2 May 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 (HUD) relating to the
funding agreement between Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities under the Of icial Information Act
1982 (the Act). The following parts of your request were transferred to Kāinga Ora – Homes and
Communities on 13 March 2024.
Kāinga Ora has considered your request under the Act. I respond to each part of your request in an
asked and answered format below.
2./ Point 3.7 - Has KO notified HUD of any Changes to 3.7(a) or 3.7(b)
There has been no notification of changes to 3.7 (a) or 3.7 (b). Your request for this information is
refused under section 18(e) of the Act as this information does not exist.
3./ Point 3.8 - please provide me with the reports to date received by HUD
Attached are nine monthly reports sent to HUD from May 2023 to January 2024. The file that is
labelled
‘Shovel Ready Reporting – Ohakune – December 2023.xlsx’ is in fact November’s report;
whereas
‘Shovel Ready Reporting – Ohakune – December 2023 (002).xlsx’ is December’s report.
Contact details of staff within these documents are withheld under section 9(2)(a) of the Act ‘to protect
the privacy of natural persons’. I have considered the public interest in this information and determined
that it does not outweigh the need to withhold it. Some information within the documents have also
been redacted as they are out of scope.
4./ Point 3.10(a) - regarding conflicts of interest. Please provide any communication or
records, that HUD holds where Kāinga Ora has notified HUD.
There were no communications sent to HUD with respect to conflicts of interest. Your request for this
information is refused under section 18(e) of the Act as the document alleged to contain the
information requested does not exist.
5./ Point 3.10(b) - KO will promptly notify HUD of any matter that could have an adverse
affect on the project or result in Termination. Please provide any communications
received by HUD matching this criteria.
Kāinga Ora has identified the below as being in scope of the above question:
• A meeting was held with HUD on 27 February 2024 at 2:30pm to inform HUD that Kainga Ora
was likely to withdraw as the master developer of the proposed mixed housing development in
Teitei Drive in Ohakune. As Kāinga Ora progressed further through design and planning
phases, it became clear that the CIP funding wil not be sufficient to complete the project as it
was originally proposed three years ago. This, combined with current economic and market
pressures, mean that the project is not financially viable for Kainga Ora, and it would be unable
to deliver on the affordable housing outcomes. There are no notes or minutes from this
meeting however the description provided of what was discussed in the meeting is correct.
Your request for documentation relating to this information is refused under section 18(e) of the
Act as the document alleged to contain the information requested does not exist.
• A meeting was held with HUD on 28 February 2024 at 3pm to inform HUD that Kainga Ora has
withdrawn as the master developer of the proposed mixed housing development in Teitei Drive
in Ohakune. HUD had received the letter from Kāinga Ora dated 28 February 2024, titled
‘Update on proposed Teitei Drive development’. There are no notes or minutes from this
meeting however the description provided of what was discussed in the meeting is correct.
Your request for documentation relating to this information is refused under section 18(e) of the
Act as the document alleged to contain the information requested does not exist.
• An email was sent to HUD on 25 March 2024 which is enclosed. The email followed the
submission of a monthly report on 22 March 2024 confirming to HUD that Kainga Ora had
withdrawn as the master developer of the proposed mixed housing development in Teitei Drive
in Ohakune. The monthly report was a repeat of the January report, while Kāinga Ora worked
through the next steps. Contact details of staff within this document is withheld under section
9(2)(a) of the Act ‘to protect the privacy of natural persons’. I have considered the public
interest in this information and determined that it does not outweigh the need to withhold it.
6./ Point 3.11 - please advise if KO have advised HUD of any breach of this term, or if
HUD has given any warnings or cautions to KO.
There is no correspondence related to this clause. Your request for this information is refused under
section 18(e) of the Act as the document alleged to contain the information requested does not exist.
7./ Point 3.15 - Management of COI's - Please provide documentation and emails
provided to HUD about the conflict of interest relating to Giles Tait and whether HUD
signed off or closed the matter off to "HUD's satisfaction”.
There were no communications sent to HUD with respect to conflicts of interest. Your request for this
information is refused under section 18(e) of the Act as the document alleged to contain the
information requested does not exist.
8./ Point 3.17 - We note from KO OI 23 714 that KO & HUD were to meet in September
2023 - Has Kāinga Ora requested any time extensions to milestones, and if so please
provide a copy and documentation related and whether they were approved or not.
Kāinga Ora has communicated forecast changes to HUD and CIP within the monthly reports. There is
no other change request documentation.
10./ Point 5.2(d) - In addition to question 6 above, Do any phone calls, texts, emails or
documents exist around this point since 1 July 2023, i.e. around extensions, or of
termination due to non compliance.
Kāinga Ora has communicated forecast changes to HUD and CIP within the monthly reports.
13./ Please provide a copy and date of the email or document from Kāinga Ora (OR CIP)
to HUD stating the project will exceed $5.2m total cost, we already have a copy of the
email sent to CIP and the meeting minutes from the DPM's where this was discussed a
month after contract signing; we are wanting the date and communications where HUD
was notified.
Kāinga Ora has communicated the project cost forecasts to HUD and CIP within the monthly reports.
The cost exceeding $5.2m was included in all reports from May 2023 onwards.
I do not consider the withholding of information from this response is outweighed by the public interest
considerations in making that information 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
Nathan Palmer
Acting General Manager Urban Development and Delivery
