Official Information Request - Secret Protocol Meetings
Sent: Monday, February 19, 2024 3:51 PM
Subject: Secret Protocol Meetings
I refer to your information request of 27 January 2024, which is being processed under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (the Act). I note that Council emailed you on 31 January 2024 asking you to clarify and refine parts of your request but we have not had a response.
As advised on 31 January, Council has a number of MOUs/protocol agreements with other parties. There are a number of LGOIMA responses on Council’s website regarding the protocol agreements/committees which may provide the information you require. Please refer to the following links to access these responses:
19 August 2022 - Official Information Request - Protocol meetings - Rotorua Lakes Council
27 November 2023 - Official Information Request - Protocol Meetings - Rotorua Lakes Council
17 January 2024 - Official Information Request - Ngati Whakaue Gifted Lands/Reserves - Rotorua Lakes Council
17 January 2024 – Official Information Request - Ngāti Whakaue Gifted reserves agreement - Rotorua Lakes Council
Regarding any perceived conflict of interest between the Interim CE and Ngāti Whakaue, the Interim CE noted the potential for a perception of conflict of interest and delegated (on 26 September 2023) the responsibility for all engagement and decision-making regarding Pukeroa Oruawhata Trust and Ngāti Whakaue Tribal Lands to the Group Manager, Community & District Development.
As advised on 31 January when asking you to clarify and refine your request, many of your other questions are extremely broad and would require a significant amount of time to collate, if actually possible. The balance of your request is therefore declined under the following clauses of the Act:
- Section 17(f) – that the information requested cannot be made available without substantial collation or research.
- Section 17(h) – that [parts of] the request is frivolous … or that the information requested is trivial.
