25 October 2024
Miss W. Forest
[FYI request #28782 email]
Tēnā koe Miss W. Forest
Official Information Act request
Thank you for your email of 17 October 2024 requesting the total number of clients
who have no fixed abode as their residential address and where they receive at
least one main benefit.
I have considered your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
Addresses are stored on a client’s file in multiple free-text fields. This means that
staff are not restricted to standardised selections when inputting a client’s address,
such as a ‘no fixed abode’ option. As staff may choose to write freely into these
fields, there is not a central way to collate this information based on a ‘no fixed
abode’ option – for example, staff may write other statuses such as ‘not known’ or
may spell text incorrectly.
In order to provide you with this information, the Ministry would need to divert
personnel from their core duties to confirm the addresses are in a standardised
format. The diversion of these resources would impair the Ministry’s ability to
continue standard operations and would be an inefficient use of the Ministry’s
resources. As such, your request is refused under section 18(f) of the Act, as it
requires substantial collation. The greater public interest is in the effective and
efficient administration of the public service.
I have considered whether the Ministry would be able to respond to your requests
given extra time, or the ability to charge for the information requested. I have
concluded that, in either case, the Ministry’s ability to undertake its work would
still be prejudiced.
Although it does not specify whether people are on a main benefit, it may be helpful
to know that the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) publishes the
total population of people experiencing homelessness, broken down by ethnicity
and region, on their website, at the following link:
www.hud.govt.nz/stats-and-
insights/homelessness-outlook/homelessness-indicators. I will be publishing this decision letter, with your personal details deleted, on the
Ministry’s website in due course.
The Aurora Centre, 56 The Terrace, PO Box 1556, Wellington
– Telephone 04-916 3300 – Facsimile 04-918 0099
If you wish to discuss this response with us, please feel free to contact
[MSD request email]. If you are not satisfied with my decision on your request regarding the addresses
of Ministry clients, 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.
Ngā mihi nui
pp.
Magnus O’Neill
General Manager
Ministerial and Executive Services
