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13 March 2024
Ministerial Services
45 Pipitea St, Thorndon
PO Box 805, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
Phone +64 4 495 7200
Web_site: www.dia.govt.nz
Lional Jones
[email address]
Dear Lional Jones
Official Information Act request (OIA 2324-0603)
Thank you for your request for information dated 14 February 2024 made under the Official
Information Act 1982 (the Act) to the Department of Internal Affairs (the Department). You requested
the following information:
Dear Department of Internal Affairs,
I note the story announcing the prime minister has directed the amount of funding for ministerial
self-drive vehicles has been cut.
I seek all correspondence including emails, text messages, written notes and aide memoires
internally within ministerial services, vip transport and DIA, and with the minister responsible for
ministerial services regarding developing advice for the policy around ministerial self-drive
vehicles for the incoming 2023 government. This is to include (among other subjects) discussion
around electric vehicle charging, costs and budget-setting, vehicle standards and evaluation
criteria/testing, and supply chain.
I also seek correspondence regarding the process and implementation of returning of ministerial
self-drive vehicles from the last out-going government including what is to happen with any tax
payer/DIA funded EV chargers installed in minister's residences.
The request for all correspondence regarding developing advice for the policy around Ministerial self
drive vehicles for the incoming 2023 government, is refused under section 18(f) of the Act, that the
information requested cannot be made available without substantial collation or research.
However, working within the spirit of the Act the Department believes that your request can be best
responded to by providing full sight of the advice that was provided by the Department to the Minister
Responsible for Ministerial Services (MRMS), regarding the changes to the
Ministerial Self-drive Vehicle
Selection Policy and Standards for the incoming 2023 government.
Appendix A: MRMS signed copy with comments and feedback of the Ministerial Self-Drive Vehicle
Selection Policy and Standards briefing.
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Te Tari Taiwhenua
Department of Internal Affairs
Purpose
1.
This briefing seeks your confirmation or advice on changes sought to the
Ministerial
Self-drive Vehicle Selection Policy and Standards, prior to Ministerial Services
engaging with Ministers to access their entitlement to a Ministerial Self-drive
vehicle.
Ministers' entitlement to self-drive vehicles
2.
Under the
Members of Parliament {Remuneration and Services) Act 2013, the
Minister Responsible for Ministerial Services issues the
Ministers' Travel Services
within New Zealand Determination1. The current Determination was issued by the
previous Minister and came into force on 15 October 2023.
3.
This Determination sets the entitlements that Members of the Executive have to
travel services that are additional or alternative to their entitlements as Members
of Parliament.
4.
Under clause 2.3 of this Determination:
• a Minister is entitled to one self drive car for use at the Minister's discretion,
i.e. for Ministerial business or for personal reasons. Self-drive vehicles can also
be used by other licenced drivers with the Minister's permission, for example a
spouse or partner, family members, or Ministerial office staff.
• the self-drive vehicle will be provided up to a maximum value as agreed with
the Minister Responsible for Ministerial Services (currently set at a whole-of
life cost of $45,000 excluding GST) and may be required to meet minimum
standards for fuel economy, environmental sustainability, and safety.
5.
For completeness, please note that Parliamentary Under-Secretaries are not
entitled to any VIP Transport Services.
6.
Ministerial Services, within the Department of Internal Affairs (the Department), is
responsible for supporting you to coordinate and manage this entitlement. Vehicles
are purchased under Vote Internal Affairs, and ownership is retained by the
Department. Day-to-day oversight of the self-drive fleet (including routine servicing,
running costs and general maintenance) is managed and funded by VIP Transport
within Ministerial Services.
Ministers' use of and responsibility for self-drive vehicles
7.
Upon receiving a Ministerial self-drive vehicle, Ministers will be provided with
guidelines that describe the expectations for using their self-drive vehicle. In
summary, Ministers are responsible for:
• following the law at all times, and for ensuring all drivers of a self-drive
vehicle comply with all elements of the Land Transport Act and other
governing legislation. This includes ensuring all drivers have a current valid
driver's licence and drive to the conditions of their licence.
