5 May 2021
Gavin Millar
1/38 Waimari Road
Upper Riccarton
Christchurch
By email: gavin@mil ar.org.nz
Dear Gavin
Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA):
Request for Information
I refer to your email of 7 April 2021 requesting information on mask use on public
transport. Your request has been referred to me to reply.
New Zealand’s COVID-19 pandemic response is a Government-led health response,
with Environment Canterbury having no mandate to set rules such as face coverings
on public transport. We have however, provided feedback to Central Government
authorities on the challenges that compulsory face coverings on public transport
provides and general feedback we’ve received through our official complaints
process, and social media.
Messaging throughout this response has been guided by Central Government, with
https:/ covid19.govt.nz/ being the one source of truth for both the public and
Environment Canterbury. It continues to provide baseline messages when it comes
to the mandatory wearing of face coverings on public transport.
The information provided is emails, meeting minutes and government guidelines
attached to those emails, with information pertaining to face coverings on public
transport. Please note that information has been redacted in order to protect the
privacy of individuals pursuant to section 7(2)(a) of the LGOIMA.
In terms of complaints, we received
184 feedbacks between 15 February 2021 and 7
April 2021 as set out in the table below:
In
Cou percentag
Classification
nt
e
Driver - No face coverings.
52
28.3%
Passengers - No face covering .
39
21.2%
No face coverings (both drivers and passengers).
37
20.1%
No enforcement from drivers.
14
7.6%
Driver didn't wear a face coverings appropriately.
9
4.9%
Others
9
4.9%
No encouragement/request from drivers to passengers.
6
3.3%
Ecan should have a responsibility to enforce rule or improve
compliance rate.
4
2.2%
Driver doesn't know correct guidelines.
3
1.6%
Driver didn't offer a mask from stock to passengers.
3
1.6%
File Number: GOVE/INQU/OMBU/2036C
Place face coverings posters on front door and window
besides the front door.
3
1.6%
Clarifications about face coverings on PT.
2
1.1%
Driver refused a ride to passenger without face coverings.
1
0.5%
Capacity restriction if any
1
0.5%
Government should exclude Canterbury region from rules.
1
0.5%
Total
184
In addition, we received
76 feedbacks via Facebook comments:
Classification
Count
Driver - No face coverings.
9
Passengers - No face covering.
8
No face coverings (both drivers and passengers).
24
No enforcement from drivers.
4
Driver didn't wear a face coverings appropriately.
11
Others
5
No encouragement/request from drivers to passengers.
1
ECan should have a responsibility to enforce rule or improve
compliance rate.
Driver doesn't know correct guidelines.
4
Clarifications about face coverings on PT.
10
Total
76
You wil be aware that if you are not satisfied with this response you are able to refer
this matter to the Of ice of the Ombudsman under s27(3) of the LGOIMA.
Please be advised that we now put LGOIMA responses that are in the public interest
onto our website. No personal details of the requester are given, but we do summarise
the essence of the request alongside the response.
Should you require any further information or clarification, please do not hesitate to
contact Lil ian Sewell in the first instanc
e (lil [email address] or 033677340).
Yours sincerely,
Katherine Harbrow
Director Operations
File Number: GOVE/INQU/OMBU/2036C
