OC221080
25 January 2023
Jack GN
[FYI request #21277 email]
Tēnā koe Jack,
I refer to your email dated 28 November 2022, requesting the following under the Official
Information Act 1982 (the Act):
“I wish to have access to any analysis which has been done on the development of
high-speed rail networks connecting major New Zealand towns and cities, including
but not limited to cost-benefit analyses, environmental impacts, comparisons and
impacts on road, air and sea travel.”
This request was transferred to Te Manatū Waka Ministry of Transport from the Treasury on
7 December 2022.
Two documents fall within the scope of your request and are detailed in the document
schedule attached as Annex 1. The schedule outlines how the documents you requested
have been treated under the Act.
All documents are being withheld under section 9(2)(f)(iv) of the Official Information Act
1982, in order to maintain the constitutional conventions for the time being which protect the
confidentiality of advice tendered by Ministers of the Crown and officials
With regard to the information that has been withheld under section 9 of the Act, I am
satisfied that the reasons for withholding the information at this time are not outweighed by
public interest considerations that would make it desirable to make the information available.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review of this response by the Ombudsman,
in accordance with section 28(3) of the Act. The relevant details can be found on the
Ombudsman’s websit
e www.ombudsman.parliament.nz
The Ministry publishes our Official Information Act responses and the information contained
in our reply to you may be published on the Ministry website. Before publishing we will
remove any personal or identifiable information.
Nāku noa, nā
Jessica Ranger
Manager Placemaking and Urban Development
Annex 1 - Document Schedule
Doc# Date
Document
Decision on release
1
20 June 2022
Hamilton-Auckland
Withheld in full under Section
Interconnectivity Project:
9(2)(f)(iv).
Integrated Transport and
Land Use Study
2
6 October 2022
Hamilton to Auckland
Withheld in full under Section
Intercity Connectivity
9(2)(f)(iv).
Project: Project Indicative
Business Case