Advice on Bill Liu citizenship
Alex Harris made this Official Information request to Minister of Labour
The request was partially successful.
From: Alex Harris
Dear Minister of Labour,
Currently Bill Liu / Yang Liu is standing trial on immigration fraud charges. In the course of the case, it has been alleged that then-Immigration Minister Shane Jones granted Liu citizenship against official advice because he "was in the pocket" of Liu ("Tycoon boasted of his MP mates", Stuff, 18/5/2012). I would like to request the following information under the Official Information Act 1982:
* all information, advice and communication relating to Jones' decision to grant Liu citizenship.
I understand it is normal procedure to consult former Ministers on the release oftheir documents. If this occurs, I would also like copies of all communications with Jones relating to this request.
The fact that there is currently a case before the courts obviously gives potential for a release to prejudice Liu's right to a fair trial. If this is the case, I am happy to have release delayed until the legal process is concluded.
While there are obviously strong privacy interests at play here, there is also a very strong public interest in Ministerial accountability. Media reports portray the decision as extremely dubious. Having the facts of what occured in the public arena would assist public debate on immigration exceptions and allow people to be held to account if necessary.
I would prefer to receive an electronic response. Queries about this request will be automatically forwarded to me by the fyi.org.nz website.
Yours faithfully,
Alex Harris
From: Mail Delivery System
This message was created automatically by the mail system (ecelerity).
A message that you sent could not be delivered to one or more of its
recipients. This is a permanent error. The following address(es) failed:
show quoted sections
Sent request to Minister of Labour again.
From: K Wilkinson (MIN)
Minister of Labour
On behalf of Hon Kate Wilkinson, thank you for your email.
Please be assured that all correspondence is read and where the Minister
has portfolio responsibilities for the issues you raise, you may expect a
response in due course.
While the Minister considers all correspondence to be important, if your
email falls outside of the Minister's portfolio responsibilities, your
opinion will be noted but a response beyond this acknowledgement may not
be sent.
Thank you for writing.
Office of Hon Kate Wilkinson.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Svar Barrington (MIN)
Svar Barrington | Private Secretary - Immigration |
Office of Hon Kate Wilkinson MP |Associate Minister of Immigration
4.3L Executive Wing | Parliament Buildings | Wellington 6160| New Zealand
DDI +64 4 817 9316 | Mb +64 21 242 5408 | Fax +64 4 817 6519
show quoted sections
From: Emma Stringer
Good afternoon Alex,
Attached is an acknowledgement letter for you Official Information Act
request transferred to this office.
Regards, Emma
_____________________________________
Emma Stringer
Ministerial Secretary to the Hon Chris Tremain
Minister of Internal Affairs | Minister of Civil Defence
Associate Minister of Tourism | MP for Napier
DDI: +64 4 817-9431| Fax: +64 4 817-6532
Email: [1][email address]
Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand
From: [email address]
[mailto:[email address]]
Sent: Tuesday, 29 May 2012 4:42 p.m.
To: Emma Stringer
Subject: level6right_copier
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
From: Sara Alexander
Dear Alex
Please see the attached letter.
Kind regards
SA
Sara Alexander
Personal Assistant to
General Manager, Citizenship
Service Delivery & Operations Branch
Internal Affairs Te Tari Taiwhenua
Direct Dial: +64 4 3823520
Fax: +64 4 3823 561
show quoted sections
From: Emma Stringer
Dear Alex
Please find attached a letter in response to your OIA request to Minister
Tremain
Regards, Emma
_____________________________________
Emma Stringer
Ministerial Secretary to the Hon Chris Tremain
Minister of Internal Affairs | Minister of Civil Defence
Associate Minister of Tourism | MP for Napier
DDI: +64 4 817-9431| Fax: +64 4 817-6532
Email: [1][email address]
Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand
From: [email address]
[mailto:[email address]]
Sent: Thursday, 5 July 2012 11:02 a.m.
To: Emma Stringer
Subject: level6right_copier
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
From: Geoff May
Dear Mr Harris
Could you please supply me with a physical address so that I can send you
information you have requested as part of your Official Information Act
request.
Yours sincerely
Geoff May
General Manager, Citizenship Raraunga
Department of Internal Affairs Te Tari Taiwhenua
Freephone 0800 22 51 51
Website www.dia.govt.nz
====
CAUTION: This email message and any attachments contain information that
may be confidential and may be LEGALLY PRIVILEGED. If you are not the
intended recipient, any use, disclosure or copying of this message or
attachments is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email
message in error please notify us immediately and erase all copies of the
message and attachments. Thank you.
====
From: Alex Harris
Dear Geoff May,
As noted in my request, I am seeking an electronic response. If the documents are too large for one email, then you can either split it acros smultiple ones, or use the response upload facility at
http://fyi.org.nz/request/advice_on_bill...
