Ref: 229497
5 July 2024
Sarah Allison
By email to
[FYI request #27168 email]
Tēnā koe Sarah
Response to your request for Official Information
On 7 June 2024, you requested the following information from Te Kāhui Tika Tangata
Human Rights Commission (“the Commission”) under the Official Information Act 1982
(“OIA”):
all correspondence (teams chats, whatsapp, Facebook messenger, instagram,
signal, telegram, sms, email or any other form of communication) between Meg
de Ronde and Julia Whaipooti between 29 May and 31 May 2024.
Inside the scope of your request were 10 Microsoft Teams messages between Meg de
Ronde (“MdR”) and Julia Whaipooti (“JW”), all between 10:14am and 10:17am on 31
May 2024.
The next page details our decisions on your request in relation to these 10 messages:
• Messages on the topic of an internal newsletter have been provided.
• The details of messages on a second topic are being withheld under section
9(2)(a) of the OIA, to protect privacy, because the messages relate to an
apology being offered in the context of an employment relationship matter.
The Commission considered whether there were any considerations rendering it
desirable in the public interest to make the withheld messages publicly available
beyond the summary provided. The Commission ultimately determined that the public
interest in further disclosing these messages did not outweigh the relevant privacy
interests.
Alternative avenues
If you are not satisfied with this response, under the Official Information Act you are
entitled to complain to the Ombudsman’s Office. Information about how to make a
complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or on freephone 0800 802
602.
Nāku noa, nā
Hannah Northover
Tumuaki Kaitohu Ture | Chief Legal Advisor
Te Kāhui Tika Tangata | New Zealand Human Rights Commission
Stantec House, Level 1, 10 Brandon Street, Wellington
PO Box 10424, Wellington Central, Te Whanganui a Tara Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand
Waea Telephone +64 4 473-9981 Waea Whakaahua Facsimile +64 9 377-3593
Infoline Toll free 0800 496 877 | TTY [email address] | www.tikatangata.org.nz
Microsoft Teams messages
Message
Decision
From MdR to JW 31/5 10:14am
Released in full: “Bro…can you do newsletter today? It’s been ages and we have stuff piling up”
From JW to MdR 31/5 10:14am
Released in full: “yep on it. soz soz.”
From MdR to JW 31/5 10:15am
Partially released: “Al good. I’m going to drive in round midday.”
Remainder withheld under OIA section 9(2)(a).
From JW to MdR 31/5 10:15am
Partial summary provided, with some details withheld under OIA section 9(2)(a).
From JW to MdR 31/5 10:15am
From MdR to JW 31/5 10:16am
These messages (and the withheld portion of the first 10:15am message) relate to an apology being
From JW to MdR 31/5 10:16am
offered in the context of an employment relationship matter.
From MdR to JW 31/5 10:17am
From JW to MdR 31/5 10:17am
From JW to MdR 31/5 10:17am
Stantec House, Level 1, 10 Brandon Street, Wellington
PO Box 10424, Wellington Central, Te Whanganui a Tara Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand
Waea Telephone +64 4 473-9981 Waea Whakaahua Facsimile +64 9 377-3593
Infoline Toll free 0800 496 877 | TTY [email address] | www.tikatangata.org.nz
