11 February 2022
Reference: IR-01-21-37150
Gregory Soar
fyi‐request‐17922‐[email address]
Kia ora Gregory
Request for information
Thank you for your Of icial Information Act 1982 (OIA) request which was
transferred to Police by the Ministry of Justice on 16 December 2021. You
requested the following:
Labour has inserted a clause into the Covid‐
19 Health Response Act
giving various groups including "a nominated representative of an iwi
organisation" the power to "close roads and public places and stop
vehicles".
Please supply the full list of names of these “nominated people”.
Please explain how they are nominated and by whom.
Under any setting of the COVID-19 Protection Framework or any Public Health
Order that is in place, a checkpoint that is set up, either as short-term controlled
checkpoints or a random checkpoint, must be managed by a police officer. In
order to comply with the COVID-19 Public Health Response Act 2020 an
enforcement officer can only act under the supervision of a police officer.
Checkpoints that have been set up without the supervision of a police officer
are not lawful.
If Police determines there is a need to authorise suitably qualified and trained
persons to carry out any functions or powers of an enforcement officer under
the COVID-19 Public Health Response Act 2020, organisations, including Iwi
and community agencies, will nominate individuals to be considered by Police.
Your request for the full list of names of these “nominated people” is withheld
pursuant to section 9(2)(a) of the OIA to protect the privacy of natural persons.
Police considers the interests requiring protection by withholding the information
are not outweighed by any public interest in release of the information.
Police National Headquarters 180 Molesworth Street, Thorndon, Wellington 6011
www.police.govt.nz
You have the right, under section 28(3) of the OIA, to ask the Ombudsman to
review my decision if you are not satisfied with the way I have responded to your
request. Information about how to make a complaint is available at:
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz.
Ngā mihi
Michael McLean
Director
Māori, Pacific, and Ethnic Services
