Reference: 20230009
20 March 2023
Dear I Brown
Thank you for your Official Information Act request, received on 11 January 2023. You
requested the following:
1.
A full copy of the report T2020/3411, entitled Treasury Report: Justice
baseline review final report; and
2.
Any other baseline reports, other type of report, or analyses, involving
consideration of referral to legal aid for the years 2018-2022 inclusive; and
3.
Any other baseline reports, other type of report, or analyses, involving
consideration of referral to crown, departmental, and police prosecutions,
whether considered or referred to separately or jointly, for the years 2018-
2022 inclusive.
On 26 January 2023 Treasury attempted to contact you asking you to clarify what was
meant by “consideration of referral” to legal aid and to crown, departmental and police
prosecutions.
In the absence of clarification, we have interpreted part 2 and 3 of your request as any
significant analysis Treasury has undertaken on legal aid and the Public Defence,
Police Prosecution and Crown Prosecution Services between 2018 to 2022.
On 2 February 2023 we extended the timeframe for responding by 25 working days.
Information being released
Please find enclosed the following documents:
Item Date
Document Description
Decision
Treasury Report T2020/3411: Justice Baseline
1. 22 December 2020
Release in part
Review, Final Report
MoJ Baseline Review – Analytical Report for
Parts that are in scope
2. February 2021
Officials
are released in part
Treasury Report T2021/3094: Justice Cluster
3. 17 February 2022
Release in part
Spending Review Final Report
Justice Cluster Spending Review – Analytical
Parts that are in scope
4. August 2022
Report (FINAL)
are released in part
1 The Terrace
PO Box 3724
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
tel. +64-4-472-2733
https://treasury.govt.nz
I have decided to release the relevant parts of the documents listed above, subject to
information being withheld under one or more of the following sections of the Official
Information Act, as applicable:
•
under section 9(2)(g)(ii) – to maintain the effective conduct of public affairs
through protecting Ministers, members of government organisations, officers and
employees from improper pressure or harassment
•
under section 9(2)(f)(iv) – to maintain the current constitutional conventions
protecting the confidentiality of advice tendered by Ministers and officials
•
under section 9(2)(g)(i) – to maintain the effective conduct of public affairs
through the free and frank expression of opinions
•
under section 9(2)(j) – to enable the Crown to negotiate without prejudice or
disadvantage, and
•
under section 9(2)(k) – to prevent the disclosure of information for improper gain
or improper advantage.
Some information has been redacted because it is not covered by the scope of your
request.
Please note that this letter (with your personal details removed) and enclosed
documents may be published on the Treasury website.
This reply addresses the information you requested. You have the right to ask the
Ombudsman to investigate and review my decision.
Yours sincerely
Colin Hall
Manager, Justice, Security and Government Services
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