Documents Tri-Treasury Conference Information Release

Page updated 15 Apr 2011

Information release of documents relating to the Tri-Treasury Conference held in Hawke's Bay in February 2011.

The other Tri-Treasury Conference information release was of Summary Information on 4 March 2011 (updated 4 April 2011).

Introduction

The Tri-Treasury conference was a significant international event. It was a rare opportunity to bring together the leaders of the New Zealand, Australian and United Kingdom Treasuries for in depth discussions on the challenges that all three countries are facing in the wake of the Global Financial Crisis.

The New Zealand Treasury was represented by Secretary to the Treasury John Whitehead and his two Deputy Chief Executives Andrew Kibblewhite and Gabs Makhlouf, the Australian Treasury by outgoing Treasurer Dr Ken Henry and his successor Dr Martin Parkinson, and HM Treasury by Permanent Secretary Sir Nicholas Macpherson.

The conference was an invaluable opportunity to strengthen strategic links between the three countries and the programme included briefings and discussions on a range of economic and financial issues: the global growth outlook; the macroeconomic environment; state sector strategy; the European debt crisis; microeconomic reform; environmental sustainability; organisational change and leadership in the Treasuries; and international integration. All three Treasuries agreed that there was significant benefit in participating in the discussions, and intend to meet again in the future, possibly extending the invitation to other countries’ Treasuries.

The Australian and United Kingdom Treasuries contributed to the cost of the conference by paying for their own travel to New Zealand. The New Zealand Treasury Executive Leadership Team also contributed to the cost by personally funding a portion of the entertainment costs.

The documents prepared for the conference as background material for the New Zealand Treasury participants are provided in this release. Detailed cost information is also provided.

Documents

Information Withheld

Certain information in some documents included in this Tri-Treasury Conference information release has been withheld under one or more of the following sections of the Official Information Act, as applicable:

• 6(a) - making the information available would be likely to prejudice the security or defence of New Zealand or the international relations of the Government of New Zealand
• 6(b)(i) - making the information available would be likely to prejudice the entrusting of information to the Government of New Zealand on a basis of confidence by the Government of any other country or any agency of such a Government
• 9(2)(a) - to protect the privacy of natural persons, including deceased people
• 9(2)(f)(iv) - to maintain the current constitutional conventions protecting the confidentiality of advice tendered by ministers and officials
• 9(2)(g)(i) - to maintain the effective conduct of public affairs through the free and frank expression of opinions
• 9(2)(j) - to enable the Crown to negotiate without disadvantage or prejudice
• 18(d) - the information is or will soon be publicly available

Where information has been withheld a reference to the applicable section of the Official Information Act has been made.

In preparing this information release, the Treasury has considered the public interest considerations in section 9(1) of the Official Information Act.

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