12 April 2024
Simon Tegg
[email address]
Tēnā koe Simon
Your request for official information, reference: HNZ00041922
Thank you for your email on 25 March 2024, asking Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora (Health
NZ) for the following under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act):
Noting that the names of the individual members of GAPCAG cannot be released due to
the potential for harassment, I request a summary of the composition of GAPCAG. That is:
- the number of members
- their professional background
- their reimbursement
Response
The Gender Affirming Primary Care Advisory Group (GAPCAG) consists of 12 members excluding
the ex officio members. As per the GAPCAGs’ Terms of Reference (ToR) document you
mentioned in your OIA request received on 25 February 2024 (HNZ00039071 refers), the
membership consists of members who bring the perspectives of the following groups:
•
Takatāpui communities
•
MVPFAFF+ communities
•
Whaikaha or disabled communities
•
Primary care – Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGP)
•
Community advocacy and support groups
•
General practitioners working in primary or community care.
I will not be providing the professional background of each individual member of the group. I am
withholding this information under section 9(2)(a) of the Act. This is to protect the privacy of natural
persons where the release of information would likely result in the identification of an individual.
Where information is withheld under section 9 of the Act, I have considered the countervailing
public interest in releasing information and consider that it does not outweigh the need to withhold
at this time.
The remuneration of the GAPCAG members can also be found in the ToR. Members of the group
are paid fees and allowances as per the Cabinet Fees Framework for Members of Statutory and
Other Bodies Appointed by the Crown for a Group 4 Level 2 body.
As per the ToR, “A fee of $250.00 (exclusive of GST) will be paid for attendance by non-Crown
members at meetings and is based upon a half-day meeting, including travel time. This fee
includes any preparatory work before meetings. Any fee for teleconferencing will depend upon the
time required and Health NZ will advise you in advance whether a fee applies.”
Further, the ToR states that if additional work is required of the GAPCAG, it will be paid at the pro
rata hourly rate of $63/hr with up to two hours of preparation time for meetings. The Chair must
approve additional work before it is done or Health NZ will not pay the pro rata hourly rate.
Public servants, state servants and employees of Crown bodies are not paid for meetings of this
Group.
You can read more about the Cabinet Fees Framework here:
www.dpmc.govt.nz.
How to get in touch
If you have any questions, you can contact us at
[email address].
If you are not happy with this response, you have the right to make a complaint to the
Ombudsman. Information about how to do this is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
by phoning 0800 802 602.
As this information may be of interest to other members of the public, Health NZ may proactively
release a copy of this response on our website. All requester data, including your name and
contact details, will be removed prior to release.
Nāku iti noa, nā
Deborah Woodley Director Starting Well
Commissioning
TeWhatuOra.govt.nz
Health NZ, PO Box 793,
Wellington 6140, New Zealand