Dear The Treasury,

1. Under the Official Information Act, I request all advice to ministers or their staff prepared since the formation of the Coalition Government on the probable inflationary effects of personal-tax cuts (defined broadly to include increased Working for Families tax credits, adjustments to income-tax thresholds and other matters mentioned in the National Party tax policy for the 2023 election referred to in the National-Act and National-NZ First Coalition agreements), compared with reducing the operating, OBEGAL and/or core Crown residual cash deficits by the same amount as the fiscal impact of any personal-tax cuts.

2. I understand from the Minister of Finance's recent speech that advice is being prepared on the probable inflationary effects of personal-tax cuts compared with maintaining or increasing core Crown expenses by the same amount as the fiscal impact of any personal-tax cuts. Please do not confuse my request with that quite different work.

3. Nevertheless, it seems to me that, in the interests of increasing progressively the availability of official information to the people of New Zealand in order to enable their more effective participation in the making and administration of laws and policies and to promote the accountability of Ministers of the Crown and officials, and thereby to enhance respect for the law and to promote the good government of New Zealand, it would be highly desirable for the information I have requested in 1 above not to be publicly released any later that the information referred to in 2 above. In practice, I suspect that means it should be released on or before Budget Day.

4. Thank you in anticipation of your prompt and professional response to this request as soon as reasonably practicable as required by law.

Yours faithfully,

Matthew Hooton

Dear Ministerial Services Inbox [TSY],

Thank you for your reply. That is all fine. In fact I am very keen for my OIA response to be published.

As you may know, I asked the Minister's Office and Treasury Communications yesterday morning whether it would be possible to have this information by lunchtime yesterday to help inform my New Zealand Herald column today.

Alas it was not. However, I would be most grateful if I could have the information by close-of-business on Wednesday 29 May in order for it to help inform my public commentary on the Budget.

I would also be perfectly happy if the information were made universally available that day, including on the Treasury website.

Thank you for your consideration of this request.

Yours sincerely

Matthew Hooton