1 https
://www. parliament. nz/ en/ pb/ parlia menta ry-ru les/ directions-determinations/ministers-travel-services
within-n ew-zea I an d-determ in ati o n-2023/
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Te Tari Taiwhenua
Department of Internal Affairs
• maintaining their self-drive vehicle to a reasonable and tidy standard, and
making the vehicle available to VIP Transport for vehicle checks and services
every six months.
• the payment of any fees, tickets and infringements issued as a result of the
use of their self-drive vehicle, regardless of who was driving the vehicle at the
time.
8.
All Ministerial self-drive vehicles are fully insured. All drivers who hold a current full
or restricted New Zealand driver's licence, and who comply with the conditions of
their licence, are automatically covered by the Department's insurance policy.
9.
In the case of an incident resulting in damage to a self-drive vehicle, Ministers are
responsible for advising VIP Transport as soon as practicable. Following an incident,
should repair costs not be recoverable under the Department's insurance policy the
Minister or the driver may be personally liable. This may include costs resulting
from incidents where the driver of the self-drive vehicle is convicted of a driving
offence.
Overview of Ministerial Self-drive Vehicle Selection Policy and Standards
10. The Department has prepared a
Ministerial Self-drive Vehicle Selection Policy and
Standards (the Policy) which gives effect to the Determination and guides the
process by which Ministers can access their entitlement. The proposed policy is
based on the current policy approved by the former Minister Responsible for
Ministerial Services in March 2023. The proposed Policy is attached at
Appendix A
for your consideration.
11. A core element of the Policy is that Ministers' self-drive vehicles are electric vehicles
by default unless an exception is justified in a particular case. This supports the
Department in its strategic goal of transitioning to a low-emissions Crown Fleet.
12. Proposed minimum standards and maximum whole-of-life cost for Ministerial self
drive vehicles are captured in the Policy. Whole-of-life costing includes an
assessment of elements such as the purchase price, maintenance and running costs
over a three-year period, and the residual and resale price for a vehicle.
13. In recognition of current market prices for electric vehicles, the Policy provides for a
higher maximum whole of life cost for electric vehicles2.
14. The Policy also provides for existing self-drive vehicles in the fleet to be reallocated
from outgoing Ministers to incoming Ministers, enabling the Department to
maximise vehicle usage within a three-year replacement cycle. Before reallocation
is considered, assessments are undertaken to ensure vehicles are up to standard
and fit for purpose.
15. If you wish to make any updates to the Policy, we can advise you of any logistical
and forecast cost implications ahead of a final policy being confirmed. In the
interim, alternative arrangements, such as utilising existing self-drive vehicles or
using rental vehicles may be required to ensure Ministers are able to access their
entitlement.
2 Note -where an electric vehicle is allocated or selected, the cost of equipping a Minister's private residence
to have suitable charging facilities installed is met by the Department.
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Te Tari Taiwhenua
Department of Internal Affairs
16. Once a final Policy has been approved, we will begin engaging directly with
Ministers to finalise their Ministerial Self-drive vehicle entitlement.
Reallocation of existing self-drive vehicles
17. Where possible, and to promote efficient use of public resources, vehicles from
outgoing Ministers are made available for reallocation to incoming Ministers.
18. Following the loss of their Ministerial warrant, outgoing Ministers are required to
return self drive vehicles to VIP Transport within 14 calendar days. On return, the
VIP Transport team will undertake assessment, grooming and repair processes (as
necessary) to ensure vehicles are suitable for reallocation.
19. To whom existing self-drive vehicles are reallocated is at the discretion of the
Minister Responsible for Ministerial Services. Factors considered may include
vehicle replacement due dates, lead times for new vehicles and overall fiscal
pressures. Ministerial Services can complete this task on your behalf if preferred.
20. While your decision on the Policy will inform the final numbers of vehicles that are
able to be retained and reallocated at this time, we can advise that at present3:
• 28 Ministerial Self-drive vehicles are owned by the Department;
• 19 of these vehicles are available for reallocation to Ministers based on the
proposed policy; and
• 9 of these vehicles are either due for replacement in the next 6 months or are
being assessed for potential resale or reallocation (but may be available as
interim vehicles while procurement activities are undertaken).
