Decision re Formal Inquiry in the Whakaari/White Island Disaster

Alan Thompson made this Official Information request to Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

The request was successful.

From: Alan Thompson

Dear Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet,

Cabinet Minute CAB-19-MIN-0692 included the following statement:

5. Noted that further consideration will be given in the new year to whether a formal inquiry will be needed into matters relating to the eruption on Whakaari/White Island in addition to the current investigations being undertaken;

Under the provisions of the Official Information Act I request the documentation as prepared in the new year relating to the consideration in Note 5 above including the subsequent decision by Cabinet (or other body) on a formal inquiry.

Yours faithfully,

Alan Thompson

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From: Information [DPMC]
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

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From: Information [DPMC]
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet


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[UNCLASSIFIED]

 

Kia ora Alan

 

Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 which
was received on 24 July 2020, copied below. A response will be provided in
accordance with the Act (please see the Office of the Ombudsman Website
for more details -  [1]http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/).

 

Please note that the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC)
and its departmental agency, the National Emergency Management Agency
(NEMA), are directly involved in the government response to COVID-19. Due
to this, our timelines to respond to your request may be impacted. Should
this occur, we will endeavour to keep you updated on the status of our
response to your request.  We appreciate your patience and understanding.

 

DPMC may publish the response to your Official Information Act (OIA)
request.

 

When you are provided with a response to this request, you will be
informed about whether the response to your OIA request will be published.
If DPMC does publish the response to your OIA request, personal
information, including your name and contact details, will be removed.
This publication process does not apply to extension letters or transfers.

 

Ngā mihi

 

Ministerial Coordinator
Ministerial Services
Strategy, Governance and Engagement
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
E    [2][DPMC request email]
 
[3]cid:image002.png@01D43609.296F69C0
 
The information contained in this email message is for the attention of
the intended recipient only and is not necessarily the official view or
communication of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. If you
are not the intended recipient you must not disclose, copy or distribute
this message or the information in it. If you have received this message
in error, please destroy the email and notify the sender immediately.

 

 

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From: Information [DPMC]
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet


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Attachment DPMCOIA Reply OIA 2020 21 0039 Thompson Formal inquiry into Whakaari White Island referenced CAB 19 MIN 0692 Alan Thompson 4279194.2.pdf
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[UNCLASSIFIED]

 

Kia ora Mr Thompson

 

Please see the attached letter regarding your recent OIA request.

 

Ngā mihi

 

Ministerial Coordinator
Ministerial Services
Strategy, Governance and Engagement
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
 
E    [1][DPMC request email]
 
[2]cid:image002.png@01D43609.296F69C0
 
The information contained in this email message is for the attention of
the intended recipient only and is not necessarily the official view or
communication of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. If you
are not the intended recipient you must not disclose, copy or distribute
this message or the information in it. If you have received this message
in error, please destroy the email and notify the sender immediately.

 

 

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From: Alan Thompson

Dear Mr Lynch [DPMC],

Thankyou for the response to my OIA Request but you have not addressed the information that I requested. You advised that "No decision on the proposal had been made" and therefore the information I requested did not exist.

I did not ask for information relating to whether a decision had been made, I requested the documentation that related to the decison for Cabinet to consider in relation to a formal inquiry as referred to in Cabinet Minute Item 5. This is likely to have included some discussion and a recommendation to Cabinet.

I believe that you have two options then:

1. To provide the documentation as presented back to Cabinet in the New Year relating to a decision re a formal inquiry (whether or not they made any decision); or
2. To advise that no information or recommendation was presented to Cabinet as per Item 5 and therefore the documentation does not exist (for that reason).

Can you please review your response and advise in accordance with either 1. or 2. as above.

Yours sincerely,

Alan Thompson

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From: Information [DPMC]
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet


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[UNCLASSIFIED]

 

Kia ora Alan

 

Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 which
was received on 10 August 2020, copied below. A response will be provided
in accordance with the Act (please see the Office of the Ombudsman Website
for more details -  [1]http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/).

 

Please note that the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC)
and its departmental agency, the National Emergency Management Agency
(NEMA), are directly involved in the government response to COVID-19. Due
to this, our timelines to respond to your request may be impacted. Should
this occur, we will endeavour to keep you updated on the status of our
response to your request.  We appreciate your patience and understanding.

 

DPMC may publish the response to your Official Information Act (OIA)
request.

