Justice Centre | 19 Aitken Street
DX SX10088 | Wel ington
T 04 918 8800 |
F 04 918 8820
[email address] | www.justice.govt.nz
31 May 2024
S Smith
[FYI request #26294 email]
Ref: OIA 111909
Tēnā koe S Smith
Official Information Act request: Travel disbursements
Thank you for your email of 3 May 2024 to the Ministry of Justice in which you requested
further information following your previous request (111056).
Your request was as follows:
Given that the approximately $72,000 in travel disbursements identified would appear
to have been paid in direct contravention of the Legal Aid Grants Handbook, could you
please provide the basis for the travel disbursements being paid?
I am concerned that the five Whangarei-based PAL 1 providers identified have been
fraudulently invoicing the Legal Services Agency.
In response to your request, the information what was provided to you in response to
OIA 111056 was summarised from an operational database which includes all legal aid
records, applications for legal aid, invoices, correspondence, requests for additional funding,
and client records. We cannot confirm whether any amounts have been claimed or paid in
error without a detailed examination of individual invoices and payment decisions. Therefore,
your request has been refused under section 18(g) of the OIA, as the information is not held
by the department or others. This refusal does not imply acceptance of any claims of
fraudulent payments.
The Ministry aims to audit all legal aid providers at least once every five years. The audit
programme enables the Ministry to review the quality and value of the service provided to
legally aided clients. It ensures that everyone accessing legal aid services is receiving a
consistent level of service. Legal Aid Services has audit processes that include invoice
reviews. Where an audit finds amounts that have been claimed in error, any overpayment
can be deducted from future payments due to the provider.
Justice Centre | 19 Aitken Street
DX SX10088 | Wel ington
T 04 918 8800 |
F 04 918 8820
[email address] | www.justice.govt.nz
If you require any further information, please contact Media & Social Media Manager Joe
Locke at [email address].
Please note that this response, with your personal details removed, may be published on the
Ministry website at: justice.govt.nz/about/official-information-act-requests/oia-responses/.
If you are not satisfied with this response, you have the right to make a complaint to the
Ombudsman under section 28(3) of the Act. The Office of the Ombudsman may be
contacted by email to [email address] or by phone on 0800 802 602.
Nāku noa, nā
Louisa Carroll
Acting Group Manager, National Services Delivery
