Kia Ora Mr Laing,
I am writing in response to your correspondence requesting the information
on the following:
1. How many letters and parcels were incorrectly routed to New Zealand by
overseas designated operators for the years of 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and
2022? Where possible, please provide the total quantity and/or weight per
country of origin and overall total for all countries, separately for
letters and parcels.

2. Documents outlining the total amount of transit fees and terminal dues
received by New Zealand Post Limited from designated operators for the
purpose of reforwarding misrouted items in the years 2018, 2019, 2020,
2021 and 2022? If possible, please break this information down by country
or designated operator.

3. What were the net operational losses or profits from the processing and
forwarding of misrouted mail/parcel items for the years 2018, 2019, 2020,
2021, and 2022.

4. Documents outlining current terminal dues rates for New Zealand.

5. Documents outlining transit fees (as outlined in the Transit Compendium
2023) provided by the UPU. If possible, please share the entire Transit
Compendium for 2023.

6. Documents containing information on the UPU's Global Monitoring System
(GMS) for inbound and outbound letters to and from New Zealand for the
past 5 years. If the information is not available, please generate and
provide reports from the GMS Star system for the GMS E2E (end to end)
Distribution of transmission times. If no tests were carried out in the
past 5 years, please provide reports for the 5 most recent years in which
tests were conducted. If similar tests were done with another
organisation, such as the International Postal Corporation, please provide
this too.

7. Same information as in point 6, but for parcels.

8. Any recorded incidents of Remailing, where logistics companies abroad
have attempted to avoid paying higher terminal dues rates by forwarding
bulk commercial mail to New Zealand through another country. If so, please
provide details on the last 5 major incidents, including the responsible
company, the routes used, net weight of the mail and how the mail was
handled upon discovery.

9. Your policies regarding remail, and what happens to the bulk commercial
mail if discovered?

I would like to highlight that, as per the UPU regulations, national
postal services have a universal service obligation to facilitate the
exchange of mail and packages between countries and to ensure that they
are delivered to their correct destination. This includes handling and
correcting routing errors that may occur during the process of sorting and
transporting mail and packages. As the national postal service for New
Zealand, New Zealand Post Limited holds the exclusive rights to provide
this service, and competitors such as DHL Express, New Zealand Couriers
and PBT (to name a few) cannot compete with New Zealand Post in this
regard.

Additionally, it is essential to understand the performance of the
international postal system for the benefit of citizens both in New
Zealand and abroad. By gaining insight into the number of misrouted
parcels, potential issues in the network can be identified and addressed,
leading to increased transparency and accountability. Moreover,
transparency  in information on remail practices and terminal dues rates
could help to ensure that New Zealand taxpayers are not negatively
impacted by inefficiencies or greedy practices abroad, and that
international mail delivery standards are maintained at a high level
Please be advised we are treating this as a request for information under
the Official Information Act 1982. 
This email is to acknowledge that this correspondence was received by New
Zealand Post on the 1 February 2023 and to advise that in accordance with
the act a response to this request will be provided no later than the 2
March 2023.
Ngā mihi,
OIA Officer
NZ Post

This email with any attachment is confidential and may be subject to legal
privilege.

If it is not intended for you please reply immediately, destroy it and do
not copy, disclose or use it in any way.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Mr Laing <[FOI #21689 email]>
Sent: Wednesday, 1 February 2023 2:49 am
To: Oia Officer <[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - Information Regarding Misrouted
Inbound Receptacles, Efficiency for International Routes, Terminal Dues
and Remail
 
Dear New Zealand Post Limited,

I am writing to request information on the following:

1. How many letters and parcels were incorrectly routed to New Zealand by
overseas designated operators for the years of 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and
2022? Where possible, please provide the total quantity and/or weight per
country of origin and overall total for all countries, separately for
letters and parcels.

2. Documents outlining the total amount of transit fees and terminal dues
received by New Zealand Post Limited from designated operators for the
purpose of reforwarding misrouted items in the years 2018, 2019, 2020,
2021 and 2022? If possible, please break this information down by country
or designated operator.

3. What were the net operational losses or profits from the processing and
forwarding of misrouted mail/parcel items for the years 2018, 2019, 2020,
2021, and 2022.

4. Documents outlining current terminal dues rates for New Zealand.

5. Documents outlining transit fees (as outlined in the Transit Compendium
2023) provided by the UPU. If possible, please share the entire Transit
Compendium for 2023.

6. Documents containing information on the UPU's Global Monitoring System
(GMS) for inbound and outbound letters to and from New Zealand for the
past 5 years. If the information is not available, please generate and
provide reports from the GMS Star system for the GMS E2E (end to end)
Distribution of transmission times. If no tests were carried out in the
past 5 years, please provide reports for the 5 most recent years in which
tests were conducted. If similar tests were done with another
organisation, such as the International Postal Corporation, please provide
this too.

