7 September 2016
Matt Taylor
By email: matt@matthewtaylor.co.nz
Dear Matt
OFFICIAL INFORMATION ACT 16.33 – ASSAULT ON CAMPUS
Thank you for your follow up to request OIA16.33, into the recently reported assault on the Ilam Fields.
In your original request, you asked for “documents and emails regarding the planning and implementation of
the University of Canterbury's response to the recent sexual assault on campus” and in response, the
University provided the content of the all-student email alerting them to the incident, and a link to the relevant
page from the University’s Emergency Response Procedures document. Any additional information was
withheld under section 6(c), to prevent prejudice to the maintenance of law, and in particular, to ensure that
the investigation of an offence is/was not prejudiced.
You have since requested a review of this decision and for the University to provide an explanation for
withholding certain information.
The initial scope of the enquiry, covering as it did ‘documents and emails regarding the planning and
implementation’ of the University’s response to the incident, was taken to include the management of the
response by UC Security, and it was on that basis that the decision was made to withhold material under s6(c).
The reasoning was to ensure the maintenance of law, and prevent prejudice to the investigation of a crime.
Upon review however, it has become apparent that this component of the request should have been
forwarded to the Police for response, as it is more appropriately covered by that agency under s14. The
University regrets this error.
The University is providing the following summary of events for you, under s16(1)(e) of the Official Information
Act. This is due to the requirement to ensure the University does not prejudice an active Police investigation, as
provided for by s6(c).
The incident was reported directly to the Police by the victim and not to the University. It is being actively
managed by the Police. Other than the material already released, there is no other planning or implementation
material that fits in to the scope of your enquiry. The timeline of events is as follows:
UC Security were advised by Police of a “physical assault” of a young woman on Ilam Fields late in the day on
Friday 22 July.
Subsequently a teleconference was held involving UC Communications, Security and the Vice-Chancellor. UC
Communications, at the Vice-Chancellor’s instruction, acted on a Police request to advise all students of the
incident (as a physical assault) and the need to be vigilant and aware of their own security. The University also
increased security as a result.

 Because it was well after 5pm and given the circumstances provided to UC by the Police about the incident,
University staff were not emailed about it.
The email to students was sent at 5.22pm on 22 July, which we have previously provided, said:
Good afternoon,
UC has been notified by the Police of an assault which occurred on Ilam Field
late on the 21 July. Police investigations are ongoing.
Please take care to follow the lighted safe walking paths when crossing
campus, particularly after dark, and please notify UC Security of anything
suspicious you might notice on campus.
Subsequently the Press contacted the University’s spokesperson the following Sunday evening. The Police had
released a statement to the media, which the University was not then aware of.
The spokesperson explained
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The University was advised by police of an assault on Friday and emailed all students to be mindful of their
own safety, especially at night. The reporter was provided a copy of the email above.
The University cannot confirm if the victim was a student, but that plenty of support services were
available on campus if they were needed.
That the University had increased security as a result, but did not give specifics – it would not normally
reveal details of operational security or of an active police investigation.
That the Police appeared not to have told the University of the sexual nature of the incident before telling
the media.

Yours faithfully

Tom Norcliffe
Associate Registrar