Dear Radio New Zealand Limited,

Official Information Act 1982 (Act)

This is an official request for information pursuant to the Act.

On 17 February 2021 the following statement was published by Radio New Zealand:

"RNZ is the statutory Lifeline Utility responsible for radio broadcasting under the Emergency Management Act 2002 and it has a memorandum of understanding with Government which has been activated to help deal with potential health issues related to the pandemic. RNZ's Lifeline Utility obligations do not affect our editorial independence as a public media organisation or the rigour of our news gathering and reporting operations."

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/4365...

Please provide a copy of the "memorandum of understanding" and all relevant material pursuant to and in the context of the mentioned activation.

I hereby confirm that I meet the requirements of the Act in making this request.

Should you require any evidence concerning meeting requirements pursuant to section 12 of the Act please respond without delay outlining:

(a) the forms of evidence you deem acceptable and an email address to which such information can be sent, and

(b) the genuine and reasonable grounds for requiring such evidence.

Yours faithfully,

Robin Benson

Dear Maggie Hedge,

Thank you for your swift response.

Robin Benson

Dear George Bignell,

My OIA asked:

"Please provide a copy of the "memorandum of understanding" and all relevant material pursuant to and in the context of the mentioned activation."

You have provided the MOU.

Please provide all relevant material pursuant to and in the context of the mentioned activation.

To be clear this part of my request relates to the "activation" as mentioned on 17 February 2021 at:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/4365...

Yours sincerely,

Robin Benson

Dear George Bignell,

Thank you for your response.

At the end of the RNZ item referenced (https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/4365...) are the paragraphs below. The last paragraph relates to an "activation".

I trust you find this clarification helpful.

"This is an official government Covid-19 announcement:

Auckland is now at alert level 3, the rest of the country is now at alert level 2. Cases of Covid-19 have been identified in the Auckland community. Restrictions will remain until Wednesday at midnight. A further announcement on next steps will be made at 4.30pm this afternoon. Travelling in or out of Auckland is restricted. Stay home, stop the spread. For more information on the alert levels go to covid19.govt.nz

RNZ is the statutory Lifeline Utility responsible for radio broadcasting under the Emergency Management Act 2002 and it has a memorandum of understanding with Government which has been activated to help deal with potential health issues related to the pandemic. RNZ's Lifeline Utility obligations do not affect our editorial independence as a public media organisation or the rigour of our news gathering and reporting operations."

Yours sincerely,

Robin Benson

Dear George Bignell,

Thank you for the additional information. I feel we are almost there.

"which has been activated to help deal with potential health issues related to the pandemic."

Could you please outline what RNZ helping "deal with potential health issues related to the pandemic." actually means?

Yours sincerely,

Robin Benson

Dear George Bignell,

Just to be clear, the "activation" referred to relates specifically and only to "RNZ broadcasting and publishing the government's official statements was part of dealing with the health issue of preventing the virus spreading."

Please confirm this is correct and that will conclude this OIA.

Alternatively I refer you to the original request in particular "all relevant material pursuant to and in the context of the mentioned activation."

Yours sincerely,

Robin Benson