Correspondence regarding Flexible Funding
Anna Wilson made this Official Information request to Penny Simmonds
The request was refused by Penny Simmonds.
From: Anna Wilson
Kia ora,
Under the Official Information 1982, I am requesting the following information.
For avoidance of doubt, correspondence includes emails, text messages, call logs, whats app messages, signal messages, facebook messages, notes, memos, aide-memoires, briefings, meeting minutes, and so forth.
1) All correspondence between Hon Penny Simmonds and her Ministerial staff regarding Flexible Funding
2) All correspondence between Hon Penny Simmonds and her seconded Private Secretaries regarding Flexible Funding
3) All correspondence between Hon Penny Simmonds and Hon Louise Upston regarding Flexible Funding
4) All correspondence between Hon Penny Simmonds’ staff (both Ministerial and seconded Private Secretaries) and Hon Louise Upston’s staff (both Ministerial and seconded Private Secretaries)
5) All correspondence between Hon Penny Simmonds, Hon Penny Simmonds’ staff (both Ministerial and seconded Private Secretaries) and the media regarding Flexible Funding
Kind regards,
Anna Wilson
From: Penny Simmonds (MIN)
Penny Simmonds
Thank you for contacting Hon. Penny Simmonds, Member of Parliament for
Invercargill, Minister for the Environment, Minister for Tertiary
Education & Skills and Associate Minister for Social Development &
Employment.
The Minister considers all correspondence important, however, as she
receives a large amount of correspondence, it is not always possible to
provide a personal response.
Please note the following guidelines:
* If you are an Invercargill constituent contacting the Minister about
an issue, then your email will be passed to her electorate office.
* Invitations and requests to meet with the Minister will be considered
and a staff member will be in touch with you in due course.
* Requests for official information will be managed in accordance with
provisions of the Official Information Act 1982, which may include a
transfer to a more relevant Minister or agency.
* If your email falls outside of the Minister's portfolio
responsibilities, expresses a personal view, or is copied to multiple
Members of Parliament, then your opinion will be noted and your
correspondence may be transferred to another office, or there may be
no further response to you.
Thank you once again for taking the time to write; it is very much
appreciated.
The Office of Hon. Penny Simmonds
(Please note that this acknowledgement is an automatically generated
email.)
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From: Penny Simmonds (MIN)
Penny Simmonds
Kia ora Anna,
Thank you for your email of 5 June in which you submitted an Official Information Act request, in which you have requested:
1) All correspondence between Hon Penny Simmonds and her Ministerial staff regarding Flexible Funding
2) All correspondence between Hon Penny Simmonds and her seconded Private Secretaries regarding Flexible Funding
3) All correspondence between Hon Penny Simmonds and Hon Louise Upston regarding Flexible Funding
4) All correspondence between Hon Penny Simmonds’ staff (both Ministerial and seconded Private Secretaries) and Hon Louise Upston’s staff (both Ministerial and seconded Private Secretaries)
5) All correspondence between Hon Penny Simmonds, Hon Penny Simmonds’ staff (both Ministerial and seconded Private Secretaries) and the media regarding Flexible Funding
Minister Simmonds is considering your request in accordance with the Act, and you can expect a response by 4 July 2024.
Kind regards,
Office of Hon Penny Simmonds
Minister for Environment | Tertiary Education and Skills
Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment
P: 04 817 6815
Private Bag 18041, Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6160, New Zealand
Authorised by Hon Penny Simmonds, Parliament Buildings, Wellington
Disclaimer: The information in this email (including attachments) is confidential and may be legally privileged. If an addressing or transmission error has misdirected this email, please notify the author by replying to this email and destroy the message. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, disclosure, copying or distribution is prohibited and may be unlawful.
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From: Penny Simmonds (MIN)
Penny Simmonds
Kia ora Anna,
I'm writing to you regarding your OIA request from the 5th of June.
After reviewing your request, it has been realised that a vast quantity of information would need to be reviewed to determine what is in scope of your request. I would like to give you an opportunity to narrow down your request, so it is more likely to be fulfilled without being refused under section 18(f) (substantial collation) of the Official Information Act 1982.
Kind regards,
Office of Hon Penny Simmonds
Minister for Environment | Tertiary Education and Skills
Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment
P: 04 817 6815
Private Bag 18041, Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6160, New Zealand
Authorised by Hon Penny Simmonds, Parliament Buildings, Wellington
Disclaimer: The information in this email (including attachments) is confidential and may be legally privileged. If an addressing or transmission error has misdirected this email, please notify the author by replying to this email and destroy the message. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, disclosure, copying or distribution is prohibited and may be unlawful.