 

When you are provided with a response to this request, you will be
informed about whether the response to your OIA request will be published.
If DPMC does publish the response to your OIA request, personal
information, including your name and contact details, will be removed.
This publication process does not apply to extension letters or transfers.

 

Ngā mihi

 

Ministerial Coordinator
Ministerial Services
Strategy, Governance and Engagement
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
E    [2][DPMC request email]
 
[3]cid:image002.png@01D43609.296F69C0
 
The information contained in this email message is for the attention of
the intended recipient only and is not necessarily the official view or
communication of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. If you
are not the intended recipient you must not disclose, copy or distribute
this message or the information in it. If you have received this message
in error, please destroy the email and notify the sender immediately.

 

 

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From: Information [DPMC]
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet


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Attachment Your OIA Request OIA 2020 21 0072.pdf
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[UNCLASSIFIED]

 

Kia ora Alan

 

Please see the attached letter regarding your recent OIA request.

 

Ngā mihi

 

Ministerial Coordinator
Ministerial Services
Strategy, Governance and Engagement
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
 
E    [1][DPMC request email]
 
[2]cid:image002.png@01D43609.296F69C0
 
The information contained in this email message is for the attention of
the intended recipient only and is not necessarily the official view or
communication of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. If you
are not the intended recipient you must not disclose, copy or distribute
this message or the information in it. If you have received this message
in error, please destroy the email and notify the sender immediately.

 

 

References

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From: Tabitha Spicer


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Attachment 2020 09 02 Letter to Alan Thompson.pdf
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Dear Mr Thompson

 

On behalf of Raj Nahna, I attach a letter in response to your request
received on 17 August 2020.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Tabitha Spicer

Private Secretary (Administration) │Office of the Prime Minister

DDI  : + 64 4 817 8700

Level 9 Executive Wing, Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6011

 

 

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From: Ministerial Services

Ref: 2021-0503

 

Dear Alan,

 

On behalf of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment I
acknowledge your email of 10^th August 2020 requesting under the Official
Information Act 1982 (the Act), the following:

                                                           

"Thank you for the response to my 0/A Request but you have not addressed
the information that 1 requested. You advised that "No decision on the
proposal had been made" and therefore the information I requested did not
exist. I did not ask for information relating to whether a decision had
been made, I requested the documentation that related to the decision for
Cabinet to consider in relation to a formal inquiry as referred to in
Cabinet Minute Item 5. This is likely to have included some discussion and
a recommendation to Cabinet. 1 believe that you have two options then: 1.
To provide the documentation as presented back to Cabinet in the New Year
relating to a decision re a formal inquiry (whether or not they made any
decision); or 2. To advise that no information or recommendation was
presented to Cabinet as per Item 5 and therefore the documentation does
not exist (for that reason). Can you please review your response and
advise in accordance with either 1. or 2. as above."

 

Your request has been transferred to the Ministry from Department of the
Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) on 2^nd Septmber 2020 and is being
processed in accordance with the Official Information Act 1982.

A response will be sent to you in due course. If you have any enquiries
regarding your request feel free to contact us via email [email address]
or using the contact details below.

 

Please note, due to ongoing COVID-19 response work, requests are currently
being triaged and those relating to Covid-19 processed as a priority.
Remaining requests are being assessed as per the Ombudsman’s guidance
(which can be found here:
[1]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/news/chief-ombudsmans-statement-official-information-response-times-during-covid-19-emergency)
and processed accordingly.

 

Nâku noa, nâ

MINISTERIAL SERVICES

 

Corporate, Governance and Information

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment

Level 4, 15 Stout Street, PO Box 1473, Wellington 6140

NZBN 9429000106078

 

 

 

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services

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From: *OIA


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Attachment 2021 0503 Alan Thompson response.pdf
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Attachment 2048 19 20 Whakaari White Island reviewing policy settings For release to Alan Thompson.pdf
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Good afternoon

Please find attached MBIE’s response to your recent request for
information.

Kind regards

 

Ministerial Services

Engagement, Communications and Ministerial Services (ECoMS)

Corporate, Governance and Information (CGI)

PO Box 1473, Wellington 6140

Hîkina Whakatutuki

[1]cid:image005.jpg@01D36DDE.6402D1B0

 

 

 

[2]www.govt.nz - your guide to finding and using New Zealand government
services

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