21. We will work with your office on the specifics of reallocating appropriate vehicles
following the assessment process and will work with relevant Minister's offices to
arrange site assessments for charging infrastructure and make vehicles available to
Ministers for inspection or test-driving as needed.
Ordering of new self-drive vehicles
22. All new Ministerial self-drive vehicles must be selected from the
Self-drive Vehicle
Catalogue (the catalogue) which will be confirmed following the approval of the
Policy. The catalogue will contain a custom selection of vehicles that meet the final
Policy and can cater to a variety of Ministers' daily needs.
23. Vehicles selected for the catalogue will be drawn from the
MBIE All-of-Government
Vehicle Catalogue to provide assurance of value for money and alignment with
government procurement practices.
24. Ministerial Services will engage directly with Ministers (who are not reallocated an
existing vehicle) once the Policy has been confirmed, to review the catalogue and
choose a preferred vehicle. We will manage all engagement with suppliers and can
support Ministers to test drive preferred vehicles as needed.
Exemptions to the Ministerial Self-drive Vehicle Selection Policy and Standards
25. In some cases, current market options available for electric vehicles may not be
suitable to meet all Ministers' specific situations. For example, there are currently
3 Numbers correct as at 27 November 2023 and are subject to change.
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Te Tari Taiwhenua
Department of Internal Affairs
limited electric options that can accommodate larger families, or there may be
difficulty installing charging facilities (e.g. these may not be permitted to be
installed in shared or rental accommodation due to body corporation rules).
26. Under the Policy, where there is a demonstrable need for a non-electric self-drive
vehicle, Ministers can request to be exempt from this expectation. To date this has
been administered through a formal request for exemption to the Minister
Responsible for Ministerial Services to enable case by case decisions to be made.
Previously, when an exemption has been approved, it has been for a low emission
vehicle in the form of a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).
27. If you wish to continue using an exemption process, we will work with relevant
Ministers' offices to progress any requests proposed. A briefing would be provided
to you for any exemption sought, outlining the request by the Minister alongside
advice from Ministerial Services for your consideration.
Delivery of self-drive vehicles
28. As self-drive vehicles are allocated or selected, Ministerial Services will co-ordinate
the delivery of all vehicles, as well as any site assessments for installing electric
vehicle charging infrastructure at the relevant Minister's primary residence, as
necessary.
29. Lead times for delivery of re-allocated self-drive vehicles to incoming Ministers will
be based on when the vehicles are returned, the overall re-allocation process, and
timeframes for having suitable charging infrastructure installed at the relevant
Minister's primary residence.
30. Lead times for delivery of newly purchased self-drive vehicles are based on supplier
availability. Timeframes for the delivery of new vehicles are therefore largely
outside the Department's control. If there is an extended lead time for selected
vehicles, alternative arrangements, such as temporarily allocating existing self-drive
vehicles or securing rental vehicles may be required in the interim to ensure
Ministers are able to access their entitlement in a timely manner.
31. Information on availability of specific vehicles can be provided when engagement
with Ministers is undertaken, to ensure that Ministers are aware of relevant lead
times before selecting a vehicle.
32. Once available, vehicles are each delivered directly to Ministerial Services. We will
then deliver these to the relevant Minister's primary residence and will provide
further advice and guidance on the vehicle and charging requirements.
Next steps
33. To enable Ministerial Services to begin engaging with Ministers on their preferred
Self-drive vehicle, we seek your approval or direction as to changes required to the
Policy by 8 December 2023.
34. Following your feedback and approval of a final
Ministerial Self-drive Vehicle
Selection Policy and Standards we will work to determine the allocation of existing
self-drive vehicles and will engage directly with Ministers to finalise their vehicle
entitlement. Ministerial Services will provide you with ongoing updates on the
allocation process and notify you of any requests for exemptions received.
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