7. Same information as in point 6, but for parcels.

8. Any recorded incidents of Remailing, where logistics companies abroad
have attempted to avoid paying higher terminal dues rates by forwarding
bulk commercial mail to New Zealand through another country. If so, please
provide details on the last 5 major incidents, including the responsible
company, the routes used, net weight of the mail and how the mail was
handled upon discovery.

9. Your policies regarding remail, and what happens to the bulk commercial
mail if discovered?

I would like to highlight that, as per the UPU regulations, national
postal services have a universal service obligation to facilitate the
exchange of mail and packages between countries and to ensure that they
are delivered to their correct destination. This includes handling and
correcting routing errors that may occur during the process of sorting and
transporting mail and packages. As the national postal service for New
Zealand, New Zealand Post Limited holds the exclusive rights to provide
this service, and competitors such as DHL Express, New Zealand Couriers
and PBT (to name a few) cannot compete with New Zealand Post in this
regard.

Additionally, it is essential to understand the performance of the
international postal system for the benefit of citizens both in New
Zealand and abroad. By gaining insight into the number of misrouted
parcels, potential issues in the network can be identified and addressed,
leading to increased transparency and accountability. Moreover,
transparency  in information on remail practices and terminal dues rates
could help to ensure that New Zealand taxpayers are not negatively
impacted by inefficiencies or greedy practices abroad, and that
international mail delivery standards are maintained at a high level.

Yours faithfully,

Mr Laing

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #21689 email]

Is [New Zealand Post request email] the wrong address for Official Information
requests to New Zealand Post Limited? If so, please contact us using this
form:
[1]https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://fyi....

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[2]https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://fyi....

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA
page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

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References

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hide quoted sections

Kia Ora Mr Laing,
Further to your request under the Official Information Act dated 01
February 2023 (as detailed in the email below), this email is to give you
notice, in accordance with section 15A (1) (a) of the OIA, that NZ Post
requires an extension of time to be able to provide the information
requested. The reason for the extension is that due to the scope of the
request and the operational resources required to source and collate this
information, meeting the original time limit of 02 March 2023.
We are extending the period in which to provide you information to 14
March 2023 but will endeavour to provide you with the information earlier
if possible.
You have the right under section 28(3) of the OIA to make a complaint to
the Ombudsman about this extension.
Ngā mihi,
OIA Officer
NZ Post

This email with any attachment is confidential and may be subject to legal
privilege.

If it is not intended for you please reply immediately, destroy it and do
not copy, disclose or use it in any way.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Oia Officer <[email address]>
Sent: Thursday, 2 February 2023 3:18 pm
To: Mr Laing <[FOI #21689 email]>
Subject: Re: Official Information request - Information Regarding
Misrouted Inbound Receptacles, Efficiency for International Routes,
Terminal Dues and Remail
 
Kia Ora Mr Laing,
I am writing in response to your correspondence requesting the information
on the following:
1. How many letters and parcels were incorrectly routed to New Zealand by
overseas designated operators for the years of 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and
2022? Where possible, please provide the total quantity and/or weight per
country of origin and overall total for all countries, separately for
letters and parcels.

2. Documents outlining the total amount of transit fees and terminal dues
received by New Zealand Post Limited from designated operators for the
purpose of reforwarding misrouted items in the years 2018, 2019, 2020,
2021 and 2022? If possible, please break this information down by country
or designated operator.

3. What were the net operational losses or profits from the processing and
forwarding of misrouted mail/parcel items for the years 2018, 2019, 2020,
2021, and 2022.

4. Documents outlining current terminal dues rates for New Zealand.

5. Documents outlining transit fees (as outlined in the Transit Compendium
2023) provided by the UPU. If possible, please share the entire Transit
Compendium for 2023.

6. Documents containing information on the UPU's Global Monitoring System
(GMS) for inbound and outbound letters to and from New Zealand for the
past 5 years. If the information is not available, please generate and
provide reports from the GMS Star system for the GMS E2E (end to end)
Distribution of transmission times. If no tests were carried out in the
past 5 years, please provide reports for the 5 most recent years in which
tests were conducted. If similar tests were done with another
organisation, such as the International Postal Corporation, please provide
this too.

7. Same information as in point 6, but for parcels.

8. Any recorded incidents of Remailing, where logistics companies abroad
have attempted to avoid paying higher terminal dues rates by forwarding
bulk commercial mail to New Zealand through another country. If so, please
provide details on the last 5 major incidents, including the responsible
company, the routes used, net weight of the mail and how the mail was
handled upon discovery.

