Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 Action Plan

Cam Slater made this Official Information request to Andrew Little

Response to this request is long overdue. By law Andrew Little should have responded by now (details and exceptions). The requester can complain to the Ombudsman.

From: Cam Slater

Dear Andrew Little,

Since 19 October 2020, under the Official Information Act 1982, I wish to request the following from the Minister of Health, Associate Ministers of Health and the Ministry of Health, in connection to the Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 Action Plan:

A) Copies of all letters, emails, analysis, studies and reports connected to proposals to incorporate genetically engineered tobacco referred to on page 8 of the Impact Summary Proposals for a Smokefree Aotearoa. For the absence of doubt this should include tobacco created using techniques broadly described as being GE or genetically modified.

B) Copies of all letters, emails, briefings, correspondence, studies and reports with and between:
- 22 Century Corporation (referred to in the Regulatory Impact Statement on page 8 in connection to the “Moonlight” brand) to include officers, agents or representatives of this company;
- Philip Morris International (referred to in the Regulatory Impact Statement on page 8 in connection to the “Next” brand”) to include officers, agents or representatives of this company;
- British American Tobacco to include officers, agents or representatives of this company;
- Imperial Brands to include officers, agents or representatives of this company;
- Japan Tobacco International to include officers, agents or representatives of this company; and
- Liggett Vector Brands to include officers, agents or representatives of this company.

C) Copies of all letters, emails, briefings, correspondence, studies and reports with and between BioTech NZ to include officers, agents or representatives of this organisation.

D) Copies of all meeting/file notes and phone calls/video conferences and zoom/teams calls, as well as the dates of such meetings, with and between:
- 22 Century Corporation to include officers, agents or representatives of this company;
- Philip Morris International to include officers, agents or representatives of this company;
- British American Tobacco to include officers, agents or representatives of this company;
- Imperial Brands to include officers, agents or representatives of this company;
- Japan Tobacco International to include officers, agents or representatives of this company;
- Liggett Vector Brands to include officers, agents or representatives of this company; and
- BioTech NZ to include officers, agents or representatives of this organisation.

E) Copies of all letters, emails, briefings, correspondence, studies, reports, analysis and applications related to the planting, harvesting, processing and manufacturing of growing genetically engineered low nicotine tobacco.

F) Copies of all letters, emails, briefings, correspondence, studies, reports and analysis on how genetic engineering complies with the Crown’s obligation under Te Tiriri o Waitangi.

G) Copies of all letters, emails, briefings, correspondence, studies, reports, analysis on the human health implications of genetically engineered low nicotine tobacco, including, but not limited to, toxicity; allergic reactions; antibiotic resistance; immuno-suppression and cancer.

H) Copies of all letters, emails, briefings, correspondence, studies, reports, analysis or applications connected to genetically engineered low nicotine tobacco, with and between:
- Environmental Protection Agency;
- Ministry for the Environment;
- Ministry for Primary Industries;
- MBIE;
- Te Puni Kōkiri;
- New Zealand Food Safety; and
- Medsafe.

I) Copies of all legal opinions/reports/analysis on growing genetically engineered low nicotine tobacco under the current Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996.

j) Copies of all letters, emails, briefings, correspondence, studies and reports connected to genetically engineered low nicotine tobacco, with and between:
- Minister for Primary Industries;
- Minister for Food Safety;
- Minister for Research, Science and Innovation;
- Minister for Māori Economic Development; and
- Minister of Māori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you need more information.

Yours faithfully,

Cam Slater

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From: A Little Office (MIN)
Andrew Little

Tçnâ koe

 

 

Thank you for contacting the office of Hon Andrew Little MP, Minister of
Health, Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, Minister Responsible
for the NZSIS, Minister Responsible for the GCSB and Minister Responsible
for Pike River Re-entry.

 

Minister Little receives a significant volume of correspondence:

 

·         If your message is for Minister Little’s advice, or if you have
copied your email to another Minister and/or Member of Parliament with
more appropriate portfolio responsibilities, then this will be noted,

·         If you have invited Minister Little to an event then a member of
staff may contact you for more information if the Minister’s attendance
might be possible,

·         If you have made a request for official information then this
will be managed in accordance with the provisions of the Official
Information Act 1982, which may include transfer to a more relevant
Minister or agency,

·         If you have made a request under the Privacy Act then this will
be managed in accordance with the principles of the Privacy Act 1993,
which may include transfer to a more relevant Minister or agency,

·         If you are a journalist then your request will be triaged by a
press secretary,

·         To find out more about Minister Little read his [1]biography or
recent [2]statements.

