Dear Electoral Commission,

Under the OIA I would like to request the following information:

Was the Electoral Commission aware of the suspension of ARL board member and Electoral Commission contractor Gregory Whaiapu pending an investigation into possible financial irregularities at the organisation prior to the 2023 election?

If yes, please provide all communications relating to this issue.

Given the significant potential conflicts of interest in having a Marae board trustee member working on election day at the Marae, please provide all communications if any, flagging this issue and any steps put in place to mitigate concerns and possible issues.

Acknowledging the extremely high level of public interest and the need for complete transparency in the conduct of the Manurewa Marae and associated govt agencies during the election period, can you please advise if this OIA request can be treated as urgent.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

James