9. Your policies regarding remail, and what happens to the bulk commercial
mail if discovered?

I would like to highlight that, as per the UPU regulations, national
postal services have a universal service obligation to facilitate the
exchange of mail and packages between countries and to ensure that they
are delivered to their correct destination. This includes handling and
correcting routing errors that may occur during the process of sorting and
transporting mail and packages. As the national postal service for New
Zealand, New Zealand Post Limited holds the exclusive rights to provide
this service, and competitors such as DHL Express, New Zealand Couriers
and PBT (to name a few) cannot compete with New Zealand Post in this
regard.

Additionally, it is essential to understand the performance of the
international postal system for the benefit of citizens both in New
Zealand and abroad. By gaining insight into the number of misrouted
parcels, potential issues in the network can be identified and addressed,
leading to increased transparency and accountability. Moreover,
transparency  in information on remail practices and terminal dues rates
could help to ensure that New Zealand taxpayers are not negatively
impacted by inefficiencies or greedy practices abroad, and that
international mail delivery standards are maintained at a high level
Please be advised we are treating this as a request for information under
the Official Information Act 1982. 
This email is to acknowledge that this correspondence was received by New
Zealand Post on the 1 February 2023 and to advise that in accordance with
the act a response to this request will be provided no later than the 2
March 2023.
Ngā mihi,
OIA Officer
NZ Post

This email with any attachment is confidential and may be subject to legal
privilege.

If it is not intended for you please reply immediately, destroy it and do
not copy, disclose or use it in any way.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Mr Laing <[FOI #21689 email]>
Sent: Wednesday, 1 February 2023 2:49 am
To: Oia Officer <[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - Information Regarding Misrouted
Inbound Receptacles, Efficiency for International Routes, Terminal Dues
and Remail
 
Dear New Zealand Post Limited,

I am writing to request information on the following:

1. How many letters and parcels were incorrectly routed to New Zealand by
overseas designated operators for the years of 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and
2022? Where possible, please provide the total quantity and/or weight per
country of origin and overall total for all countries, separately for
letters and parcels.

2. Documents outlining the total amount of transit fees and terminal dues
received by New Zealand Post Limited from designated operators for the
purpose of reforwarding misrouted items in the years 2018, 2019, 2020,
2021 and 2022? If possible, please break this information down by country
or designated operator.

3. What were the net operational losses or profits from the processing and
forwarding of misrouted mail/parcel items for the years 2018, 2019, 2020,
2021, and 2022.

4. Documents outlining current terminal dues rates for New Zealand.

5. Documents outlining transit fees (as outlined in the Transit Compendium
2023) provided by the UPU. If possible, please share the entire Transit
Compendium for 2023.

6. Documents containing information on the UPU's Global Monitoring System
(GMS) for inbound and outbound letters to and from New Zealand for the
past 5 years. If the information is not available, please generate and
provide reports from the GMS Star system for the GMS E2E (end to end)
Distribution of transmission times. If no tests were carried out in the
past 5 years, please provide reports for the 5 most recent years in which
tests were conducted. If similar tests were done with another
organisation, such as the International Postal Corporation, please provide
this too.

7. Same information as in point 6, but for parcels.

8. Any recorded incidents of Remailing, where logistics companies abroad
have attempted to avoid paying higher terminal dues rates by forwarding
bulk commercial mail to New Zealand through another country. If so, please
provide details on the last 5 major incidents, including the responsible
company, the routes used, net weight of the mail and how the mail was
handled upon discovery.

9. Your policies regarding remail, and what happens to the bulk commercial
mail if discovered?

I would like to highlight that, as per the UPU regulations, national
postal services have a universal service obligation to facilitate the
exchange of mail and packages between countries and to ensure that they
are delivered to their correct destination. This includes handling and
correcting routing errors that may occur during the process of sorting and
transporting mail and packages. As the national postal service for New
Zealand, New Zealand Post Limited holds the exclusive rights to provide
this service, and competitors such as DHL Express, New Zealand Couriers
and PBT (to name a few) cannot compete with New Zealand Post in this
regard.

Additionally, it is essential to understand the performance of the
international postal system for the benefit of citizens both in New
Zealand and abroad. By gaining insight into the number of misrouted
parcels, potential issues in the network can be identified and addressed,
leading to increased transparency and accountability. Moreover,
transparency  in information on remail practices and terminal dues rates
could help to ensure that New Zealand taxpayers are not negatively
impacted by inefficiencies or greedy practices abroad, and that
international mail delivery standards are maintained at a high level.

Yours faithfully,

Mr Laing

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #21689 email]

Is [New Zealand Post request email] the wrong address for Official Information
requests to New Zealand Post Limited? If so, please contact us using this
form:
[1]https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://fyi....

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[2]https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://fyi....

