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

-----Original Message-----
From: H Enderby [mailto:[FOI #10512 email]]
Sent: Monday, 10 June 2019 9:09 PM
To: Official Information Act <[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - African Swine fever and Chronic Wasting Disease

Dear Ministry for Primary Industries,

Please provide a summary of correspondence mentioning African Swine fever and Chronic Wasting Disease between 1-1-2017 and 1-6-2019

I want to know who you have been talking to about these diseases, what money has been invested into them and what the planned or suspected outcomes are.

Thank you,

Hannah Enderby

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #10512 email]

Is [MPI request email] the wrong address for Official Information requests to Ministry for Primary Industries? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

_____________________________________________________________________________________

This email message and any attachment(s) is intended solely for the addressee(s)
named above. The information it contains may be classified and may be legally
privileged. Unauthorised use of the message, or the information it contains,
may be unlawful. If you have received this message by mistake please call the
sender immediately on 64 4 8940100 or notify us by return email and erase the
original message and attachments. Thank you.

The Ministry for Primary Industries accepts no responsibility for changes
made to this email or to any attachments after transmission from the office.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

hide quoted sections

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

-----Original Message-----
From: H Enderby [mailto:[FOI #10512 email]]
Sent: Monday, 10 June 2019 9:09 PM
To: Official Information Act <[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - African Swine fever and Chronic Wasting Disease

Dear Ministry for Primary Industries,

Please provide a summary of correspondence mentioning African Swine fever and Chronic Wasting Disease between 1-1-2017 and 1-6-2019

I want to know who you have been talking to about these diseases, what money has been invested into them and what the planned or suspected outcomes are.

Thank you,

Hannah Enderby

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #10512 email]

Is [MPI request email] the wrong address for Official Information requests to Ministry for Primary Industries? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

_____________________________________________________________________________________

This email message and any attachment(s) is intended solely for the addressee(s)
named above. The information it contains may be classified and may be legally
privileged. Unauthorised use of the message, or the information it contains,
may be unlawful. If you have received this message by mistake please call the
sender immediately on 64 4 8940100 or notify us by return email and erase the
original message and attachments. Thank you.

The Ministry for Primary Industries accepts no responsibility for changes
made to this email or to any attachments after transmission from the office.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

hide quoted sections

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

-----Original Message-----
From: H Enderby [mailto:[FOI #10512 email]]
Sent: Wednesday, 19 June 2019 9:26 PM
To: Official Information Act <[email address]>
Subject: Re: OIA19-0327 - Request

Please refrain from sending me long winded pasted generic replies such as this and spend some time actually comprehending my OIA request. I asked for a summary. This will look like "658 emails discussing CWD, 112 emails discussing ASF" or something along these lines. By simply asking your own staff which agencies they have discussed these subjects with you will get a small list to pass on to me. And by asking how many staff have been on both cases and for how long, you will have a ball park figure for the amount invested. You will also quickly learn who is in charge and they can tell you the intended outcomes.

Hannah Enderby

-----Original Message-----

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

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #10512 email]

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

_____________________________________________________________________________________

This email message and any attachment(s) is intended solely for the addressee(s)
named above. The information it contains may be classified and may be legally
privileged. Unauthorised use of the message, or the information it contains,
may be unlawful. If you have received this message by mistake please call the
sender immediately on 64 4 8940100 or notify us by return email and erase the
original message and attachments. Thank you.

The Ministry for Primary Industries accepts no responsibility for changes
made to this email or to any attachments after transmission from the office.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

hide quoted sections

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

 

-----Original Message-----

From: H Enderby [[2]mailto:[FOI #10512 email]]

Sent: Saturday, 22 June 2019 8:32 AM

To: Official Information Act <[3][email address]>

Subject: Re: OIA19-0327 - Request

 

Thank you Siobhan,

 

Please narrow the scope to 1-1-19 to 1-6-19 and restrict the search to a
summary of meetings and emails between MPI and; OSPRI NZ Ltd, Federated
Farmers of New Zealand Incorporated , the New Zealand Pork Industry Board
and Deer Industry NZ and their lawyers and other agents, reps, lobbyists
etc.

 

Regards,

 

Hannah Enderby

 

-----Original Message-----
Sent: Thursday, 20 June 2019 11:51 AM
To: '[FOI #10512 email]'
<[FOI #10512 email]>
Subject: OIA19-0327 - Request

 

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: [4]www.mpi.govt.nz

 

-----Original Message-----

From: H Enderby [[5]mailto:[FOI #10512 email]]

Sent: Wednesday, 19 June 2019 9:26 PM

To: Official Information Act <[6][email address]>

Subject: Re: OIA19-0327 - Request

 

Please refrain from sending me long winded pasted generic replies such as
this and spend some time actually comprehending my OIA request. I asked
for a summary. This will look like "658 emails discussing CWD, 112 emails
discussing ASF" or something along these lines. By simply asking your own
staff which  agencies they have discussed these subjects with you will get
a small list to pass on to me. And by asking how many staff have been on
both cases and for how long, you will have a ball park figure for the
amount invested. You will also quickly learn who is in charge and they can
tell you the intended outcomes.

 

Hannah Enderby

 

-----Original Message-----

 

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: [7]www.mpi.govt.nz

 

-----Original Message-----

From: H Enderby [[8]mailto:[FOI #10512 email]]

Sent: Monday, 10 June 2019 9:09 PM

To: Official Information Act <[9][email address]>

Subject: Official Information request - African Swine fever and Chronic
Wasting Disease

 

Dear Ministry for Primary Industries,

 

Please provide a summary of correspondence mentioning African Swine fever
and Chronic Wasting Disease between 1-1-2017 and 1-6-2019

 

I want to know who you have been talking to about these diseases, what
money has been invested into them and what the planned or suspected
outcomes are.

 

Thank you,

 

Hannah Enderby

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

 

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[10][FOI #10512 email]

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This email message and any attachment(s) is intended solely for the
addressee(s)
named above. The information it contains may be classified and may be
legally
privileged. Unauthorised use of the message, or the information it
contains,
may be unlawful. If you have received this message by mistake please call
the
sender immediately on 64 4 8940100 or notify us by return email and erase
the
original message and attachments. Thank you.

The Ministry for Primary Industries accepts no responsibility for changes
made to this email or to any attachments after transmission from the
office.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

References

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3. mailto:[email address]
4. http://www.mpi.govt.nz/
5. mailto:[FOI #10512 email]
6. mailto:[email address]
7. http://www.mpi.govt.nz/
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10. mailto:[FOI #10512 email]

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