requester communicate with the
agency, and help the person responsible for answering the request to
understand the exact nature of what is being sought.
On receiving your request, the Council noted it was problematic as Council
was unable to reasonably identify what information was being requested -
in order to conduct an accurate search and be in a position to be able to
respond. Consequently clarification was promptly sought from you. Council
endeavoured to resolve this issue in its email to you dated 5 May 2020, by
asking “at your earliest convenience […] please provide us with the
name(s) of any company/entity/agency that Ms McInnes has been involved
in/employed by or contracted to”. Unfortunately, no clarification of the
request has been received to date.
Council was of the view that your original request needed to be clarified
or amended to enable us to respond. Accordingly, pursuant to section 10(2)
of the LGOIMA, Council has decided that it is unable to grant your request
as it stands.
If you wish to submit a fresh valid LGOIMA request (i.e. specified with
‘due particularity’), Council would be more than happy to consider it.
You have the right to seek a review by the Ombudsman of this decision.
Information about how to make a complaint is available at
[1]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or Freephone 0800 802 602.
Thank you for your enquiry
[2]FNDC-swishNāku, nā
[3]fndc-logo-colour_email-sig Erica Cooney
Solicitor
Corporate Services, Far North District
Council | 24-hour Contact Centre 0800 920
029
[email address]
[4]Website | [5]Facebook
| [6]LinkedIn | [7]Careers
[8]covid_2
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Get it done online at your convenience, visit our website -
www.fndc.govt.nz
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Far North District Council | Te Kaunihera o Tai Tokerau Ki Te Raki
Ph. 09 401 5200 | Fax. 09 401 2137 | Email. [Far North District Council request email]
Address. Memorial Avenue, Private Bag 752, Kaikohe 0440, New Zealand
Please consider the environment before printing this email.
References
Visible links
1. https://apc01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
3. http://www.fndc.govt.nz/
4. http://www.fndc.govt.nz/
5. http://www.facebook.com/FarNorthDistrict...
6. http://www.linkedin.com/company/far-nort...
7. http://fndc.govt.applyfirst.net/
8. https://covid19.govt.nz/
From: dave hookway
Dear Erica Cooney,
My original request asked if Tania McInnes had been employed by the FNDC. You have chosen not to answer this and present further questions. I asked whether Ms McInnes received any payments from the FNDC and so would like this answered please.
Yours sincerely,
dave hookway
From: Erica Cooney
Far North District Council
Dave Hookway
By email only to: [1] [FOI #12740 email]
Tçnâ koe e Mr Hookway
Official Information Request: RFS 4032344
Thank you for your official information request received 3 November 2020,
and for your time this afternoon discussing what information you are
seeking. The matter has been referred to Legal Services for consideration
in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Official
Information and Meetings Act 1987 (the ‘LGOIMA’). A response will be
provided to you as soon as reasonably practicable, and no later than 20
working days (as defined in the LGOIMA) after the day on which the request
is received.
As noted, although this LGOIMA request relates to a previous one (RFS
4004530), Council has decided to manage it as a fresh query. It has
therefore assigned it a new reference number. Please quote our reference
RFS 4032331 for any further enquiries relating to it.
I understand that you are asking:
1. of Council’s Senior Management Team and CEO - whether to the best of
their knowledge has Tania McInnes been employed (directly or
indirectly via her Company) by the Far North District Council for work
not associated with her previous councillor role, since the 2019 Local
Government election?
2. If so, how much has she been paid? (Although you acknowledge this
information may be withheld as provided for under the LGOIMA.)
3. If so, what is the nature of the work associated with such payment?
You noted that you are aware Ms McInnes has a Company, and you were going
to let me know the name of it on Monday 9 November 2020 - so that Council
can check whether any payments have been made to the Company.
Please let me know as soon as you are able, whether the above captures the
information you are asking for, or whether any amendments need be made.