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA
page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This email with any attachments is confidential and may be subject to
legal privilege. If it is not intended for you please reply immediately,
destroy it and do not copy, disclose or use it in any way.

References

Visible links
1. https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://fyi....
2. https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://fyi....

hide quoted sections

Kia ora Mr Laing
 
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act (OIA)
regarding misrouted inbound receptacles, efficiency for international
routes, terminal dues and remail. Apologies that we have missed the 20
working day response requirement, we had some key staff away on leave that
delayed our ability to collate all the information requested. The
following answers are numbered to match the numbering of the questions in
your email below.
 

 1. Unfortunately we only captured the information regarding letters and
parcels incorrectly routed to NZ from 2019 onwards so don't have the
data for 2018. Also, given that Out of Course/Missent is such a small
percentage of total activity, it doesn’t warrant the recording of
volume and weight. What we do have is the total amounts charged by for
Out of Course/Missent since 2019 for Letters and Parcels:

 

Year Letters Parcels
2019 $191,119 $18,239
2020 $229,958 $81,746
2021 $212,548 $79,583
2022 $238,308 $41,134

 
As we don't record information about the weight and volume of these items,
this and the 2018 data is not provided under section 18 (e) of the OIA on
the grounds that the document containing this information does not exist.
A breakdown by country is excluded under section 6 (a) of the OIA on the
basis that it could prejudice the international relations of the
Government of New Zealand.
 

 2. Overall we recover about NZ$200,000 per year in missent charges for
letters, and NZ$80,000 for parcels. This represents a very small
percentage of overall revenue. A breakdown by country is not provided
under section 6(a) of the OIA.

 

 3. The processing and forwarding of misrouted mail/parcel items does not
have a separate PNL line. It is effectively a cost of business that we
recoup via UPU regulations.

 

 4. The terminal dues rates are set out in the attached PDF (2023 TDs),
provided by the International Bureau.

 

 5. Please find attached the 2023 Transit Compendium (attached as an excel
spreadsheet).

 

 6. These documents are not held by NZ Post. They are held by the UPU who
is not subject to the OIA.

 

 7. These documents are not held by NZ Post. They are held by the UPU who
is not subject to the OIA.

 

 8. Remail activity over the past four years has been a total of
approximately NZ$700,000 (less than $200,000 per year) and makes up a
very small percentage of total inbound revenue for NZ Post. The names
of the countries involved are withheld under section 6(a) of the OIA.

 

 9. Our policies regarding remail and what happens to the bulk commercial
mail if discovered are as follows:

 
Detection

* Data analytics:  Inbound data is analysed to identify unusual trends
(ie spike in letter weight received)
* Visual inspection: 

* The team responsible for tipping mail have been trained to identify
remail
* Sampling: a proportion of our letter product is sampled for item
count, and the sampling team identify a number of abnormalities
including remail

* Once remail has been suspected, alerts are added to the IT system to
flag any future mail product from that administration for evaluation

 
Evidence Collection
Suspected remail product is managed by a specialised team at the
International Mail Centre to obtain sufficient evidence (receptacle id,
photos, item count, weight) for escalation to the overseas administration.
 
Penalty Rates
The UPU regulations provides a series of options for the application of
penalty rates, ranging from charging Group 1 rates to 80% of Domestic
tariffs.    Each instance of remail is unique, and a case-by-case
assessment is undertaken by the Business Advisory team and the
International Relations and Policy team to determine the most appropriate
course of action.
 
Escalation & Resolution
With the assistance of the International Relations and Policy team,
suspected remail activity is escalated to the overseas administration, and
a resolution sought.
 
 
Regarding the final two paragraphs of your email below, we would note that
NZ Post fulfils our universal service obligation to facilitate the
exchange of mail and packages between countries and we go to great lengths
to ensure that they are delivered to their correct destination. We regard
this as part of our obligations as a Designated Operator under the UPU,
and don't view this is a service. We would also note that re-directing
missent items makes up only a very small percentage of total volumes.
 
 
You have the right under section 28(3) of the OIA to complaint to the
Ombudsman over our decision to withhold certain information.
 
Nga mihi
 

OIA Officer
 
Level 1, 7WQ, 7 Waterloo Quay, Wellington 6011
nzpost.co.nz
 
[1][IMG]
 
 
This email with any attachment is confidential and may be subject to legal
privilege.
If it is not intended for you please reply immediately, destroy it and do
not copy, disclose or use it in any way.

 
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Mr Laing <[FYI request #21689 email]>
Sent: Wednesday, 1 February 2023 2:50 AM
To: Oia Officer <[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - Information Regarding Misrouted
Inbound Receptacles, Efficiency for International Routes, Terminal Dues
and Remail
 
Dear New Zealand Post Limited,
 
I am writing to request information on the following:
 
1. How many letters and parcels were incorrectly routed to New Zealand by
overseas designated operators for the years of 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and
2022? Where possible, please provide the total quantity and/or weight per
country of origin and overall total for all countries, separately for
letters and parcels.
 
