67954 (2024). Tamatha Paul to the Minister for Children

67954 (2024). Tamatha Paul to the Minister for Children: What events or meetings, if any, did the Minister decline to attend during the period 30th September 2024 to 14 October 2024 inclusive, including location, event description, and attendees?

Hon Karen Chhour: I am advised that, to the best of my Office’s records, two invitations were declined during the period 30 September 2014 to 14 October 2024 inclusive. • The Silent Victims of Family Violence: The Children; Wellington; Lunchtime panel discussion. • Aotearoa Justice Watch Hui; Wellington; Cross-party event. Notes: • While my Office keeps records of invitations to ‘events’, it is administratively difficult to accurately identify all ‘meetings’ and whether they are declined or accepted, as generally meetings do not have a specific date. Requests for a ‘meeting’ may take some weeks or even months to progress from invitation to actually taking place, depending on a range of factors such as scheduling. • The above list relates to events that were declined during the time period asked, not the dates of the events themselves. • Generally, invitations are accepted/declined on my behalf by my Office staff, rather than by me personally. It is possible that I may not even be made aware of the invitation. • Declining an invitation should not be interpreted as a lack of my interest/willingness to attend the event in question. • Generally, I and my Office are not aware of who attended events that I myself did not attend.