28 November 2023
Barry Murphy
[FYI request #24395 email]
Tēnā koe Barry
Thank you for your request to Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities, dated 10 November 2023,
which you made through th
e www.fyi.org.nz website. You requested the following information under
the Of icial Information Act 1982 (the Act):
My question is valid and I am concerned you dont wish to answer it.
As you are well aware, Giles Tait registered his conflict of interest on the 7th August; after
being questioned by us. The 7th August was also the date that parliamentary questions were
asked
(https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.parliament.nz%2F
en%2Fpb%2Forder-paper-questions%2Fwritten-
questions%2Fdocument%2FWQ_23323_2023%2F23323-2023-brooke-van-velden-to-the-
minister-of-
housing&data=05%7C01%7Cgrulog%40hnzc.co.nz%7C7be4716eea1f4cf2b98908dbe4a1b8a
8%7C317e9866b1a04fc08dd8373f03f571bd%7C0%7C0%7C638355155461698394%7CUnkn
own%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXV
CI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=s4kB2m3IyFpQV0wy0hjDUF3qO02jLd0m6imYNr
wQRDY%3D&reserved=0)
The excuse that it was made on such date was that it was done because of the annual audit.
The annual audit for the previous two years was done in June, not August.
Emails released under OIA gave reference that the audit had not yet started when Giles
completed the COI on 7th August.
My question stil stands and is a valid request. To assist your team, I am happy to reduce my
requirement to the first 10 days of Augusts, daily stats of COI's.
The table below sets out the Conflict of Interest declarations made by Kāinga Ora employees during
the first eleven days of August 2023. This table includes all declarations made, whether they be
actual, perceived or potential. It also includes those who record "I have nothing to declare", and
instances where a declaration was made, but it was later determined that there was no conflict.
As previously advised, there is no specific month in which Kāinga Ora carries out an audit or is
required to do so. Kāinga Ora does run an annual Public Service and Integrity week in which our
people receive awareness training and are encouraged to make a Conflict of Interest declaration. This
results in an increase in submissions at that time of year.
You have asked for the first 10 days of August. We have included an additional day in the table, which
completes the full Public Service and Integrity week that took place from 7 to 11 August 2023.
Table: Declarations made by Kāinga Ora staff
1-11 August 2023
Number of
Declaration Date Declarations Made
1/08/2023
42
2/08/2023
14
3/08/2023
30
4/08/2023
34
7/08/2023
322
8/08/2023
230
9/08/2023
162
10/08/2023
152
11/08/2023
188
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of my decision on your
request. Information about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
Freephone 0800 802 602.
Please note that Kāinga Ora proactively releases its responses to official information requests where
possible. Our response to your request may be published at
https:/ kaingaora.govt.nz/publications/official-information-requests/, with your personal information
removed.
Nāku noa, nā
Rowan Macrae
GM People Governance and Capability