2. Documents outlining the total amount of transit fees and terminal dues
received by New Zealand Post Limited from designated operators for the
purpose of reforwarding misrouted items in the years 2018, 2019, 2020,
2021 and 2022? If possible, please break this information down by country
or designated operator.
 
3. What were the net operational losses or profits from the processing and
forwarding of misrouted mail/parcel items for the years 2018, 2019, 2020,
2021, and 2022.
 
4. Documents outlining current terminal dues rates for New Zealand.
 
5. Documents outlining transit fees (as outlined in the Transit Compendium
2023) provided by the UPU. If possible, please share the entire Transit
Compendium for 2023.
 
6. Documents containing information on the UPU's Global Monitoring System
(GMS) for inbound and outbound letters to and from New Zealand for the
past 5 years. If the information is not available, please generate and
provide reports from the GMS Star system for the GMS E2E (end to end)
Distribution of transmission times. If no tests were carried out in the
past 5 years, please provide reports for the 5 most recent years in which
tests were conducted. If similar tests were done with another
organisation, such as the International Postal Corporation, please provide
this too.
 
7. Same information as in point 6, but for parcels.
 
8. Any recorded incidents of Remailing, where logistics companies abroad
have attempted to avoid paying higher terminal dues rates by forwarding
bulk commercial mail to New Zealand through another country. If so, please
provide details on the last 5 major incidents, including the responsible
company, the routes used, net weight of the mail and how the mail was
handled upon discovery.
 
9. Your policies regarding remail, and what happens to the bulk commercial
mail if discovered?
 
I would like to highlight that, as per the UPU regulations, national
postal services have a universal service obligation to facilitate the
exchange of mail and packages between countries and to ensure that they
are delivered to their correct destination. This includes handling and
correcting routing errors that may occur during the process of sorting and
transporting mail and packages. As the national postal service for New
Zealand, New Zealand Post Limited holds the exclusive rights to provide
this service, and competitors such as DHL Express, New Zealand Couriers
and PBT (to name a few) cannot compete with New Zealand Post in this
regard.
 
Additionally, it is essential to understand the performance of the
international postal system for the benefit of citizens both in New
Zealand and abroad. By gaining insight into the number of misrouted
parcels, potential issues in the network can be identified and addressed,
leading to increased transparency and accountability. Moreover,
transparency  in information on remail practices and terminal dues rates
could help to ensure that New Zealand taxpayers are not negatively
impacted by inefficiencies or greedy practices abroad, and that
international mail delivery standards are maintained at a high level.
 
Yours faithfully,
 
Mr Laing
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------
 
This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.
 
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[2][FYI request #21689 email]
 
Is [3][New Zealand Post request email] the wrong address for Official Information
requests to New Zealand Post Limited? If so, please contact us using this
form:
[4]https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://fyi....
 
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[5]https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://fyi....
 
If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA
page.
 
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------
 
This email with any attachments is confidential and may be subject to
legal privilege. If it is not intended for you please reply immediately,
destroy it and do not copy, disclose or use it in any way.

References

Visible links
1. https://www.nzpost.co.nz/
2. mailto:[FYI request #21689 email]
3. mailto:[New Zealand Post request email]
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5. https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://fyi....

hide quoted sections

Kia ora Mr Laing

We will review your requests for further information and respond to you by no later than 11 April 2023.

Kind regards,

OIA Officer
NZ Post

Level 1, 7WQ, 7 Waterloo Quay, Wellington 6011

nzpost.co.nz

-----Original Message-----
From: Mr Laing <[FOI #21689 email]>
Sent: Saturday, 11 March 2023 6:45 PM
To: Oia Officer <[email address]>
Subject: RE: Official Information request - Information Regarding Misrouted Inbound Receptacles, Efficiency for International Routes, Terminal Dues and Remail

Dear Oia Officer,

Thank you for your response to my Official Information Act request. While I appreciate the information provided, I would like to request further clarification on certain sections of the information and challenge the decision to withhold certain information.

Question 1
I question the reason provided for not recording the volume and weight of misrouted items: "Also, given that Out of Course/Missent is such a small percentage of total activity, it doesn’t warrant the recording of volume and weight." This reason raises questions about how the costs of misrouted items are recuperated without the recording of weights/volumes. It is important to note that the UPU requires Designated Operators, including New Zealand Post, to fill in and submit forms such as CN 43, CN 65, CN 67, and CP 78. It is possible that the information requested in my FOI request lies within those forms. If those forms are no longer available to NZ Post, then it raises further questions about the record-keeping practices of NZ Post and the UPU. Therefore, I request that NZ Post provide any information they have regarding the misrouted items in question, including any relevant UPU forms or records that may contain the requested information.