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From: Anna Wilson
Good afternoon,
Thank you for coming back to me.
In order to avoid your refusal of this request, I am willing to remove Points 3 and 4 and leave my request as:
1) All correspondence between Hon Penny Simmonds and her Ministerial staff regarding Flexible Funding
2) All correspondence between Hon Penny Simmonds and her seconded Private Secretaries regarding Flexible Funding
5) All correspondence between Hon Penny Simmonds, Hon Penny Simmonds’ staff (both Ministerial and seconded Private Secretaries) and the media regarding Flexible Funding
I would imagine this will reduce the work associated with this request as you will no longer need to coordinate with Minister Upston's office nor look for any of that material.
Kind regards,
Anna Wilson
From: Penny Simmonds (MIN)
Penny Simmonds
Good afternoon Anna,
Thank you for clarifying your request.
We will endeavour to respond to your updated request by the 4th of July, 2024.
Kind regards,
Office of Hon Penny Simmonds
Minister for Environment | Tertiary Education and Skills
Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment
P: 04 817 6815
Private Bag 18041, Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6160, New Zealand
Authorised by Hon Penny Simmonds, Parliament Buildings, Wellington
Disclaimer: The information in this email (including attachments) is confidential and may be legally privileged. If an addressing or transmission error has misdirected this email, please notify the author by replying to this email and destroy the message. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, disclosure, copying or distribution is prohibited and may be unlawful.
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From: Penny Simmonds (MIN)
Penny Simmonds
Good afternoon Anna,
On the 5th of June 2024, you emailed the Office of Hon Penny Simmonds, requesting information relating to flexible funding, under the Official Information Act 1982.
The request was then refined on the 25th of June to the following:
All correspondence between Hon Penny Simmonds and her Ministerial staff regarding Flexible Funding
All correspondence between Hon Penny Simmonds and her seconded Private Secretaries regarding Flexible Funding
All correspondence between Hon Penny Simmonds, Hon Penny Simmonds’ staff (both Ministerial and seconded Private Secretaries) and the media regarding Flexible Funding
This email is to advise you that the Minister has received your request, however, requires more time to respond to this request. In accordance with section 15(1) and 15A of the Act, a decision will be with you no later than the 11th of July, an extension of 5 working days.
The reason for the extension is that consultations necessary to make a decision on the request are such that a proper response to the request cannot reasonably be made within the original time limit.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision, under section 23(a) of the Act. Information about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or 0800 802 602.
Kind regards,
Office of Hon Penny Simmonds
Minister for Environment | Tertiary Education and Skills
Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment
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From: Penny Simmonds (MIN)
Penny Simmonds
Good afternoon Anna,
Please find attached a response to your OIA request.
Kind regards,
Office of Hon Penny Simmonds
Minister for Environment | Tertiary Education and Skills
Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment
P: 04 817 6815
Private Bag 18041, Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6160, New Zealand
Authorised by Hon Penny Simmonds, Parliament Buildings, Wellington
Disclaimer: The information in this email (including attachments) is confidential and may be legally privileged. If an addressing or transmission error has misdirected this email, please notify the author by replying to this email and destroy the message. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, disclosure, copying or distribution is prohibited and may be unlawful.
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From: Anna Wilson
Good afternoon,
Thank you for this response to my official information request of 25 April 2024.
I acknowledge receipt of the letter of response and of the attached files.
In the letter of response, you have stated that there are thirteen pieces of correspondence that are being withheld in full under Section 9(2)(a) to protect the privacy of natural persons. I accept that you have judged these pieces of correspondence to include personal details which outweigh the public interest of releasing this information.
However, I ask whether you would consider describing the contents of the email more generally, in lieu of releasing the pieces of correspondence themselves? For example, stating if the email is from a member of the public, member of staff, or public servant and then a brief description of the contents.
Kind regards,
Anna Wilson
From: Penny Simmonds (MIN)
Penny Simmonds
Good afternoon Anna
Unfortunately we are unable to provide you with the requested information.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision. Information about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Kind regards,
Office of Hon Penny Simmonds
Minister for Environment | Tertiary Education and Skills
Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment
P: 04 817 6815
Private Bag 18041, Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6160, New Zealand
Authorised by Hon Penny Simmonds, Parliament Buildings, Wellington
Disclaimer: The information in this email (including attachments) is confidential and may be legally privileged. If an addressing or transmission error has misdirected this email, please notify the author by replying to this email and destroy the message. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, disclosure, copying or distribution is prohibited and may be unlawful.
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Things to do with this request
- Add an annotation (to help the requester or others)
- Download a zip file of all correspondence
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