Kia ora

Thank you for your request for official information.

The Ministry's reference number for your request is: H202002464.

As required under the Act we will endeavour to respond to your request no
later than 19 May 2020, being 20 working days after the day your request
was received.  

If we are unable to respond to your request within this time frame, we
will notify you of an extension of that time frame.

If you have any queries related to this request, please do not hesitate to
get in touch.

Please note, due to the emergence of Covid-19 the Ministry has diverted
significant resources to responding to the pandemic. This may impact on
our ability to respond to your request. If you would like to reconsider or
refine your current request, this may enable us to respond more quickly.
You can notify us of any changes to your request by responding to this
email.

Ngā mihi

OIA Services
Government Services
Office of the Director-General
Ministry of Health
E: [email address]

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Dear Mr Hooton

Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the
Act) to the Ministry of Health (the Ministry) for:

"Under the Official Information Act, I request all formal, written advice
given by the Ministry of Health to Ministers and/or other departments (eg,
DPMC, Treasury, SSC, MBIE, Ministry of Social Development etc) on the
public-health implications of economic depression or recession and
unemployment, which was intended to assist the Cabinet in making its
decision today on whether or not to extend Level 4 of the current
lockdown."

You have requested a substantial and extensive amount of information
regarding COVID-19. At this time, the Ministry, along with many other
agencies, have diverted significant resources to support the Government's
response to COVID-19. This is a fast-evolving situation and the Ministry
must continue to respond at pace to this global pandemic.

The Government is committed to the COVID-19 response, including keeping
the New Zealand public well informed.

This is a fast-evolving global situation and the Ministry, along with many
other agencies, have diverted significant resources to support the
response to COVID-19.

The Ministry knows there is significant public interest in COVID-19 and is
responding to the substantial increase in demand for information from
interested or concerned members of the public.

We are working hard to ensure the New Zealand public is fully informed
about the work being done to respond to COVID-19. The Ministry is
committed to transparency and intends to make official information
publicly available as soon as possible.

This includes key advice papers to Ministers and will cover your request.
As such your request for this information is refused in accordance with
section 18(d) of the Act, as the information will soon be publicly
available.  

You may be interested to know the information will be published as soon as
possible on the Ministry’s ‘Information Releases’ page found here:
[1]https://www.health.govt.nz/about-ministr....

Information about the number of COVID-19 tests available, self-isolation
measures and the case definition (when a person will be referred for
testing) is available on the New Zealand Parliament and Ministry websites.
You might also be interesting in watching the media briefings where these
topics have been explored.

For your reference, information about testing kits and enforcement of
self-isolation was debated in recent oral parliamentary questions in
Parliament:
[2]https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-....
Information about confirmed and probable cases are now available on the
Ministry website and is updated regularly:
[3]https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/dise....

The Ministry routinely publishes the latest on the Government’s response
on the COVID-19 section of the Ministry’s website:
[4]https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/dise....

The Government also provides regular updates on the COVID-19 website:
[5]https://covid19.govt.nz/.

Under section 28 of the Act, you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to
review any decisions made under this request.

Thank you for taking the time to write to the Ministry."

Nga mihi

OIA Services
Government Services
Office of the Director-General
Ministry of Health
E: [email address]

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References

Visible links
1. https://www.health.govt.nz/about-ministr...
2. https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-...
3. https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/dise...
4. https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/dise...
5. https://covid19.govt.nz/

Dear Mr Hooton

Please find attached a letter regarding your request for information.

Nga mihi

Zoe Royden
OIA Services
Government Services
Office of the Director-General
Ministry of Health
E: [email address]

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