ENQ-40929-T2J6V7
26 March 2021
Private Bag 632
Wellington 6140, New Zealand
Level 10, Grant Thornton House
Joanne Hurley
215 Lambton Quay
Wellington 6011, New Zealand
Via: [FYI request #14301 email]
epa.govt.nz
+64 4 916 2426
Official Information Act Request
Dear Joanne
I refer to your request received on 15 February 2021, for the following information:
“(1) the details of the work experience of the team members
(2) clarification of your applications and decision making for elucidation of your process.
The response to your request follows.
As shown in our response to your request of 2 February 2021, which provided the academic
qualifications of the New Organisms team and their experience relevant to the subject matter of a
particular application, our New Organisms team has a wide range of backgrounds and a range of
previous work experiences. This includes experience with other regulators (such as the Ministry for
Primary Industries), commercial operations (such as AEL (Laboratory of Environmental Analysis)) and
research institutes (such as Crown Research Institutes).
On 5 March 2021 we gave you a link to the EPA’s LinkedIn page and noted that several staff
members in the New Organisms team who work on applications for the introduction of new organisms
have profiles there. LinkedIn profiles hold details of previous work experience of members.
Team members have a length of experience with the EPA ranging from seven years to four weeks,
total ing a collective 29 years’ experience working in the New Organisms team. New Organisms
applications that this team has worked on are on the EPA website:
https://www.epa.govt.nz/database-search/hsno-application-register/ In regard to your second question around application processes, the following links may be useful.
https://www.epa.govt.nz/industry-areas/new-organisms/applying-for-approval/the-application-process/
https://www.epa.govt.nz/industry-areas/new-organisms/applying-for-approval/what-types-of-
approvals-are-there/
If there is anything that is not clear about the process, we are happy to explain. Please contact me via
[EPA request email].
On 16 March 2021, you responded to our email and advised us that you have read the profiles of
three New Organisms team members on LinkedIn. You subsequently asked,
“Can you please tell me how many other people are working on the New Organisms Team?”
In response to this question, the New Organisms team is made up of eight members, which include a
manager and an administrator. The three team members who have made their information available
on LinkedIn are the people who are relevant to the specific application you have referred to, as the
other team members are working on other matters.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision. You can
contact the Ombudsman on 0800 802 602, or by email at
[email address].
If you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact us vi
a [email address].
We will publish your request and our response on our websit
e, www.epa.govt.nz, within 10 working
days from today. We make OIA responses available so others can read more about the work we do
and the questions we are asked. Any information that might identify you will be removed to protect
your privacy.
Yours sincerely
Chris Hill
General Manager, Hazardous Substances and New Organisms
Regulatory Systems and Operations