Yours sincerely,
Alex Harris
From: Geoff May
Dear Mr Harris
Thank you for your email.
Due to the volume of information we are releasing, we would like to send the material to you at a physical address or to a Post Office Box. Are you able to supply me these details?
Yours sincerely
Geoff May
General Manager, Citizenship Raraunga
Department of Internal Affairs Te Tari Taiwhenua
Freephone 0800 22 51 51
Website www.dia.govt.nz
show quoted sections
From: Alex Harris
Dear Geoff May,
At this stage, I think you should read the Ombudsman's practice guidelines, specifically part A, chapter 2:
http://www.ombudsmen.parliament.nz/image...
"Where the information requested is contained in a document, section 16(2)19 requires that
information shall be made available in the way preferred by the requester" unless doing so would impair efficient administration, be contrary to a legal duty, or prejudice the interests protected by sections 6, 7, and 9 of the Act.
I've said repeatedly that I want an electronic response. This is for two reasons: its easier, and because the purpose of requesting through FYI is to make sure the information is public on the web for all to see. This request is unlikely to impair efficient administration, as most of the documents will already be held electronicly, and insofar as they are not, scanning something is no more onerous than photocopying it (and is frequently done on exactly the same machine these days).
I am quite happy to go to the Ombudsman over this. Do I need to, or are you going to be reasonable and obey the law?
Yours sincerely,
Alex Harris
From: Sara Alexander
====
CAUTION: This email message and any attachments contain information that
may be confidential and may be LEGALLY PRIVILEGED. If you are not the
intended recipient, any use, disclosure or copying of this message or
attachments is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email
message in error please notify us immediately and erase all copies of the
message and attachments. Thank you.
====
From: Alex Harris
Dear Sara Alexander,
Thanks, but you've sent me only the two-page cover letter, without anything else.
If the size of the attachments is a problem, then there is a direct upload facility here:
http://fyi.org.nz/request/advice_on_bill...
Yours sincerely,
Alex Harris
From: Sara Alexander
Hi
You recently made an official information request to the Department under
the Official Information Act regarding Yang Liu aka Yong Ming Yan aka
William Yan. The Department has carefully considered your request under
the Act and is providing you with the following information. Click on the
links below to download the documents:
Part 1 (schedule of documents held on Citizenship file)
[1]https://www.yousendit.com/download/QlVpY...
Part 2 (documents 7–71)
[2]https://www.yousendit.com/download/QlVpY...
Part 3 (documents 71–96)
[3]https://www.yousendit.com/download/QlVpY...
Part 4 (documents 96–127)
[4]https://www.yousendit.com/download/QlVpY...
Part 5 (documents 127–206)
[5]https://www.yousendit.com/download/QlVpY...
We will send you by email a letter from the Department relating to your
specific request. In addition, the Department has today posted a hard copy
of the information, your letter and the material, to the address you
provided.
If you have queries about the information please contact our media
advisors:
Michael Mead
04 382 3437
021 245 7451
[6][email address]
or
Tony Wallace
04 4959472
0274402667
[7][email address]
====
CAUTION: This email message and any attachments contain information that
may be confidential and may be LEGALLY PRIVILEGED. If you are not the
intended recipient, any use, disclosure or copying of this message or
attachments is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email
message in error please notify us immediately and erase all copies of the
message and attachments. Thank you.
====
References
Visible links
1. https://www.yousendit.com/download/QlVpY...
2. https://www.yousendit.com/download/QlVpY...
3. https://www.yousendit.com/download/QlVpY...
4. https://www.yousendit.com/download/QlVpY...
5. https://www.yousendit.com/download/QlVpY...
6. mailto:[email address]
7. mailto:[email address]
From: Sara Alexander
Dear Alex
you were sent the link to the documentation in a previous email on Friday. The links were working. We tested them.
Let me know if you did not receive the first email and I can resend it? It was called Official Information Act REQUEST in the subject line. I have rechecked and it definitely went out to you on Friday.
Kind regards
SA
Sara Alexander
Personal Assistant to the General Manager, Citizenship
Service Delivery & Operations Branch
Internal Affairs Te Tari Taiwhenua
Direct Dial: +64 4 3823520 x 4520
Fax: +64 4 3823 561
show quoted sections
From: Alex Harris
Dear Sara Alexander,
Sorry; the emails arrived out of order and the the one with the links didn't show up for several hours. It has arrived, the data is there, and publicly available. Thanks for all the effort you've gone to over this.
Yours sincerely,
Alex Harris
Things to do with this request
- Add an annotation (to help the requester or others)
- Download a zip file of all correspondence
Offensive? Unsuitable?
Requests for personal information and vexatious requests are not considered valid requests for Official Information (read more).
If you believe this request is not suitable, you can report it for attention by the site administrators
Report this request