21 January 2022
ASE
[FYI request #17826 email]
Ref: OIA-2021/22-0714
Tēnā koe
Official Information Act request relating to vaccines and human rights considerations
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) request received on 3 December 2021. You
requested:
“Is The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet aware of any long-term efficacy data
for any COVID-19 inoculations? If so, what is that data?
what consideration within The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has been
given to the status of COVID-19 inoculations as “experimental” medical treatments? What
scientific and medical basis does The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet have
for asserting that COVID-19 inoculations are not “experimental” medical treatments? If this
has not been considered within The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, then
why has this not been considered?
What contingency plans have been considered within The Department of the Prime
Minister and Cabinet, if COVID-19 inoculations may prove to be unsafe, ineffective,
unnecessary, and/or otherwise harmful to personal health and/or public health (as “public
health” is generally understood)? If this has not been considered within The Department of
the Prime Minister and Cabinet, then why has this not been considered?
In consideration of positions, polices, and/or legislation (including, but not limited to
messaging and medical advice, collective punishments, and segregation) which may
appear as intent to use force, fraud, deceit, duress, over-reaching, or other ulterior forms of
constraint or coercion to encourage, incentivize, or otherwise promote COVID-19
inoculations, what consideration within The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
has been given to the effects of such positions, polices, and/or legislation respecting
healthcare providers' legal and ethical obligations to empower their patients to exercise
their rights of informed consent (including rights of informed refusal)? How do such
positions, polices, and/or legislation respect patients' rights regarding informed consent
(including rights of informed refusal)? If this has not been considered within The
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, then why has this not been considered?
In consideration of positions, polices, and/or legislation (including, but not limited to
messaging and medical advice, collective punishments, and segregation) which may
appear as intent to use force, fraud, deceit, duress, over-reaching, or other ulterior forms of
constraint or coercion to encourage, incentivize, or otherwise promote COVID-19
inoculations, what consideration within The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
has been given to the effects of such positions, polices, and/or legislation respecting
individual human rights (including human rights as recognised under national and
international frameworks), such as individual human rights to privacy and confidentiality of
medical information; and individual human rights to refuse medical treatment, with or
without reason? If this has not been considered within The Department of the Prime
Executive Wing, Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand 6011
4478189
64 4 817 9700 Facsimile 64 4 472 3181 www.dpmc.govt.nz
Minister and Cabinet, then why has this not been considered?
In consideration of the questions raised above, and related matters, what consideration
within The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has been given to the possibility
that positions, polices, and/or legislation (including, but not limited to messaging and
medical advice, collective punishments, and segregation) which may appear as intent to
use force, fraud, deceit, duress, over-reaching, or other ulterior forms of constraint or
coercion to encourage, incentivize, or otherwise promote COVID-19 inoculations, may
expose proponents, advocates, and/or actors on behalf of such positions, polices, and/or
legislation to culpability for human rights violations, crimes against humanity, and/or war
crimes? If this has not been considered within The Department of the Prime Minister and
Cabinet, then why has this not been considered?”
I have decided under section 15A of the Act to extend the time limits for deciding on your request by
an additional 20 working days. Consequently, the extended due date for your response will be
21 February 2022.
The extension is required because of the consultations needed to make a decision on your request.
Despite the extension, a response will be sent to you as soon as possible.
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
3249891
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