OIA3406
8 November 2024
Nick Armstrong
[FYI request #28497 email]
Dear Nick
OIA response
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) request of 23 September
2024, to the Disability Support Services (DSS) business unit within the Ministry
of Social Development (MSD). You sought information in relation to the My
Home, My Choice programme. I have answered each part of your request in
turn.
•
Any briefing papers, whether in draft or final, regarding the
work completed to date, programme direction or
recommendations.
In Appendix 1, you will find copies of the following internal papers:
Date
Title
February 2024 Funding Request: My Home, My Choice
4 April 2024
Excerpt from Transformation Management Board Meeting 4
April 2024
15 May 2024
My Home, My Choice Nōku te Kainga Noho Nōku te
Whakatau – update on the implementation of the Intensive
Response Team
26 May 2024
Funding Request: Improving outcomes and public value –
residential care
6 June 2024
Excerpt from the Transformation Management Board
Meeting 6 June 2024
July 2024
My Home, My Choice Programme Report
August 2024
My Home, My Choice Programme Report
August 2024
Update to the Transformation Management Board following
the Independent Review of Whaikaha and subsequent
Cabinet decisions.
Please note, some information has been withheld under the following sections of
the OIA:
•
9(2)(a) - to protect the privacy of natural persons
•
9(2)(j) - to enable any public service agency or organisation holding
the information to carry on, without prejudice or disadvantage,
negotiations.
•
Any internal correspondence within the Ministry regarding
the programme, including but not limited to, any
repositioning of the programme by the new government,
whether the work completed to date should be shared
publicly, advice provided by advisors within the Ministry,
discussions regarding the findings from consultation with
service providers and service users, consideration of the
findings of the Royal Commission regarding abuse in care.
In Appendix 2, you will find email correspondence relating to the current status
of the My Home, My Choice programme. Some information has been withheld
under section 9(2)(a) of the OIA, to protect the privacy of natural persons.
By way of background, in September 2024, responsibility for funding and
commissioning disability support services transferred to DSS as a new business
unit within MSD. Work is currently underway to determine the work programme
for DSS.
Further information about the recent changes to DSS can be found here:
https://www.whaikaha.govt.nz/news/independent-review
As of August 2024, the programme’s objective is to continue progressing the four
My Home, My Choice initiatives within baseline funds by continuing the thinking
required to resolve existing and future challenges relating to facility-based
residential care.
Decisions about how the My Home, My Choice programme will be managed in
future will be made in due course by the Taskforce.
The remainder of this part of your request is refused under section 18(f) of the
OIA, as it would require substantial research and collation to identify all internal
correspondence about the programme. If, after reading the documentation
provided, you have further questions, I invite you to submit a more refined
request.
•
Any advice and/or external correspondence regarding the
programme, including but not limited to, correspondence
with Ministers, third parties or researchers
In Appendix 3 you will find copies of advice provided to the Minister for Disability
Issues:
• REP/WHK/23/11/007 Whaikaha - Ministry of Disabled People Funded
Disability Supports
• REP/WHK/23/12/008 Whaikaha functions and actions for safeguarding
disabled people and ensuring the quality of disability supports
Information about My Home, My Choice was also provided in the 2024 Briefing to
the Incoming Minister, which is publicly available here:
https://www.whaikaha.govt.nz/assets/About-us/Corporate-
Publications/BIMs/Whaikaha-2024-BIM.pdf
No further advice from external parties or researchers about My Home, My
Choice has been identified as in scope of your request.
Information relating to system transformation funding can be found in the
publicly available Cabinet Paper “Report back on phase one of the independent
review into the sustainability of Disability Support Services administered by the
Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha’ 12 August 2024”, which can be found
her
e: https://www.whaikaha.govt.nz/news/independent-review/cabinet-paper-
12-august-2024
I trust this information fulfils your request. If you wish to discuss this response
with us, please contac
t [Ministry for Disabled People request email].
If you are not satisfied with this response, you have the right to seek an
investigation and review by the Ombudsman. Information about how to make a
complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or 0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely
Ben O’Meara
Deputy Chief Executive, Policy, Strategy and Partnerships
