Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision staff on 7 November 2016. It was labeled by the archive as the first significant change since the three organisations had come together. On 9 December the archive confirmed that it would centralise its collections from Auckland and Christchurch to the former TVNZ Avalon facility in Lower Hutt, and that five jobs would be lost. The restructure saw many staff disestablished. Staff had to apply for new roles, and in some cases relocate to Wellington. Released under an Official Information Act request, correspondence from a redacted individual to the Prime Minister John Key noted that the biggest loss would occur in Collection Services - which encompassed the acquisition and conservation areas. Out of a total of 35 current positions in that department, 33 (94% of the staff) would be disestablished or ended, with the guarantee of fewer positions available in the new structure. The restructure was largely implemented by April 2017. Employee figures from 30 June 2017 showed that there had been a decrease from 80 to 61 full-time positions since 30 June 2016, but an increase of 13 part-time positions at the archive. Christchurch closure One of the main aspects of the restructure was the closure of the former RNZ Sound Archives audio preservation facilities in Christchurch and the relocation of 100,000 collection items to Wellington. Sound Archives had been based in the South Island since 1956, and located in central Christchurch since 1992. Staff and unions raised concerns about the move, including whether the material could be safely transferred. Union members also said the relocation went against promises made by the Minister of Arts, Culture and Heritage Chris Finlayson to keep the archives in Christchurch following the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision's Strategic Plan 2016-2024 published in July 2016 also noted that the archive was "committed to remaining in Christchurch as part of the Canterbury recovery." Contrary to the sentiment expressed in the Strategic Plan, an Archives New Zealand email released under the Official Information Act, noted that Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision Chief Executive Rebecca Elvy had advised Archives New Zealand at the start of August 2016 that the political pressure to have the sound archives in Christchurch had been removed, and that the archive was not wedded to keeping the archive in that region. Ms Elvy was interested in Palmerston North as an alternative site. A fact sheet