OIAD-589
Simon Johnson
[FYI request #22210 email]
Tēnā koe Simon
Thank you for your email of 22 March 2023 to the Ministry for the Environment (the Ministry)
requesting the fol owing under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act):
Today you have released a pdf document that consists of the Cabinet paper "A review
of the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme", a terms of reference and a Cabinet
minute of decision. The url address for the release is:
https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fenvironment.
govt.nz%2Fnews%2Freview-underway-of-role-of-nz-ets-in-climate-
response%2F&data=05%7C01%7COIA%40mfe.govt.nz%7C7d09e42ecfb642a8c05908
db2a950d05%7C761dd003d4ff40498a728549b20fcbb1%7C0%7C0%7C63815059188
7546207%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIi
LCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=zSefwi FvL08J9EeIi
BLys1%2Buglu2OP82Ne2EBLjTMI%3D&reserved=0 The documents have a number of
redactions under section (9)(2)(f)(4) of the OIA. I would like to receive a complete
unredacted copy of the three reports. Specifically these paragraphs and points and
recommendations have been redacted. 17 80 81 82 101 102 103 104 107 108 109 110
111 125 part recommendation 10 recommendation 12 recommendation 15
recommendation 16 fourth paragraph of terms of reference p 23 last paragraph of
terms of reference p 24 first and third point terms of reference p 25 minute of decision
second to last point p 27 minute of decision first, fifth and sixth points p 28 I am
therefore requesting the redacted paragraphs and points in the form of an unredacted
set of documents posted to the FYI website. I confirm that I am a New Zealand citizen
and that I am the same Simon Johnson resident in Wel ington who has at times
exchanged OIA emails with the Ministry's ministerial staff.
I am refusing your request under section 9(2)(f)(iv) of the Act 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. The information that has been withheld in
the documents you have requested is stil under active consideration, and the Ministry is
unable to provide you with an unredacted copy at this time. The Ministry will publicly release
the documents you have requested in full once public consultation on the review of the New
Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme begins. This consultation is currently expected to occur in
mid-2023.
In terms of section 9(1) of the Act, I am satisfied that, in the circumstances, the withholding
of this information is not outweighed by other considerations that render it desirable to make
the information available in the public interest.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Office of the Ombudsman of my
decision to withhold information relating to this request, in accordance with section 28(3) of
the Act. The relevant details can be found on their website at:
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz. Please note that, due to the public interest in our work, the Ministry publishes responses to
requests for official information on our
OIA responses page shortly after the response has
been sent. If you have any queries about this, please feel free to contact our Ministerial
Services team:
[email address]. Ngā mihi
James Coombes
Manager – Emissions Pricing Policy
Ministry for the Environment | Manatū Mō Te Taiao
