New Zealand Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Trade
Manatū Aorere
2 September 2020
195 Lambton Quay
Private Bag 18−901
Wellington 6160
New Zealand
Alexander Pflaum
T +64 4 439 8000
[FYI request #13466 email]
F +64 4 472 9596
Dear Alexander Pflaum
I refer to your email of 5 August 2020 in which you request the following under the Official
Information Act 1982 (OIA):
“Since March 2019, officials from MFAT and the DPMC have engaged with Online
Service Providers and Civil Society groups in order to discuss harmful content online
and formulate the Christchurch Call.
Under the rights developed in the Official Information Act, I would like to request the
following:
- Information about the number of meetings held by MFAT and DPMC OSPs and civil
society groups since March 2019, including the dates of these meetings, agendas, and
meeting minutes
- All policy-making and administrative documents relating to the negotiation and
implementation of the Christchurch call, excluding email correspondence but including
policy memos and working drafts of the Christchurch call text.”
On 12 August 2020, we emailed you to ask you to confirm your eligibility to request
information under the OIA. On 14 August 2020, we wrote to you and explained that, as your
request is currently worded, it encompasses a very large volume of information. We explained
there was a possibility that the information you requested would require substantial collation
and research to compile and we asked you to let us know whether you were willing to narrow
the scope of your request. On 25 August 2020, we emailed you again to request your
response to our previous correspondence.
Following our correspondence described above, we are refusing your request under section
18(f) of the OIA. The Ministry carefully considered your request. However, in the absence of
further correspondence from you confirming your eligibility and refining the scope of your
request, and given the significant volume of information potentially within the scope of your
request, the information requested cannot be made available without substantial collation or
research.
In the event you confirm you fit one of the criteria in section 12(1) of the OIA and are able to
refine the scope of your request, the Ministry will consider any further request for information.
e [MFAT request email]
w www.mfat.govt.nz
Page 2 of 2
You have the right under section 28(3) of the OIA to seek a review of this response by the
Ombudsman.
Yours sincerely
Julie-Anne Lee
for Acting Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade