17 December 2021
Ref: DOIA 2122-1006
George Morrison
[FYI request #17399 email]
Dear George
Thank you for your email of 29 October 2021 to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
(the Ministry) requesting, under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act), the following information:
Please provide me with all communications relating to the decision to allow the walkway next to
the Crown Plaza to remain open for public use. I am interested in what external representations
were made to MBIE that it remain open and any internal discussion on the matter.
On 26 November 2021, the Ministry notified you of an extension to the timeframe for responding to your
request to 17 December 2021.
On 9 August 2021 a returnee at the Crowne Plaza Managed Isolation Facility (MIF) tested positive for
COVID-19. No further arrivals were placed in the Crowne Plaza while a thorough source investigation was
completed, and an urgent review and audit of the Infection Prevention Controls (IPC) and ventilation
systems, was commissioned. The final source investigation report determined that, despite significant
investigations into potential epidemiological links, the exact chain of transmission from the returnee was
not able to be determined.
On 2 September, the Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ) Technical Advisory Group (TAG) was
reconvened to provide advice on the continued use of the Crowne Plaza as a MIF. The TAG review did not
identify any likely point at which the index case could have transmitted COVID-19 to the general public
from the Crowne Plaza MIF.
TAG also concluded that, from a public health and IPC perspective, there was no rationale or justification
for shutting the public atrium for any period of time to members of the public. Modelling by engineers at
the University of Canterbury suggested that the risk of infection to members of the public if an infectious
case were standing in the MIF lobby was very low. Despite the low risk the TAG recommended
precautionary measures including sealing the gap in the Perspex screens separating the public walkway
from the MIF lobby. This work was completed in September.
The background to the assessment of the Crowne Plaza MIF and the rationale for its reopening, as well as
briefings and other documents, can be found at the fol owing link:
www.miq.govt.nz/about/news/crowne-plaza-managed-isolation-facility-ready-to-receive-returnees-from-
thursday/
DOIA 2122-1006
Due to the sealing off of the MIF lobby from the public atrium, we have interpreted your request for
information relating to the “walkway next to the Crown Plaza” to be in relation to the walkway by the
returnee fresh air area, which the public uses to access the Huawei Centre.
The Department of Engineering, University of Canterbury was engaged to prepare a report on the risk of
exposure to members of the public using the walkway. This report is included in the accompanying
attachment as
Document 1.
The TAG discussed the walkway and determined that the risk of exposure to members of the public
walking past returnees as they arrived at the facility, or while they were getting fresh air, was very low.
There was limited public health or IPC rationale in closing this area. However, out of an abundance of
caution the wall of the walkway was raised and a roof placed on top. The roof and wal of the structure
are now covered with a plastic coating. This work was completed by 8 September 2021.
The Ministry did not receive any external representations to keep the walkway open. On the contrary, the
Ministry received a request to reaudit and conduct testing on the walkway. Emails for this request are
included in the accompanying attachment as
Emails. Some information is withheld under the following
sections of the Act:
section 9(2)(a)
to protect the privacy of natural persons
section 9(2)(b)(ii)
to protect information where the making available of the information would be
likely unreasonably to prejudice the commercial position of the person who
supplied or who is the subject of the information
section 9(2)(g)(ii)
to maintain the effective conduct of public affairs through the protection of
employees/officials from improper pressure or harassment
section 9(2)(k)
to prevent the disclosure or use of official information for improper gain or
improper advantage.
I do not consider that the withholding of this information is outweighed by public interest considerations
in making the information available.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision. Information
about how to make a complaint is available
at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802
602.
Yours sincerely
Shayne Gray
General Manager Service Quality and Assurance
Managed Isolation and Quarantine
