133 Molesworth
Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T+64 4 496 2000
7 September 2022
Harold
By email: [FYI request #17035 email]
Ref: H2022007882
Tēnā koe Harold,
Response to your request for official information
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) to Manatū
Hauora (Ministry of Health) on 19 July 2022 for information regarding meeting minutes and
memos.
On 16 August 2022, a partial response was provided to you which also noted that the
remaining parts of your request will be responded to in due course.
You requested:
For these two advisory groups:
1) COVID-19 Testing Technical Advisory Group
2) COVID-19 Therapeutics Technical Advisory Group
I would like to request copies of:
1) All meeting minutes
Please refer to Documents 1 to 11 for information in scope of this part of your request.
Where information is withheld under section 9 of the Act, I have considered the
countervailing public interest in release in making this decision and consider that it does not
outweigh the need to withhold at this time.
2) All memos or reports they have produced dated since 28 March 2022.
This part of your request was responded to on 16 August 2022.
…An “internal review” of the COVID-19 Testing Technical Advisory Group is referred
to (p.9). I would like to request a copy of this review.
Manatū Hauora has identified one document within scope of this part of your request. Please
refer specifically to document 12 in Appendix 1. This document has been released to you in
full.
I would also like to request copies of all advice provided to the Director General of
Health on the topic of the future direction of COVID-19 Testing Technical Advisory
Group, dated since the beginning of February.
Information in response to this part of your request is withheld in full under section 9(2)(g)(i)
to maintain the effective conduct of public affairs through the free and frank expression of
opinions by or between or to Ministers and officers and employees of any public service
agency.
Finally, if the COVID-19 Testing Technical Advisory Group and COVID-19
Therapeutics Technical Advisory Group Terms of Reference have been updated since
August 2021, I would like to request copies of the current versions.
This part of your request was responded to on 16 August 2022.
Under section 28(3) of the Act, you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to review any
decisions made under this request. The Ombudsman may be contacted by email at:
[email address] or by calling 0800 802 602.
Please note that this response, with your personal details removed, may be published on the
Manatu Hauorā website at:
www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry/information-
releases/responses-official-information-act-requests.
Nāku noa, nā
Dave Henderson
Group Leader, Intelligence, Surveillance and Knowledge Public Health Agency, Ministry of Health
Page 2 of 4
Appendix 1: List of documents for release
#
Date
Document details
Decision on release
1
3 May 2022
Minutes: COVID-19 Testing
Some information withheld
Technical Advisory Group
under the following sections
of the Act:
• 9(2)(k) to prevent the
disclosure or use of
official information for
improper gain or
advantage and;
2
17 May 2022
Minutes: COVID-19 Testing
Technical Advisory Group
3
31 May 2022
Minutes: COVID-19 Testing
Technical Advisory Group
4
14 June 2022
Minutes: COVID-19 Testing
Some information withheld
Technical Advisory Group
under the following sections
of the Act:
• section 9(2)(k)
• section 9(2)(f)(iv) of
the Act to maintain
the constitutional
conventions that
protect the
confidentiality of
advice tendered by
Ministers and officials.
5
12 July 2022
Minutes: COVID-19 Testing
Some information withheld
Technical Advisory Group
under section 9(2)(k) of the
Act.
6
8 April 2022
Minutes: COVID-19
Therapeutics Technical
Advisory Group Te Rōpū
Haumanu Kowheori-19
7
22 April 2022
Minutes: COVID-19
Therapeutics Technical
Advisory Group Te Rōpū
Haumanu Kowheori-19
8
11 May 2022
Minutes: COVID-19
Some information withheld
Therapeutics Technical
under the following sections
Advisory Group Te Rōpū
of the Act:
Haumanu Kowheori-19
• section 9(2)(k)
• section 9(2)(a) to
protect the privacy of
natural persons and;
• section 9(2)(b)(ii)
where its release
would likely
Page 3 of 4
#
Date
Document details
Decision on release
unreasonably
prejudice the
commercial position
of the person who
supplied the
information.
9
20 May 2022
Minutes: COVID-19
Some information withheld
Therapeutics Technical
under section 9(2)(k) of the
Advisory Group Te Rōpū
Act.
Haumanu Kowheori-19
10
3 June 2022
Minutes: COVID-19
Therapeutics Technical
Advisory Group Te Rōpū
Haumanu Kowheori-19
11
8 July 2022
Minutes: COVID-19
Therapeutics Technical
Advisory Group Te Rōpū
Haumanu Kowheori-19
12
14 February 2022
Memo: Internal Review of
Released in full.
COVID-19 Testing Technical
Advisory Group (CT TAG) for
Purpose and Function
Page 4 of 4
