8 May 2020
Ben Smith
By email:
[FYI request #12757 email]
Reference: OIA-2019/20-0493
Dear Mr Ben Smith
Official Information Act request relating to COVID-19 and modelling for extending
Alert Level 4
Thank you for your request made under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act),
received on 1 May 2020. You requested:
“
I would like to request under the OIA copies of all of the modeling that was
considered by the Prime Minister, her office, and the Cabinet in making this
decision to extend the Level 4 lockdown - both (1) scientific pandemic modeling
around the prediction of the pandemic spread, as well as (2) any economic
modeling predicting economic outcomes under different courses of action. This
would include any scientific papers or scientific reports but could also include
modeling in other formats, like executive summaries from modeling reports or any
electronic modeling data or online resources or outputs of models that may have
been considered by cabinet.
If it is difficult to ascertain which particular modeling received by the PM and
Cabinet was actually considered by them, please simply send all relevant
modeling that they received in order to make this decision.”
I believe that the information you have requested is more closely connected to the
functions of the Prime Minister, Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern. Accordingly, I have decided
under section 14(b)(ii) of the Act to transfer your request to the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister has 20 working days from receipt of this transfer to make a decision
on your request.
Yours sincerely
Sarah Corbett
Manager, Ministerial Services
4254456
Executive Wing, Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand 6011
64 4 817 9700 Facsimile 64 4 472 3181 www.dpmc.govt.nz