Mr Michael Fennessy of Innes Dean Tararua Law Ltd, on behalf of his client, Mr Mike Plowman, requested copies of certain documents relating to the Crown’s negotiations with Whanganui Iwi regarding “water co-management or proposals for water co-management”. The Office of Treaty Settlements (OTS), which is part of the Ministry of Justice, withheld the information at issue under section 9(2)(j) of the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) on the basis that its release would prejudice or disadvantage the Crown’s negotiations with the Whanganui Iwi in relation to their Whanganui River and land claims. During my investigation, the OTS undertook to release redacted versions of certain documents forming part of the information at issue.
Based on the information provided to me, I have concluded that the OTS was entitled to withhold the balance of the information at issue under section 9(2)(j) of the OIA.