Dear Ministry of Social Development,

I seek clarification of the following please:

1. Under the whiteware scheme where beneficiaries purchase, as example a washing machine, who is the legal seller of the goods?

2. If the seller is WINZ MSD is the sale covered by the Consumers Gaurantee Act?

3. If the seller is WINZ MSD what is the procedure when an item has a fault?

4. What is the average time for delivery of goods to customers from time of purchase approval as these items are taking sometimes a week and private retailers deliver in a reasonable timeframe..example fridge delay may cause problems?

5. Just last month a Haier Washing machine burned and was not part of the previous recall. What is WINZ MSD doing to advise clients and ensure their safety.

6. If WINZ MSD are not the legal seller of the goods who is and how legally please?

7. Does the WINZ MSD whiteware pass on any savings from bulk ecomomies of scale purchasing to the client?

8. Does WINZ MSD make any profit from whiteware dealing?

9. Is WINZ MSD responsible ( if seller or not ) for after sales maintenance costs..one example being the return of a faulty good to big for client to return being the responsibility of the seller according to Consumers Gaurantee Act?

Yours faithfully,

Gregory Soar

Dear OIA_Requests (MSD),

Thank you for that advice.
Please tell me the legal definition of “Official Information” so as to enable me to better direct any future requests.
Your time is appreciated, thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Gregory Soar

Dear OIA_Requests (MSD),

Further to my reauest for the definition if Official Information:

Current legislation states
“official information—
(a)
means any information held by—
(i)
a department;

department means a government department named in Part 1 of Schedule 1 of the Ombudsmen Act 1975 (other than the Parliamentary Counsel Office)

Schedule 1
Departments and organisations to which this Act applies
s 13
Part 1
Government departments

Ministry of Social Development”

I see nothing further in that Official Information Act Interpretation section in regard the definition of Official Information that allows me to agree with your response that no official information was sought.

Please explain why my request is not for Official Information to alleviate the need for the Ombudsman to clarify the situation.

Again I appreciate your time.

Yours sincerely,

Gregory Soar