Question 6 & 7
In your response to questions 6 and 7, you stated that the requested information is not held by NZ Post and that the UPU is not subject to the OIA. However, section 2(5) of the OIA deems any information held by an independent contractor engaged by an agency to be held by the agency for the purposes of the OIA. The OIA guidelines further clarify that information held by independent contractors to an agency, which includes "individuals, companies or other organisations", is deemed to be held by the agency. As the UPU is a contracted organisation to NZ Post Limited, it is reasonable to assume that any information held by the UPU that is necessary for NZ Post's business is deemed to be held by NZ Post and is subject to the OIA.

Furthermore, the requested information pertains to the Global Monitoring System (GMS), which is a program designed to monitor and ensure the quality of inbound and outbound recepticles to New Zealand. Participation in this program has an effect on New Zealand's terminal due rates, which are of public interest. The GMS reports requested were generated for NZ Post at the request and expense of NZ Post. Therefore, there appears to be no good reason for withholding this information and it should be provided to the requester in accordance with the OIA.

Question 8
In response to question 8, the information given does not match the information requested. Please provide reasons for not providing the information which was ignored in this question.

Excluded Information Under Section 6(a)
Finally, I would like to request further explanation for the exclusion of information under section 6(a) of the OIA. As per section 21(1) of the OIA, I am entitled to request further explanation or reasons for a decision to withhold information. Specifically, under section 23(1)(a), (b), and (c) of the OIA, I would like to request the following information: (a) the findings on material issues of fact; (b) a reference to the information on which the findings were based, subject to subsection (2A); and (c) the reasons for the decision or recommendation. I believe that providing this additional information will assist me in understanding the decision to withhold the requested information and whether it is justified under the provisions of the OIA. Therefore, I request that NZ Post provide me with the specified information as soon as possible.

Thank you for your assistance with this request. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours sincerely,

Mr Laing

-----Original Message-----

Kia ora Mr Laing

Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act (OIA) regarding misrouted inbound receptacles, efficiency for international routes, terminal dues and remail. Apologies that we have missed the 20 working day response requirement, we had some key staff away on leave that delayed our ability to collate all the information requested. The following answers are numbered to match the numbering of the questions in your email below.

1. Unfortunately we only captured the information regarding letters and parcels incorrectly routed to NZ from 2019 onwards so don't have the data for 2018. Also, given that Out of Course/Missent is such a small percentage of total activity, it doesn’t warrant the recording of volume and weight. What we do have is the total amounts charged by for Out of Course/Missent since 2019 for Letters and Parcels:

Year Letters Parcels
2019 $191,119 $18,239
2020 $229,958 $81,746
2021 $212,548 $79,583
2022 $238,308 $41,134

As we don't record information about the weight and volume of these items, this and the 2018 data is not provided under section 18 (e) of the OIA on the grounds that the document containing this information does not exist.
A breakdown by country is excluded under section 6 (a) of the OIA on the basis that it could prejudice the international relations of the Government of New Zealand.

2. Overall we recover about NZ$200,000 per year in missent charges for letters, and NZ$80,000 for parcels. This represents a very small percentage of overall revenue. A breakdown by country is not provided under section 6(a) of the OIA.

3. The processing and forwarding of misrouted mail/parcel items does not have a separate PNL line. It is effectively a cost of business that we recoup via UPU regulations.

4. The terminal dues rates are set out in the attached PDF (2023 TDs), provided by the International Bureau.

5. Please find attached the 2023 Transit Compendium (attached as an excel spreadsheet).

6. These documents are not held by NZ Post. They are held by the UPU who is not subject to the OIA.

7. These documents are not held by NZ Post. They are held by the UPU who is not subject to the OIA.

8. Remail activity over the past four years has been a total of approximately NZ$700,000 (less than $200,000 per year) and makes up a very small percentage of total inbound revenue for NZ Post. The names of the countries involved are withheld under section 6(a) of the OIA.

9. Our policies regarding remail and what happens to the bulk commercial mail if discovered are as follows:

Detection

* Data analytics: Inbound data is analysed to identify unusual trends (ie spike in letter weight received)
* Visual inspection:

* The team responsible for tipping mail have been trained to identify remail
* Sampling: a proportion of our letter product is sampled for item count, and the sampling team identify a number of abnormalities including remail

* Once remail has been suspected, alerts are added to the IT system to flag any future mail product from that administration for evaluation

Evidence Collection
Suspected remail product is managed by a specialised team at the International Mail Centre to obtain sufficient evidence (receptacle id, photos, item count, weight) for escalation to the overseas administration.