 

Ngâ mihi

 

Office of Hon Andrew Little MP
Reception +64 4 817 8707 | Ministerial Email [Andrew Little request email] |
Web [3]beehive.govt.nz | Postal Freepost Parliament, Private Bag 18 041,
Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6160, New Zealand

 

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From: Georgia Roden

Kia ora Cam,

On behalf of Hon Andrew Little, Minister of Health, thank you for your Official Information request of 8 July 2021 for:

A) Copies of all letters, emails, analysis, studies and reports connected to proposals to incorporate genetically engineered tobacco referred to on page 8 of the Impact Summary Proposals for a Smokefree Aotearoa. For the absence of doubt this should include tobacco created using techniques broadly described as being GE or genetically modified.

B) Copies of all letters, emails, briefings, correspondence, studies and reports with and between:
- 22 Century Corporation (referred to in the Regulatory Impact Statement on page 8 in connection to the “Moonlight” brand) to include officers, agents or representatives of this company;
- Philip Morris International (referred to in the Regulatory Impact Statement on page 8 in connection to the “Next” brand”) to include officers, agents or representatives of this company;
- British American Tobacco to include officers, agents or representatives of this company;
- Imperial Brands to include officers, agents or representatives of this company;
- Japan Tobacco International to include officers, agents or representatives of this company; and
- Liggett Vector Brands to include officers, agents or representatives of this company.

C) Copies of all letters, emails, briefings, correspondence, studies and reports with and between BioTech NZ to include officers, agents or representatives of this organisation.

D) Copies of all meeting/file notes and phone calls/video conferences and zoom/teams calls, as well as the dates of such meetings, with and between:
- 22 Century Corporation to include officers, agents or representatives of this company;
- Philip Morris International to include officers, agents or representatives of this company;
- British American Tobacco to include officers, agents or representatives of this company;
- Imperial Brands to include officers, agents or representatives of this company;
- Japan Tobacco International to include officers, agents or representatives of this company;
- Liggett Vector Brands to include officers, agents or representatives of this company; and
- BioTech NZ to include officers, agents or representatives of this organisation.

E) Copies of all letters, emails, briefings, correspondence, studies, reports, analysis and applications related to the planting, harvesting, processing and manufacturing of growing genetically engineered low nicotine tobacco.

F) Copies of all letters, emails, briefings, correspondence, studies, reports and analysis on how genetic engineering complies with the Crown’s obligation under Te Tiriri o Waitangi.

G) Copies of all letters, emails, briefings, correspondence, studies, reports, analysis on the human health implications of genetically engineered low nicotine tobacco, including, but not limited to, toxicity; allergic reactions; antibiotic resistance; immuno-suppression and cancer.

H) Copies of all letters, emails, briefings, correspondence, studies, reports, analysis or applications connected to genetically engineered low nicotine tobacco, with and between:
- Environmental Protection Agency;
- Ministry for the Environment;
- Ministry for Primary Industries;
- MBIE;
- Te Puni Kōkiri;
- New Zealand Food Safety; and
- Medsafe.

I) Copies of all legal opinions/reports/analysis on growing genetically engineered low nicotine tobacco under the current Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996.

j) Copies of all letters, emails, briefings, correspondence, studies and reports connected to genetically engineered low nicotine tobacco, with and between:
- Minister for Primary Industries;
- Minister for Food Safety;
- Minister for Research, Science and Innovation;
- Minister for Māori Economic Development; and
- Minister of Māori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti.

The information requested appears to be more closely associated with the functions and responsibilities of the Associate Minister of Health Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall. Accordingly I am transferring your request to the Associate Minister of Health Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall under section 14(b)(ii) of the Official Information Act 1982.

You can expect a response from the Office of the Associate Minister of Health Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall in due course.

You have the right, under section 28 of the Act, to ask the Ombudsman to review this decision to transfer your request for information.

Ngā mihi nui

Georgia Roden
Private Secretary, Health

Office of Hon Andrew Little MP, Minister of Health, Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, Minister Responsible for the NZSIS, Minister Responsible for the GCSB, Minister Responsible for Pike River Re-entry
Reception +64 4 817 8707 | Ministerial Email [Andrew Little request email] | Web beehive.govt.nz | Postal Freepost Parliament, Private Bag 18 041, Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6160, New Zealand

Please note information about meetings related to the Ministers’ portfolios will be proactively released (this does not include personal or constituency matters). For each meeting in scope, the summary would list: date, time (start and finish), brief description, location, who the meeting was with, and the portfolio. If you attend a meeting with the Minister on behalf of an organisation, the name of the organisation will be released. If you are a senior staff member at an organisation, or meet with the Minister in your personal capacity, your name may also be released. The location of the meeting will be released, unless it is a private residence. The proactive release will be consistent with the provisions in the Official Information Act, including privacy considerations. Under the Privacy Act 1993 you have the right to ask for a copy of any personal information we hold about you, and to ask for it to be corrected if you think it is wrong. If you’d like to ask for a copy of your information, or to have it corrected, or are concerned about the release of your information in the meeting disclosure, please contact the sender. You can read more about the proactive release policy at https://www.dia.govt.nz/Proactive-Releas...
Authorised by Hon Andrew Little MP, Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6160, New Zealand

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