Thank you for your enquiry, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Nâku iti noa, nâ
Erica Cooney
[2]fndc-logo-colour_email-sig Erica Cooney
Solicitor
Corporate Services, Far North District
Council | 24-hour Contact Centre 0800 920
029
[email address]
[3]Website | [4]Facebook
| [5]LinkedIn | [6]Careers
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Get it done online at your convenience, visit our website -
www.fndc.govt.nz
show quoted sections
Far North District Council | Te Kaunihera o Tai Tokerau Ki Te Raki
Ph. 09 401 5200 | Fax. 09 401 2137 | Email. [Far North District Council request email]
Address. Memorial Avenue, Private Bag 752, Kaikohe 0440, New Zealand
Please consider the environment before printing this email.
References
Visible links
1. mailto:%20[FOI #12740 email]
2. http://www.fndc.govt.nz/
3. http://www.fndc.govt.nz/
4. http://www.facebook.com/FarNorthDistrict...
5. http://www.linkedin.com/company/far-nort...
6. http://fndc.govt.applyfirst.net/
From: dave hookway
Dear Erica Cooney,
Thank you for your telephone conversation last Wednesday evening.
To respond to your additional request - the company information for Tania McInnes is "Gbt Ventures Limited".
However, I must also amend (as you have done) my request to include the council's trading arm - Far North Holdings (and their senior management knowledge of employment).
I hope this clarifies my request. I note that this should have continued to be part of the original LGOIMA request as you have only sought clarification.
Yours sincerely,
dave hookway
From: Erica Cooney
Far North District Council
Tēnā koe e Mr Hookway - many thanks for your email of this afternoon, clarifying your request.
The date Council received your official information request has been noted as 3 November 2020, and we look forward to responding to it pursuant to the LGOIMA.
Nāku noa, nā
Erica Cooney
Solicitor
Corporate Services, Far North District Council
[email address]
www.fndc.govt.nz
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From: Erica Cooney
Far North District Council
Dave Hookway
By email only: [FOI #12740 email]
Tçnâ koe e Mr Hookway
Official information request: RFS 4032344
I refer to your information request received 3 November 2020, which has
been referred to Legal Services for consideration, in accordance with the
provisions of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act
1987 (‘the LGOIMA’).
Information request
You asked:
1. the respective Chief Executives and Senior Management Teams
of Far North District Council (‘Council’) and it’s Council Controlled
Organisation - Far North Holdings Limited (‘FNHL’), whether Ms Tania
McInnes has been employed directly, or indirectly via her company Gbt
Ventures Limited - by either organisation since the 2019 Local Government
election for any work (not associated with her previous councillor role).
2. If so, how much has she been paid?
3. If so, what is the nature of the work associated with such
payment?
Council response
1. Council states– No, it has not employed either Ms McInnes
directly, nor via her company Gbt Ventures Limited, in any capacity since
the 2019 Local Government election for any work (not associated with her
previous councillor role.)
2. Not applicable, please see above.
3. Also not applicable, please see above.
Given that you have submitted the same information request to FNHL,
Council notes that FNHL will respond to you directly - as it is best
placed to answer your request.
Thank you for your enquiry.
Nâku iti noa, nâ
Erica Cooney
[1]fndc-logo-colour_email-sig Erica Cooney
Solicitor
Corporate Services, Far North District
Council | 24-hour Contact Centre 0800 920
029
[2][email address]
[3]Website | [4]Facebook
| [5]LinkedIn | [6]Careers
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Get it done online at your convenience, visit our website -
www.fndc.govt.nz
show quoted sections
Far North District Council | Te Kaunihera o Tai Tokerau Ki Te Raki
Ph. 09 401 5200 | Fax. 09 401 2137 | Email. [Far North District Council request email]
Address. Memorial Avenue, Private Bag 752, Kaikohe 0440, New Zealand
Please consider the environment before printing this email.
References
Visible links
1. http://www.fndc.govt.nz/
2. mailto:[email address]
3. http://www.fndc.govt.nz/
4. http://www.facebook.com/FarNorthDistrict...
5. http://www.linkedin.com/company/far-nort...
6. http://fndc.govt.applyfirst.net/
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Ryan left an annotation ()
I would suggest the substantive response to this request is being withheld and should be released in part pending any additional aspect or further clarification. Such a simple question deserves a simple answer.
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