Penalty Rates
The UPU regulations provides a series of options for the application of penalty rates, ranging from charging Group 1 rates to 80% of Domestic tariffs. Each instance of remail is unique, and a case-by-case assessment is undertaken by the Business Advisory team and the International Relations and Policy team to determine the most appropriate course of action.

Escalation & Resolution
With the assistance of the International Relations and Policy team, suspected remail activity is escalated to the overseas administration, and a resolution sought.

Regarding the final two paragraphs of your email below, we would note that NZ Post fulfils our universal service obligation to facilitate the exchange of mail and packages between countries and we go to great lengths to ensure that they are delivered to their correct destination. We regard this as part of our obligations as a Designated Operator under the UPU, and don't view this is a service. We would also note that re-directing missent items makes up only a very small percentage of total volumes.

You have the right under section 28(3) of the OIA to complaint to the Ombudsman over our decision to withhold certain information.

Nga mihi

OIA Officer

Level 1, 7WQ, 7 Waterloo Quay, Wellington 6011 nzpost.co.nz

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Kia ora Mr Laing

 

In relation to questions 6 and 7 we have requested from the UPU their
Parcels Performance Reports from the QCS Mail Reporting Service, and the
attached Quality of Service (QoS) reports show about 5 years’ worth of New
Zealand’s inbound delivery performance for parcels and letters.

 

Beyond this additional information we stand by our initial responses, and
reiterate that if you have a concern regarding our decision to withhold
certain information, you can raise this with the Ombudsman.

 

Ngā mihi

Kirstin

 

OIA Officer

 
Level 1, 7WQ, 7 Waterloo Quay, Wellington 6011
nzpost.co.nz

 
[1][IMG]
 

 

This email with any attachment is confidential and may be subject to legal
privilege.

If it is not intended for you please reply immediately, destroy it and do
not copy, disclose or use it in any way.

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Mr Laing <[FOI #21689 email]>
Sent: Saturday, 11 March 2023 6:45 PM
To: Oia Officer <[email address]>
Subject: RE: Official Information request - Information Regarding
Misrouted Inbound Receptacles, Efficiency for International Routes,
Terminal Dues and Remail

 

Dear Oia Officer,

 

Thank you for your response to my Official Information Act request. While
I appreciate the information provided, I would like to request further
clarification on certain sections of the information and challenge the
decision to withhold certain information.

 

Question 1

I question the reason provided for not recording the volume and weight of
misrouted items: "Also, given that Out of Course/Missent is such a small
percentage of total activity, it doesn’t warrant the recording of volume
and weight." This reason raises questions about how the costs of misrouted
items are recuperated without the recording of weights/volumes. It is
important to note that the UPU requires Designated Operators, including
New Zealand Post, to fill in and submit forms such as CN 43, CN 65, CN 67,
and CP 78. It is possible that the information requested in my FOI request
lies within those forms. If those forms are no longer available to NZ
Post, then it raises further questions about the record-keeping practices
of NZ Post and the UPU. Therefore, I request that NZ Post provide any
information they have regarding the misrouted items in question, including
any relevant UPU forms or records that may contain the requested
information.

 

Question 6 & 7

In your response to questions 6 and 7, you stated that the requested
information is not held by NZ Post and that the UPU is not subject to the
OIA. However, section 2(5) of the OIA deems any information held by an
independent contractor engaged by an agency to be held by the agency for
the purposes of the OIA. The OIA guidelines further clarify that
information held by independent contractors to an agency, which includes
"individuals, companies or other organisations", is deemed to be held by
the agency. As the UPU is a contracted organisation to NZ Post Limited, it
is reasonable to assume that any information held by the UPU that is
necessary for NZ Post's business is deemed to be held by NZ Post and is
subject to the OIA.

 

Furthermore, the requested information pertains to the Global Monitoring
System (GMS), which is a program designed to monitor and ensure the
quality of inbound and outbound recepticles to New Zealand. Participation
in this program has an effect on New Zealand's terminal due rates, which
are of public interest. The GMS reports requested were generated for NZ
Post at the request and expense of NZ Post. Therefore, there appears to be
no good reason for withholding this information and it should be provided
to the requester in accordance with the OIA.

 

Question 8

In response to question 8, the information given does not match the
information requested. Please provide reasons for not providing the
information which was ignored in this question.

 

Excluded Information Under Section 6(a)

Finally, I would like to request further explanation for the exclusion of
information under section 6(a) of the OIA. As per section 21(1) of the
OIA, I am entitled to request further explanation or reasons for a
decision to withhold information. Specifically, under section 23(1)(a),
(b), and (c) of the OIA, I would like to request the following
information: (a) the findings on material issues of fact; (b) a reference
to the information on which the findings were based, subject to subsection
(2A); and (c) the reasons for the decision or recommendation. I believe
that providing this additional information will assist me in understanding
the decision to withhold the requested information and whether it is
justified under the provisions of the OIA. Therefore, I request that NZ
Post provide me with the specified information as soon as possible.

