PO Box 14001
Christchurch 8544
New Zealand
Telephone (+64 3) 358 5029
christchurchairport.co.nz
1 September 2023
Mary-Lou Roulston
Email: [FYI request #23696 email]
Tēnā koe Ms Roulston,
OFFICIAL INFORMATION ACT 1982 (OIA) – REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION -
CHRISTCHURCH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT LIMITED (CIAL)
1.
We write further to our email of 08 August 2023, acknowledging receipt of your OIA
request of 04 August 2023 seeking the following information (if held by CIAL) in
relation to ‘Airport lobbying Government’:
Request: Received 02 August – Airport lobbying Government
Could you please share with me the number of employees, contractors or consultants
engaged to provide Local or Central government lobbying paid from the Central Otago
airport project budget whether part or full time engagements.
If required the definition of lobbying is defined in the first paragraph at this link:
Include:
1. The full time equivalent number
2. The head count number
3. The estimated hours of work delivered between 1 Jan 2023 and 31 July 2023 (to +/-
30%)
4. As above, but for the 2022 calendar year.
5. The forward estimate of hours of work planned for the period 14 July 2023 through
to 14 October 2023 (to +/- 30%).
2. With respect to your request, we are unable to provide you with any information in
this regard, given CIAL does not carry out lobbying as per the definition you have
cited, which for ease of reference, we note below:
the term “lobbying” generally describes the practice of engaging in advocacy
activities to influence government policies and decisions.
3. As you may know, CIAL is established as a company owned 75% by the Christchurch
City Holdings Limited which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Christchurch City
Council (Local Government) and 25% by the Minister of Finance and Minister for
State Owned Enterprises (Central Government). As such, it provides regular
briefings and updates to its shareholders, and Christchurch City Council. These do
not meet the definition of lobbying you refer to.
4. As a significant infrastructure business, CIAL is regularly involved in select
committee meetings, public consultation processes, industry bodies, working
groups, trade delegations, public events, and many other engagements where it
meets or interacts with members of central and local government and their officials.
CIAL does not believe these meet the definition of “lobbying” as per the definition
provided by you.
5. We trust we have answered your request for information. If you require any further
information or we have in some way misinterpreted your request, please let us know.
6. You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of the
decisions contained in this letter. Information about how to contact the Ombudsman
or make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone
0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely
CIAL LEGAL TEAM
Email: [Christchurch International Airport Limited request email]
