04 April 2022
Official Information Request 8140009598
(Please quote this in any correspondence)
Robin Benson
By email:
[FYI request #17784 email]
Tēnā koe Robin
Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA)
Re: Council's Covid-19 vaccination policy
Thank you for your information request dated 1 December 2021, for information about the
Auckland Council Covid-19 vaccination policy. You clarified your request on 6 December
2021. I apologise for the delay in our response, which was due to several factors. These
included: consultations with other agencies taking longer than expected; a large volume of
requests about our vaccination policies; and the number of staff involved in processing these
requests (including those involved in the process of publishing the key information which
provides the information to answer the first part of your request).
For your ease of reference your questions are included in the response below.
1. Any and all evidence, data, research, considerations and any other relevant
material relied upon or in any way contributing to formulation of and decision
to adopt of the Policy* in particular but without limitation to the scientific and
medical basis for the Policy.
We have recently made this information publicly available You can find it on our Auckland
Council website here -
Our Position on Vaccinations
2. Al communications for the period 1 October 2021 to date between the council
and all the following entities concerning Covid-19 mandates and vaccination
policy:
(a) the Ministry of Health
(b) the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
(c) the COVID-19 Response Minister
*You clarified on 6 December 2021 that by policy you meant -
“Any policy that mandates vaccination for anyone. Please note that vague references
to for example Ministry of Health announcements, commentary in media or
unreferenced claims or speculation are not evidence in this context.”
We carried out an ICT search for the communications you had requested.
Private Bag 92300, Auckland 1142 |
aucklandcouncil.govt.nz |
Ph 09 301 0101
1. Between @Auckland Council and @health.govt.nz
2. Between @Auckland Council and @mbie.govt.nz
3. Between @Auckland Council
and [email address]
With the key words Vaccinate/Vaccination and Mandate, for the dates 1 October 2021 to 6
December 2021, the date of your clarified request.
Please see attached results that match the above search terms, from which we have
removed otherwise circulated media or press releases and information which is publicly
available here -
Our Position on Vaccinations.
There were no communications between Auckland Council and Hon Chris Hipkins that were
in scope of the request.
Some information is being withheld in accordance with the following sections of the
LGOIMA:
• 7(2)(a) to protect the privacy of natural persons
• 7 (2)(d) to avoid prejudice to measures protecting the health or safety of members of
the public
• 7(2)(c)(i ) to protect information which is subject to an obligation of confidence where
the making available of the information would be likely otherwise to damage the
public interest
• 7(2)(f)(ii) to maintain the effective conduct of public affairs through the protection of
employees from improper pressure or harassment. When we release information in
response to an official information request, we have to consider the possibility that it
may be circulated to the general public. We withhold staff names and contact details
where the information concerns an issue which we consider is one where our staff
are likely to be subjected to improper pressure or harassment
The decision by Auckland Council regarding the information contained in this response was
made by Anna Bray, Acting Director, Governance.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review of this response by the Ombudsman.
Information about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz
or freephone 0800 802 602.
If you have any further queries, please contact me on 09 301 0101 quoting of icial
information request number 8140009598.
Ngā mihi
Joanne Kearney
Senior Privacy & Official Information Business Partner
Governance Services
Private Bag 92300, Auckland 1142 |
aucklandcouncil.govt.nz |
Ph 09 301 0101
