Tēnā koe Hannah,

Thank you for your official information request received on 10 June 2019.

Your request will be considered and a decision provided in accordance with the requirements of the Official Information Act 1982.

If you have any questions regarding this request, please email [email address]

Ngā mihi,

Official Information Act Team
Ministerials and Business Support | Strategy, Performance & Engagement Ministry for Primary Industries - Manatū Ahu Matua | Charles Fergusson Building, 34-38 Bowen Street | PO Box 2526 | Wellington, New Zealand. Telephone: 0800 00 83 33 | Email: [email address] | Web: www.mpi.govt.nz

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Hi Hannah,

I have been allocated as the lead Adviser for your recent official information request to the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) - 'Please provide a summary of correspondence mentioning African Swine Fever and Chronic wasting Disease between 1 January 2017 and 1 June 2019.'

Such an undertaking is likely to be significant and as your request currently stands, it will require a search through a substantial amount of material. You have essentially asked for all information during a period of over two years. This is a difficult request to collate as it requires MPI to review all documentation, including emails, to find any mention of the terms 'African Swine Fever' or 'Chronic wasting Disease'.

Given the possible broad nature of these terms and the overlap with other issues and topics, this is a difficult request to accurately scope. Also, whenever requests for information are made in this way it often leads to responses of substantial size that are likely to be extended for significant periods of time or refused. To assist MPI in making a decision on your request, we are contacting you to see if you would be willing to re-scope your request by doing one or more of the following:

• Narrow the time frame. As stated, this time frame is big and providing a revised timeframe may assist in removing the need to refuse the request.
• Re-scope your request to cover one set of documents, such as briefings or advice to the Minister. Anecdotally this can also result in receiving better quality information which can further inform on issues, which assists the public interest.
• Provide us with specific people and/or groups that you are interested in. This would allow us to conduct a search based on these specific groups rather than searching all material.

I would encourage you to consider one or a combination of these options, which may remove the need to refuse your request pursuant to section 18(f) of the Official Information Act. As you will be aware, a decision on your request is due as soon as reasonably practicable, so I look forward to hearing from you shortly. Please note, a decision may be to transfer your request, extend the time to respond, refuse part or all of your request or fix a charge.

If you have any questions please let me know.

Kind regards,

Siobhan Farquhar | Official Information Act Adviser
Ministerials and Business Support | Strategy, Performance & Engagement
Ministry for Primary Industries - Manatû Ahu Matua | Charles Fergusson Building, 34-38 Bowen Street
PO Box 2526 | Wellington 6011 New Zealand | Web: www.mpi.govt.nz

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The Official Information Act requires MPI to consider consultation in the instance where a refusal under 18(f) of the OIA is being considered. The response below was intended to provide assistance to you and it’s length was simply to articulate the difficulties in processing your request as it is currently worded.

You asked for a summary of correspondence. From that, it was not clear that you were only requesting the number of emails. This is why MPI sought clarification. It is worth noting that as at June 2018, MPI employed over 2400 full time staff. During the time period you have requested, as with any organisation, there is likely to have been a percentage of staff turnover. Therefore, it is difficult for MPI to just ask staff who they have had discussions with and give you a small list, as this is unlikely to provide an accurate answer.

To provide further assistance regarding your question about investment. It is not possible to calculate the money invested by asking staff. There are multiple reasons for this, including the strong likelihood that the work that was undertaken may be part of a joint Government response meaning these costs may have been shared. Also staff, by in large, do not work on just one issue and rather will work in an area, for example food science or biosecurity where multiple issues are worked on in any given day. As such it is difficult to calculate, with any surety, an investment figure simply by using this metric alone.

MPI will consider any response to this correspondence, but in the absence of any further comment will make a decision on whether the previously outlined options - charging, extending or refusing, are relevant in this case.

Kind regards,

Siobhan Farquhar | Official Information Act Adviser
Ministerials and Business Support | Strategy, Performance & Engagement
Ministry for Primary Industries - Manatū Ahu Matua | Charles Fergusson Building, 34-38 Bowen Street
PO Box 2526 | Wellington 6011 New Zealand | Web: www.mpi.govt.nz

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Hi Hannah,

 

Please find attached a response to your OIA request.

 

Kind regards,

 

Siobhan Farquhar | Official Information Act Adviser

Government Services | Public Affairs

Ministry for Primary Industries - Manatū Ahu Matua | Charles Fergusson
Building, 34-38 Bowen Street

PO Box 2526 | Wellington 6011 New Zealand | Web: [1]www.mpi.govt.nz

 

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