22 February 2024
Ohakune Ratepayers and Residents' Society Inc
[FYI request #24691 email]
Tēnā koutou Ohakune Ratepayers and Residents' Society Inc
Thank you for your request to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development under the Of icial
Information Act 1982 (the Act). Your request was partially transferred to Kāinga Ora – Homes and
Communities on 25 January 2024:
2./ On 4th April an agreement was signed between HUD & KO for $5.2m, the next month this
was increased (at KO expense). We have sighted emails between May - July 2023 stating the
figure had ballooned to $7.5m which KO would fund by "selling houses". Please provide copies
of emails or documents that relate to this change and any discussions around them between
this same time frame.
3./ On 4th August 2023, we discovered a Conflict of Interest (COI) between a Project Lead,
Giles Tait, who owns a property via Trust that neighbours stage 1 of the project, It was stated a
verbal COI was given when he joined in October, but he only registered an official COI in on
7th August after written parliamentary questions and media questioning. The contract between
HUD & KO has provisions for registering conflicts, please provide copies dates and conflicts
registered against the project.
7./ While funding and all communications talks about 44 lots, 46 residential lots have been
applied for. Please provide documentation or emails relating to the use or ownership of the
additional two residential lots.
Regarding Question 2, I refer you to published information on our website. This includes OIA
responses of 26 September 2023, and 18 October 2023 on our website at:
https:/ kaingaora.govt.nz/en_NZ/urban-development-and-public-housing/public-housing/public-
housing-developments/manawatu-whanganui-region/teitei-drive/
Regarding Question 3, I refer you to our responses the Society’s President Mr Barry Murphy dated 31
October 2023 – reference OI 23 504 and OI 23 522. I also refer you to written parliamentary questions
23323 (2023), 23767 (2023), and 23768 (2023) which are publicly available at:
https:/ www.parliament.nz/en/pb/order-paper-questions/writ en-questions/
Regarding Question 7, I refer you to previous multiple OIA responses to you, including the response
dated 23 January 2024 (reference OI 23 750). As previously advised, all documentation and
communications regarding the number of lots has been provided to you, and is published on our
website, at the above link.
I am therefore refusing your request under section 18(d) of the Act as the information you have
requested is publicly available.
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
Tamsyn McDonald
Acting General Manager – Urban Development and Delivery
