Thank you for contacting the New Zealand Customs Service. This is an
automatic reply to let you know that we have received your correspondence.

If your correspondence relates to an Official Information Act request, we
will let you know our decision within 20 working days, as prescribed under
the Act. If you would like to calculate the timeframe, you can use the
Ombudsman's online calculator here: [1]http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/

 

If we need to clarify, or transfer your request, or extend the timeframe
for response, we will contact you shortly.

 

Please note, we publish some of our Official Information Act responses on
our web site. We will not publish your name or contact details.

 

 

 

 

 

The information contained in this email is intended for the addresses and
is not necessarily the official view or communication of the New Zealand
Customs Service.

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References

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1. http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/

Kia ora Lionel,

 

Thank you for your Official Information Act request dated 9 August 2021
relating to COVID-19 vaccination and masking requirements of Customs
frontline officers. You have asked for:

 

“details of any Covid-19 vaccination and mask use requirements, policies
or “Standard Operating Procedures” (SOPs) for frontline members of the
Customs Service.

 

any memos, emails or other official communications that developed any of
the requirements, policies or SOPs specific to frontline members of the
Customs Service.”

 

Customs is currently working through your Official Information Act request
to consider what information it holds that fits within the scope of your
request.  The response as it currently stands will require substantial
collation, research and consultation by Customs to be undertaken to
identify the information that may be in the scope of your request.
Research means finding the information and collation means bringing it
together. Customs may be looking to seek an extension in response to your
request due to its broad nature.

 

Customs would like to invite you to clarify your request, in particular
specifying a timeframe, for example from when COVID-19 was first detected
in New Zealand, and clarifying the wording of “any memos, emails or other
communications that developed any of the requirements, policies or SOPs
specific to frontline members of the Customs Service” understanding that
all policies that exist for Customs border workers are based off the
Ministry of Health guidance to the border sector. Knowing that is the
case, Customs would like to invite you to refer to the links below on the
Ministry of Health website, as this may provide you with quite a lot of
the requirements and policies that you are seeking in relation to
frontline members of the Customs Service.

 

[1]https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/dise...

[2]https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/dise...

[3]https://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/...

[4]https://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/...

 

Alongside proactively released documents from across Government relating
to New Zealand’s border during COVID-19:

[5]https://covid19.govt.nz/alert-levels-and...

 

You should find this information useful in reducing the scope of your
request. Please let me know how you would like to clarify your request,
once I have received your clarification, the 20 working day statutory
timeframe for response will begin.

 

Ngâ mihi,

 

Correspondence, Reviews and Ministerial Servicing

International and Governance | New Zealand Customs Service | Te Mana Ârai
o Aotearoa

PO Box 2218, Wellington 6140 | DDI 0800 428 786 |

 

 

The information contained in this email is intended for the addresses and
is not necessarily the official view or communication of the New Zealand
Customs Service.

This email may contain information that is confidential or legally
privileged. If you received this in error, please:

 a. Reply promptly to that effect, remove this email and any replies from
your system.
 b. Do not act on this email in any other way.

References

Visible links
1. https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/dise...
2. https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/dise...
3. https://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/...
4. https://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/...
5. https://covid19.govt.nz/alert-levels-and...