Appendix A: Pre-notification Letter

30 October 2007

[Name]

[Address 1]

[Address 2]

[Address 3]

Dear [Name]

Research with New Zealanders

The environment is crucial in supporting the New Zealand economy, the health of our people, our quality of life and our ecosystems. One of the roles of the Ministry for the Environment is to achieve good environmental leadership and decision making in order to deliver the environment that New Zealanders expect and deserve. To help us do this, we have asked Research New Zealand to conduct a survey of New Zealanders opinions and actions towards a range of issues that are relevant to our future.

Your name has been randomly selected from the current electoral roll and we would really appreciate your help with our survey. One of Research New Zealand’s interviewers may call you in the next few weeks to see if you, or somebody else living in your household, would be willing to participate in a 15–20 minute telephone interview.

Participation in the survey is purely voluntary, and we assure you that anything you say during the interview will remain completely anonymous. When Research New Zealand report on the results, your responses will be grouped together with the responses from other people from all over New Zealand who have completed the survey. No individual results will be identified.

If you do not wish to take part, simply call Research New Zealand on free phone 0800 273 732 within the next five days and let them know (please quote your reference number at the bottom of this letter).

If you would like more information about the survey, please call Megan Lee at Research New Zealand on free phone 0800 500 168 (or 499 3088 in the Wellington region) during office hours (8.30 am–5 pm). If you would like to talk to someone here at the Ministry, feel free to call me on (04) 439 7632.

Yours sincerely

Susan Bisset

Ministry for the Environment

Ref. No: <IDNO>

Frequently asked questions

What’s the purpose of the survey?	The information collected in this survey will help the Ministry for the Environment better understand where New Zealanders are, in terms of their attitudes and beliefs towards a range of current issues and concerns. This greater understanding will help the Ministry in their decision and policy making processes.
Is Research NZ part of the Ministry for the Environment?	No, Research NZ is not part of the Ministry for the Environment. They are an independent research company that we have asked to complete the survey on our behalf.
How did they get my name and address?	Your name and address was randomly selected along with thousands of others from the electoral roll. Your phone number was obtained through Telecom’s white pages.
What’s involved?	One of Research NZ’s interviewers may call you in the next few weeks to arrange a suitable time to interview you over the telephone. There are no right or wrong answers as it is your opinion that counts. No preparation is required on your part.
How long will the interview take?	Around 15 minutes.
Is the interview confidential?	Yes, it is confidential. Anything you say in the interview will remain anonymous. Your responses will be grouped together with those of all the other people who take part in the survey, so that individual responses cannot be identified. Research NZ will report to the Ministry on the basis of these grouped results only. Research NZ is bound by the Professional Code of Practice of the Market Research Society of New Zealand, which prohibits them from identifying any person who takes part in a survey unless they have explicit consent from them to do so.
Do I have to take part in the survey?	No, you don’t have to do the survey. Your participation in this survey is completely voluntary. If you don’t want to be contacted, please call Research NZ on 0800 273 732 and quote the reference number at the bottom of your letter.
What if I want to find out more about it?	If you have any queries about the survey, please call Megan Lee (Research NZ, Project Manager) freephone: 0800 500 168. If you’d like to talk to someone at the Ministry for the Environment, please call Susan Bisset (Communications Coordinator) on (04) 439 7632.

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