8 October 2021
Council of Civil Liberties
New Zealand Council of Civil Liberties
[FYI request #16693 email]
Ref: OIA-2021/22-0261
Dear New Zealand Council of Civil Liberties
Official Information Act request relating to contract tracing information held by the Department
of the Prime Minster and Cabinet.
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) request received on 10 September 2021.
You requested:
“ a) Consideration of, advice on, or responses to communications received from third
parties about statutory limitations on the use of contact record information provided by
members of the public to a workplace; and
b) Advice to Ministers or senior officials since 1 January 2021 about mandating the
provision and collection of contact information from members of the public when they visit a
workplace; and
c) Advice to Ministers or senior officials since 1 January 2021 on limitations on the use of
contact record information provided by members of the public to a workplace; and
d) Advice to Ministers or senior officials since 1 March 2020 on privacy protection for
contact record information provided by members of the public to a workplace; and
e) Advice to Ministers or senior officials since 1 March 2020 on police, intelligence and
security agency, or public service department access to information provided by the public
to organisations undertaking contact tracing for Covid-19 public health purposes; and
f) All advice on the retention and disposal of contact records by workplaces since 1 January
2021 that informed the drafting of clause 11(2) of the Order. ”
I have decided under section 15A of the Act to extend the time limits for deciding on your request by
an additional 30 working days. Consequently, the extended due date for your response will be 22
November 2021.
The extension is required because your request necessitates a search through a large quantity of
information, and consultations are needed before a decision can be made on your request. Despite
the extension, a response will be sent to you as soon as possible.
Executive Wing, Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand 6011
4442742
64 4 817 9700 Facsimile 64 4 472 3181 www.dpmc.govt.nz
On 1 October 2021, your request for the same information to the Ministry of Health was transferred
to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) as the responsible agency. As that
request was for the same information, we have decided to combine these requests and will provide
you with a single response.
You have the right to ask the Ombudsman to investigate and review my decision under section 28(3)
of the Act.
Yours sincerely
Sarah Corbett
Manager, Ministerial and Business Services
Executive Wing, Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand 6011
4442742
64 4 817 9700 Facsimile 64 4 472 3181 www.dpmc.govt.nz
