30 June 2021
John Luke
[FYI request #15747 email] Dear Mr Luke
Thank you for your email of 11 June 2021, requesting the following information under the
Official Information Act 1982 (the Act):
“I would like to request a list of vacancy (ministerial appointment only, e.g. board
member, Lay member, Trustee etc) that the nomination period has been closed but
still under consideration by the Ministry or relevant Minister.
“In your list, can you please included the date that vacancy been advertised, what
method you have used to publicly advertise the position and when the vacancy been
closed as well.
“Also, I would like to know if you have any future opening in 2021. e.g. the position
that will call for nomination in the year of 2021.
“Generally speaking, how you publicly call for nomination and what platform, e.g
trademe/seek etc you are using to ensure the public awareness of your state sector
board vacancy.”
In response to your request, I can advise that there are four appointed positions where
nominations have been sought by the Minister of Transport in 2021, and the positions
remain under consideration.
Three positions were for representative roles on the Oil Pollution Advisory Committee. The
Minister of Transport sought nominees for each of the three relevant agencies who have
representation on the Board (Department of Conservation, Ministry for the Environment
and Te Puni Kōkiri). Each of these positions were vacated following the resignation of the
previous representative. The Minister sought nominations from each of these agencies on
11 May 2021.
The final position was for a mana whenua representative on the City Centre to Māngere
Light Rail Project Establishment Unit Board. This position was created following the
Minister of Transport’s announcement about the next step for the City Centre to Māngere
Light Rail Project on 31 March 2021:
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/next-steps-
auckland-light-rail-0. The nominations process for this role began in early May 2021.
The advertisements for these roles were sent specifically to the agencies or organisations
responsible for providing the nominations.
The Minister of Transport, along with any other responsible Minister or Shareholders, is
responsible for determining the final process steps for filling any vacancies or openings
within the transport board appointments portfolio. This includes the advertisement process.
Outside of roles delegated to specific organisational representatives, there are currently no
vacancies within the transport portfolio. Recent legislative changes have enabled the Waka
Kotahi NZ Transport Agency Board to increase by one member, and both the Maritime New
Zealand and Civil Aviation Authority Boards to increase by two members.
The Crown and Auckland Council (as joint Shareholders of City Rail Link Limited) have
also agreed to amend the constitution of City Rail Link Limited to enable that Board to
increase by one member. For each of those positions, the Ministry is working with the
Minister of Transport (or responsible shareholders) to determine whether they support
these positions being filled, the desired competencies of the individuals to fill those
positions, and the appropriate process for filling them.
In general, for all appointments advertised publicly, the Ministry recommends the Minister
(or Shareholders) agrees to advertise the position through the Treasury database
(www.boardappointments.co.nz). Links to the advertisement are then published on the
Ministry’s website, LinkedIn, relevant industry bodies (if required by legislation) and sent to
public sector nominating agencies. The five public sector nominating agencies are the
Ministry for Women, Te Puni Kōkiri, Ministry for Pacific Peoples, Office for Disability Issues
and the Office for Ethnic Communities. Their role is to assist with increasing diversity in the
consideration of board appointments.
This response completes your request for information. You have the right under section
28(3) of the Act to make a complaint about the response to the Ombudsman, who can be
contacted at:
[email address]. Yours sincerely
Robert Anderson
Manager, Governance
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