New Zealand Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Trade
Manatū Aorere
20 October 2021
195 Lambton Quay
Private Bag 18−901
Wellington 6160
New Zealand
Harold
T +64 4 439 8000
[FYI request #15351 email]
F +64 4 472 9596
OIA 27499
Tēnā koe Harold
I refer to your email of 4 May 2021 in which you request the following under the Official
Information Act 1982 (OIA):
…For the second time, I request copies of all analysis of the WHO Covid-19 origins report,
produced by MFAT or on MFAT's behalf.
On April 1st, MFAT told Reuters:
“New Zealand acknowledges that member states have expressed a number of concerns.
New Zealand wants to make sure we conduct an independent analysis to ensure we
understand the science before making any comment”
and:
"Our scientific experts, who have been fully engaged with the wider COVID response, are
analysing the report. When they have done so, we will decide on the most appropriate
way to comment on the mission”
For the avoidance of doubt, this is the analysis I'm referring to. The Ministry of Health
have told me they hold no such documents, so please don't refer me to them again.
On 1 June 2021, the deadline to respond to your request was extended to 14 July 2021, on
which date you were advised that a decision had been made on your request, provided with a
first tranche of information, and advised that the remainder was being prepared for release to
you. We appreciate your patience while this process was completed.
For your information, during COVID-19 lockdowns, Ministry staff are working remotely; in
addition, a large number of Ministry staff are currently working on the Government’s response
to the situation in Afghanistan. This means that we have reduced capacity to process some
OIA requests. For your information, the Chief Ombudsman has published updated guidance on
OIA requests during the COVID-19 emergency:
Chief Ombudsman’s statement on official information response times during COVID-19
lockdown
FAQs about official information requests during COVID-19
Please find attached the second and final tranche of material relevant to your request. We
have withheld some information under the following sections of the OIA:
e [MFAT request email]
w www.mfat.govt.nz
Page 2 of 2
6(a): to avoid prejudicing the security or defence of New Zealand or the international
relations of the New Zealand Government;
9(2)(a): to protect individuals’ privacy;
9(2)(d): to protect the economic interests of New Zealand; and
9(2)(g)(i): to protect the free and frank expression of opinions by departments.
Where the information has been withheld under section 9 of the OIA, we have identified no
public interest in releasing the information that would override the reasons for withholding it.
Please note that we may publish this letter (with your personal details redacted) and enclosed
documents on the Ministry’s website.
If you have any questions about this decision, you can contact us by email at:
[email address]. You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the
Ombudsman of this decision by contacting
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone
0800 802 602.
Nāku noa, nā
Julie-Anne Lee
for Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade
