Aravinda Marinkovich
Address Not Provided
Via email:
<[FYI request #26679 email]> 30 May 2024
Dear Aravinda Marinkovich
Official Information Act request dated 9 May 2024
We refer to your email dated 9 May 2024 (your Request) requesting information under
the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) in relation to Q+A’s 21 April 2024 interview
with the Israeli Ambassador to New Zealand. TVNZ’s Response is set out below.
Request 1: Was the Israeli ambassador, his relevant representative, and/or any third
party given the authority to review, make changes, and approve the final cut of the
interview? If so: What changes were suggested or made by any party outside of
TVNZ/Q&A? Please provide any communications regarding the changes that were
requested.
Response 1: No.
Request 2: If there was an expression of concern regarding violation or infringement
of any of the BSA principles/standards from anyone within TVNZ, including employees
and contractors, in the post-production phase of this interview episode, please
provide any communications, including meeting minutes, in which this was discussed
Response 2: Section 18(e) of the Act applies to this request; the information does not
exist. (To be clear, there was none).
Request 3: If legal advice was sought in the post-production phase of this interview,
please provide all relevant communications and contracts.
Response 3: If legal advice had been sought, then it would be withheld on the basis of
section 9(2)(h) of the Act: to protect legal professional privilege.
Request 4: Please provide all external communications/records between TVNZ
(including but not limited to TVNZ's employees, contractors, advisors, management or
leadership) and the Israeli ambassador or his relevant representatives, and any third
party regarding complaints received (up until the date that this OIA request receives
its response) for the Q+A interview with the Israeli Ambassador that aired on 21 April
2023, including but not limited to: emails, systems records, file notes, text messages,
meeting agenda, meeting minutes, physical documents, memos, Microsoft Teams chat
and any other form of digital or physical communication.
Response 4: Complaints about TVNZ programmes may be received via numerous
channels and can be made formally or informally. In addition, there are numerous
privacy and other legal considerations to take into account in considering the release
of complaint and complaint information. This request has therefore been declined on
the basis of section 18(f) of the Act: the information requested cannot be made
available without substantial collation or research.
However, in accordance with the Act’s principle of transparency and in order to assist
with your query, please let us know if there is a smaller and more specific piece of
information we can provide (e.g. what correspondence TVNZ has had with the Israeli
Ambassador regarding complaints about this particular episode).
Request 5: Please provide al internal communications/records within TVNZ (including
but not limited to communications between TVNZ's employees, contractors, advisors,
management or leadership) regarding complaints received (up until the date that this
OIA request receives its response) for the Q+A interview with the Israeli Ambassador,
including but not limited to emails, systems records, file notes, text messages, meeting
agenda, meeting minutes, physical documents, memos, Microsoft Teams chat and any
other form of digital or physical communication.
Response 5: Internal communications about complaints have been withheld based on
the following grounds:
• Section 9(2)(a) of the Act: to protect the privacy of natural persons;
• Section 9(2)(b) of the Act: to protect information where the making available
of the information would be likely unreasonably to prejudice the commercial
position of the person who supplied or who is the subject of the information;
• Section 9(2)(g) of the Act: to maintain the effective conduct of public affairs
through the free and frank expression of opinions by members of an
organisation in the course of their duty; and
• Section 9(2)(h) of the Act: legal professional privilege may apply to some of
this information.
We trust this information assists. As you may know, if you are dissatisfied with this
response section 28 of the Act provides you with the right to make a complaint to the
Ombudsman in order to seek an investigation and review.
Yours sincerely,
Official Information Requests Team
TVNZ
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