13 November 2024
Ms Grange
[FYI request #28774 email]
Official information request
Our ref: R00579
Tēnā koe Ms Grange
I refer to your request made under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) received on 16 October
2024. You requested:
•
All formal (whether oral or written) submissions to the ECE Regulatory Review from
kindergarten associations.
•
All correspondence from kindergarten associations to the Minister or Ministry personnel
relating to this ECE Regulatory Review.
•
Any internal or external memos, diary notes, or the like, between the Minister and/or Ministry
personnel relating to kindergartens, kindergarten associations in relation to this ECE
Regulatory Review
In regards to the first part of your request:
•
All formal (whether oral or written) submissions to the ECE Regulatory Review from
kindergarten associations.
The Ministry for Regulation (the Ministry) is withholding all individual submissions received for the
Early childhood education regulatory review (the Review) under section 9(2)(ba)(i) of the OIA, as
the information in the submissions was provided under an obligation of confidence.
In accordance with section 16(1)(e) of the OIA, the Ministry has decided to release the information
contained in the submissions in a summarised format. The Ministry has recently released two
reports on the Review which summarise all feedback and information provided through our
engagement hub. You can find copies of these reports at
regulation.govt.nz/mfr-what-we-
do/corporate-publications.
In making my decision, I have considered the public interest considerations in section 9(1) of the
OIA and concluded that the public interest in disclosure does not outweigh the need to withhold
the information.
In regards to the second and third parts of your request:
•
All correspondence from kindergarten associations to the Minister or Ministry personnel
relating to this ECE Regulatory Review.
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•
Any internal or external memos, diary notes, or the like, between the Minister and/or Ministry
personnel relating to kindergartens, kindergarten associations in relation to this ECE
Regulatory Review
I am also writing to notify you of an extension of the time to make our decision, to
18 December
2024. This extension is necessary because your request necessitates a search through a large
quantity of information and meeting the original time limit would unreasonably interfere with our
operations. Additionally, 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.
Partial transfer of request
In addition to this extension, part of the information to which your request relates is not held by
the Ministry for Regulation but is believed to be held by Minister Seymour’s office. In these
circumstances, we are required by section 14 of the OIA to transfer your request. I am therefore
partially transferring the second and third parts of your request to Minister Seymour’s office.
Minister Seymour’s office will contact you regarding these parts of your request. The Ministry will
also respond to these parts of your request on the information it holds no later than
18 December 2024.
Right of review
If you wish to discuss this decision with us, please contac
t [Ministry for Regulation request email].
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 a
t www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
freephone 0800 802 602.
Ngā mihi
Aisling Risdon
Head of Ministerial Services
Ministry for Regulation
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