 

Thank you for your assistance with this request. I look forward to hearing
from you soon.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Mr Laing

 

-----Original Message-----

 

Kia ora Mr Laing

 

Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act (OIA) 
regarding misrouted inbound receptacles, efficiency for international 
routes, terminal dues and remail. Apologies that we have missed the 20 
working day response requirement, we had some key staff away on leave
that  delayed our ability to collate all the information requested. The 
following answers are numbered to match the numbering of the questions in 
your email below.

 

 

 1. Unfortunately we only captured the information regarding letters and 
parcels incorrectly routed to NZ from 2019 onwards so don't have the  data
for 2018. Also, given that Out of Course/Missent is such a small 
percentage of total activity, it doesn’t warrant the recording of  volume
and weight. What we do have is the total amounts charged by for  Out of
Course/Missent since 2019 for Letters and Parcels:

 

 

 

Year Letters Parcels

2019 $191,119 $18,239

2020 $229,958 $81,746

2021 $212,548 $79,583

2022 $238,308 $41,134

 

 

As we don't record information about the weight and volume of these
items,  this and the 2018 data is not provided under section 18 (e) of the
OIA on  the grounds that the document containing this information does not
exist.

A breakdown by country is excluded under section 6 (a) of the OIA on the 
basis that it could prejudice the international relations of the 
Government of New Zealand.

 

 

 2. Overall we recover about NZ$200,000 per year in missent charges for 
letters, and NZ$80,000 for parcels. This represents a very small 
percentage of overall revenue. A breakdown by country is not provided 
under section 6(a) of the OIA.

 

 

 

 3. The processing and forwarding of misrouted mail/parcel items does not 
have a separate PNL line. It is effectively a cost of business that we 
recoup via UPU regulations.

 

 

 

 4. The terminal dues rates are set out in the attached PDF (2023 TDs), 
provided by the International Bureau.

 

 

 

 5. Please find attached the 2023 Transit Compendium (attached as an
excel  spreadsheet).

 

 

 

 6. These documents are not held by NZ Post. They are held by the UPU who 
is not subject to the OIA.

 

 

 

 7. These documents are not held by NZ Post. They are held by the UPU who 
is not subject to the OIA.

 

 

 

 8. Remail activity over the past four years has been a total of 
approximately NZ$700,000 (less than $200,000 per year) and makes up a 
very small percentage of total inbound revenue for NZ Post. The names  of
the countries involved are withheld under section 6(a) of the OIA.

 

 

 

 9. Our policies regarding remail and what happens to the bulk commercial 
mail if discovered are as follows:

 

 

Detection

 

* Data analytics:  Inbound data is analysed to identify unusual trends 
(ie spike in letter weight received)

* Visual inspection: 

 

* The team responsible for tipping mail have been trained to identify 
remail

* Sampling: a proportion of our letter product is sampled for item  count,
and the sampling team identify a number of abnormalities  including remail

 

* Once remail has been suspected, alerts are added to the IT system to 
flag any future mail product from that administration for evaluation

 

 

Evidence Collection

Suspected remail product is managed by a specialised team at the 
International Mail Centre to obtain sufficient evidence (receptacle id, 
photos, item count, weight) for escalation to the overseas administration.

 

Penalty Rates

The UPU regulations provides a series of options for the application of 
penalty rates, ranging from charging Group 1 rates to 80% of Domestic 
tariffs.    Each instance of remail is unique, and a case-by-case 
assessment is undertaken by the Business Advisory team and the 
International Relations and Policy team to determine the most appropriate 
course of action.

 

Escalation & Resolution

With the assistance of the International Relations and Policy team, 
suspected remail activity is escalated to the overseas administration,
and  a resolution sought.

 

 

Regarding the final two paragraphs of your email below, we would note
that  NZ Post fulfils our universal service obligation to facilitate the 
exchange of mail and packages between countries and we go to great
lengths  to ensure that they are delivered to their correct destination.
We regard  this as part of our obligations as a Designated Operator under
the UPU,  and don't view this is a service. We would also note that
re-directing  missent items makes up only a very small percentage of total
volumes.

 

 

You have the right under section 28(3) of the OIA to complaint to the 
Ombudsman over our decision to withhold certain information.

 

Nga mihi

 

 

OIA Officer

 

Level 1, 7WQ, 7 Waterloo Quay, Wellington 6011  nzpost.co.nz

 

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This email with any attachment is confidential and may be subject to
legal  privilege.

If it is not intended for you please reply immediately, destroy it and do 
not copy, disclose or use it in any way.

 

 

 

 

 

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