DJ Fed again.. is known for sold out performances announced on social media at short notice. He performed in Wellington in front of 8000 fans in March. Photo:
A review into how an application for an urgent passport renewal for a Wellington DJ was handled has found it could have been managed better, but there was no preferential treatment.
Tessa Hills had won a competition to join British DJ Fred again.. (Fred Gibson) in Australia for his world tour, but needed her passport renewed.
Fred again.. took to Instagram, pleading for help, and a senior official at the Department of Internal Affairs privately messaged him, saying it was being sorted out.
Internal Affairs chief executive Paul James said an independent review found Hills' application was processed normally.
But that the matter should have been handled better when it came to privacy and the use of social media.
"There is no evidence of preferential treatment, nor of any DIA leader playing a role in the decision to grant the passport renewal," James said.
"The urgent passport was processed in the normal way, by the normal people, and the urgent fee was paid."
Recommendations from the review about privacy and social media were being implemented immediately.
James said the urgent passport service was an important service.
"From 1 October 2023 to 30 March 2024, there were 14,026 urgent same day passports issued, with 62 being granted on 26 March 2024, including the passport in question."
