Andrew Riddell
[FYI request #29100 email]
Dear Andrew
Thank you for your email of 7 November 2024 requesting the following information under the
Official Information Act 1982:
You very recently announced certain roading works in Wellington, including second Mt
Victoria and Terrace tunnels, parallel to existing ones, extending the Arras Tunnel
under the Pukeahu National War Memorial, and road changes around the Basin
Reserve. The announcement included the intention to commence construction in 2026.
Please provide copies of all correspondence, briefings and reports you have received
on these works since 1 July this year, including any benefit-cost analysis.
The documents I received between 1 July and 7 November 2024, and my decision in relation
to each, are listed in the document schedule appended to this letter. I have interpreted your
request for correspondence to include formal correspondence received by my office.
Certain information from documents 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7 has been withheld under the following
sections of the Act:
• 9(2)(a) to protect the privacy of natural persons
• 9(2)(ba)(ii) to protect information which is subject to an obligation of confidence or
which any person has been or could be compelled to provide under the authority of
any enactment, where the making available of the information would be likely
otherwise to damage the public interest
• 9(2)(f)(iv) to maintain the constitutional conventions for the time being which protect
the confidentiality of advice tendered by Ministers of the Crown and officials
• 9(2)(g)(i) to maintain the effective conduct of public affairs through the free and frank
expression of opinions by or between or to Ministers of the Crown or members of an
organisation or officers and employees of any department or organisation in the
course of their duty.
I am withholding document 8 in full under sections 9(2)(f)(iv) and 9(2)(g)(i) of the Act, and
document 9 under sections 9(2)(f)(iv) and 9(2)(j) of the Act to enable a Minister of the Crown
or any department or organisation holding the information to carry on, without prejudice or
disadvantage, negotiations (including commercial and industrial negotiations).
I am also refusing the release of document 6 under section 18(d) of the Act as it will soon be
made publicly available on the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) website in the
coming weeks at:
https://www.nzta.govt.nz/about-us/official-information-act/proactive-
releases/ With respect to the information that has been withheld, I do not consider there are any other
factors which would render it desirable, in the public interest, to make the information
available.
Lastly, I did not receive any briefings regarding the project between 1 July and 7 November
2024. I am therefore refusing this part of your request under section 18(e) of the Act as the
information requested does not exist.
Under section 28 of the Act, you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to review my decision
to withhold some information and refuse parts of your request. The contact details for the
Ombudsman can be located at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz.
Yours sincerely
Hon Simeon Brown
Minister of Transport
Document schedule
Document
Title / Date
Description
number
1
Email of 8 October 2024
Some information withheld
under section 9(2)(a).
2
Email of 17 October 2024
3
Email of 7 November 2024
4
Email of 13 November 2024
5
Extract from MIN-4556, MINO-1141 and MIN-
Released in full.
4573 (5 July, 31 July and 14 August 2024)
6
MIN-4610 SH1 Wellington RoNS Programme
Refused under section 18(d)
Update, 28 August 2024
as soon to be publicly
available.
7
MIN-4667 SH1 Wellington Improvements, 10
Some information withheld
October 2024
under sections 9(2)(ba)(ii),
9(2)(f)(iv) and 9(2)(g)(i).
8
MINO-1188 Wellington City RoNS options –
Withheld in full under
[Withheld under section 9(2)(f)(iv)], 30
sections 9(2)(f)(iv) and
September 2024
9(2)(g)(i)
9
MINO-1207 [Withheld under section
Withheld in full under
9(2)(f)(iv)], 15 October 2024
section 9(2)(f)(iv) and 9(2)(j)
