Authorship of Published Report on CNZS

Dear Birkbeck, University of London,

In April of this year, Birkbeck issued a press release concerning a
Review Report following the closure of the Centre for New Zealand
Studies.

The press release states that the report was “presented by
Professor Janet Wilson and Professor Andrew Sharp”. It also says,
“As part of their review, they worked with the College, the New
Zealand High Commission and the Vice-Chancellor of the University
of London, Sir Graeme Davies. They also consulted scholars and
academics both in the United Kingdom and New Zealand, as well as
New Zealand social and professional groups.”

The report begins with the heading “Review of the Centre for New
Zealand Studies by Professors Janet Wilson and Andrew Sharp".
However, there is nothing that asserts the review as published was
entirely the work of these two professors.

It is also puzzling that the pdf copy of the report (CNZS Review
Report April 2010 pdf (2).pdf) contains under the file’s properties
a New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade email address
(lonp17"at"mfat.govt.nz)

This suggests that the report was concluded on New Zealand
government computer and that an MFAT employee made a pdf file and
forwarded it to Birkbeck for release.

I therefore request to see the copy of the Review Report as
submitted by Professors Wilson and Sharpe before any editing by
others (including MFAT / Zealand High Commission, Birkbeck and the
University of London) took place.

I further request:

•Copies of email or other correspondence that disclose or concern
which people commented on, contributed to, or otherwise amended the
report submitted by Professors Wilson and Sharpe before it was
published.

•Copies of any emails or other correspondence from Professors
Wilson and Sharpe giving their endorsement to the version that was
to be published, or any other comments they made on the final
version.

•Copies of submissions made to the review by organisations.

Yours faithfully

Paul Burns

Dear Birkbeck, University of London,

I have had no response to my FOI request made on 25 May via
whatdotheyknow.com concerning Authorship of the Review Report on
the Centre for New Zealand
Studies.

By law, Birkbeck should have responded by 23 June.

Please confirm that you are aware of the request and advise on when
the substantive reply will be made.

Yours faithfully,

Paul Burns