8 June 2021
Ref: DOIA 2021-2244
Lobby New Zealand
[FYI request #15137 email]
Dear Lobby New Zealand
On 12 April 2021 you wrote to the Ministry of Health (MOH), via fyi.org.nz, requesting the following
information under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act):
Today we are requesting for all information that was used in order for the Ministry of Health to
announce that 90 percent of Managed Isolation Quarantine Facility staff have had their COVID-19
vaccination. Specifically, what numerical information was used to reach this 90 percent figure.
On 10 May 2021, MOH transferred your request to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
(the Ministry) for response under the Act.
In order to accurately determine the vaccination status of the Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ)
workforce, MIQ employers were asked to provide regular updates on worker vaccinations. This information
is used to track the progress of the MIQ and Border Vaccination Programme.
Employee vaccination information supplied by MIQ hotels, contracted security companies and other
contracted service providers is the information of the private companies involved. It is shared freely with
MIQ for reporting purposes, and releasing detailed individual hotel employee vaccination information
would impact that information being supplied to MIQ on an ongoing basis.
Therefore, private sector employer level data in the requested document (MIQ Vaccination Reporting
Breakdown 16 April) is withheld under section 9(2)(ba)(i):
to protect information which is subject to an obligation of confidence or which any person has
been or could be compelled to provide under the authority of any enactment, where the making
available of the information— would be likely to prejudice the supply of similar information, or
information from the same source, and it is in the public interest that such information should
continue to be supplied.
I do not consider that the withholding of this information is outweighed by public interest considerations
in making the information available. A redacted version of the 16 April document is attachment one.
In lieu of providing a granular view of private sector employer level data, please find attached, under
section 16(1)(e) of the Act, a summary document of that data. This document is attachment two.
Please note the information provided in this response is data the Ministry holds. MOH collects and
reports on its own data, which includes border workers (not just MIQ), and any questions about its data
should be directed to MOH.
MBIE2021-2244
I trust you find the information helpful. You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the
Ombudsman of this decision. Information about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely
Stacey Munro-Flynn
General Manager, Programmes and Change
Managed Isolation and Quarantine
