10721 (2024). Arena Williams to the Minister for State Owned Enterprises

10721 (2024). Arena Williams to the Minister for State Owned Enterprises: Further to WPQ 9316 (2024), given other ministers have answered the same question put to them, for example in WPQ1376 (2024), what is the Minister’s reason, if any, for determining it “is not in the public interest to release the titles of papers put out for consultation, before the papers are considered by Cabinet?”

Hon Paul Goldsmith: Details regarding papers remain confidential until after they are considered by Cabinet and I have no intention of deviating from this longstanding and well-understood practice. The Member refences an answer provided by another Minister as an example of titles of papers put out for consultation being released. Whilst I have no responsibility for the answers provided by other Ministers, I would note to the Member that those papers had been considered by Cabinet at the time the answer was provided, and hence why their titles were able to be released via a response to a written parliamentary question. The Official Information Act is not applicable to the answers to Written Parliamentary Questions, however if a question asking for the titles of papers put out for consultation was asked by way of an Official Information Act request, it is likely that the information would be withheld under section 9(2)(f)(iv) of the Act. Standing Orders state that an answer that seeks to address the question asked must be given if it can be given consistently with the public interest. The Minister who receives the question is responsible for making that judgement. I am not aware of any Speakers Rulings or any specific section of the Standing Orders relating to questions asking for the titles of papers put out for consultation. I have not received any direction from the Prime Minister or the Prime Minister's office regarding these questions. For further information, I refer the member to the Cabinet Office circular on the consultation arrangements for this Government: https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/publications/co-24-2-national-act-and-new-zealand-first-coalition-government-consultation-and-operating-arrangements