4 February 2021
Ref: DOIA 2021-1177
Loren Theobald
[FYI request #14297 email] Dear Loren Theobald
Thank you for your email of 14 December 2020 to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
(MBIE) requesting, under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act), the following information:
1. A copy of the policies and processes regarding the granting of managed isolation fee waivers
under special circumstances, specifically information relating to applications under compassionate
grounds.
2. The scenarios where fee waivers have been granted under compassionate grounds.
3. The number of fee waivers that have been applied for under compassionate grounds.
4. The number of fee waivers that have been granted under compassionate grounds.
With respect to part 1 of your request, please find attached a copy of the document
Guidelines for Assessing
a Waiver of Charges. Please note, some information has been withheld under section 9(2)(g)(ii) of the Act
in order maintain the effective conduct of public affairs through the protection of such Ministers, members
of organisations, officers, and employees from improper pressure or harassment.
I do not consider that the withholding of this information under section 9(2) is outweighed by public
interest considerations in making the information available.
I would also note that all policies and guidelines are based on the
COVID-19 Public Health Response
(Managed Isolation and Quarantine Charges) Regulations 2020, which are publicly available and can be
found
via
the
following
link:
www.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/2020/0186/latest/LMS389306.html. With respect to part 2 of your request, applications to waive charges for Managed Isolation and Quarantine
(MIQ) are considered on a case-by-case basis. Waivers are considered in cases of undue financial hardship
and other special circumstances. These special circumstances could include:
A New Zealander entering managed isolation because they left New Zealand to accompany a
person back to New Zealand who is disabled or cannot travel alone
Someone needing to travel to or from New Zealand to receive medical treatment
Other compassionate grounds, including when a person has travelled to visit a seriously ill or dying
close relative or attend a funeral or tangihanga (whether in New Zealand or overseas).
With respect to parts 3 and 4 of your request, as of 17 January 2021, there have been a total of 2908 fee
waiver applications under special circumstances and 2618 of those applications have been granted. Within
the special circumstances category, we do not report separately on the number of applications made on
compassionate grounds.
I trust you find the information helpful. You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the
Ombudsman of our response to your request. Information about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/ or freephone 0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely
Christina Sophocleous-Jones
GM National Operations Services
Managed Isolation and Quarantine