Dear Correspondenet

Thank you for your email to Rt Hon Winston Peters.

Due to the COVID19 global pandemic, the office is currently receiving a
high volume of correspondence. In light of the current situation, please
see the information below that might be of assistance in addressing your
enquiry.

If you are a New Zealander offshore in need of assistance, please contact
the New Zealand Embassy or High Commission closest to you. A list can be
found here: [1]https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/embassies/

If you need assistance after usual office hours or you reside in New
Zealand, please call this emergency consular number  +64 99 20 20 20
(outside New Zealand) or 0800 30 10 30 (within New Zealand).

In relation to COVID-19, please note the following (correct as of 27 March
2020): 

o It is now advised that New Zealanders do not travel overseas, and
consider returning home while the limited commercial options remain
available. Taking your personal circumstances into account, it may
make sense to stay where you are and follow the instructions of local
authorities, especially if you are a long-term resident overseas. 
o The New Zealand Government is committed to helping New Zealanders
overseas where it can. However, the situation is extremely complex, is
changing quickly, and some things are beyond the Government’s control.
Government-assisted departure flights should not be relied upon to get
home. 
o New Zealand has now moved up to COVID-19 Alert Level 4. For more
information on what this means, visit the New Zealand Government’s
dedicated COVID-19 website [2]www.covid19.govt.nz.  
o If you are a New Zealander living in Australia seeking assistance,
arrived in Australia after 26 February 2001 but have lived and worked
in Australia for more than ten years, you may be able to access a
one-off six month tranche of assistance from Centrelink.  Please
contact Centrelink International Services on 131 673 for more
information. Details of early access to superannuation funds for
eligible people are available on the Australian Tax Office website:
[3]www.ato.gov.au. The Australian Government website at
[4]www.servicesaustralia.gov.au will also be kept up to date on
emergency support packages. 
o New Zealanders travelling or residing offshore are encouraged to
[5]register their details with MFAT
([6]https://register.safetravel.govt.nz/login). Those who are
registered will receive updates to travel advisory advice levels.

 

While the Deputy Prime Minister considers all correspondence to be
important and all messages are carefully read and considered, it is not
possible to provide a personal response to every email which is received.

 

Where the Deputy Prime Minister has portfolio responsibility for the
issues that you have raised, your correspondence will be considered and
responded to where appropriate.

 

Thank you for taking the time to write.

 

(Please note that this acknowledgement is an automatically generated
email.)

 

Regards

Office of Rt Hon Winston Peters

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

References

Visible links
1. https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/embassies/
2. http://www.covid19.govt.nz/
3. https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Super...
4. http://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/
5. https://register.safetravel.govt.nz/login
6. https://register.safetravel.govt.nz/login

Dear Ryan Potts,

On behalf of Rt Hon Winston Peters, your Official Information Act request dated 1 April 2020 is acknowledged:

When and by whom were you first briefed on the contents of a report titled "Modelled Estimates for the Spread and Health Impact of Covid-19 in New Zealand"?

The Minister is considering your request in accordance with the Act and will respond in due course.

Yours sincerely,

Office of Rt Hon Winston Peters

show quoted sections

Dear Ryan Potts

 

Please find attached a response to your Official Information Act, received
1 April 2020.

 

Yours sincerely

Office of Rt Hon Winston Peters

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