14 February 2022
Ryan Bullock
[FYI request #18074 email]
Ref: OIA-2021/22-0803
Dear Ryan Bullock
Official Information Act request relating to censorship and interactions with media
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) request received on 31 December
2021. You requested:
1. Can you list, and describe in detail ALL interactions with traditional media, social
media, search provider and other external parties with regard to content either under
production or published already.
2. Can you detail how the government discovers, tracks and classifies content online
and via TV, radio.
3. Can you provide detail about the budget spent per year on these associated activities.
4. Can you provide all correspondence between the PM and Jessica Mutch McKay and
Tova O'Brien.
On 27 January 2022, questions two and four were transferred to the Broadcasting Standards
Authority and the Classifications Office and the Prime Minister’s Office (respectively). The
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) is responding to questions one and
three of your request.
The Act enables people to request official information from agencies, including DPMC.
However, the Act only applies to information already held by DPMC, and there is no
obligation to create information in order to respond to a request.
The information you are seeking in this case is not held by DPMC. It would need to be
created in order to respond to your request. DPMC does not track every interaction that
occurs between the department and the outlets you have described in your request. I am
therefore refusing your request under section 18(g) of the Act, because the information is not
held by DPMC.
I am, however, able to advise that DPMC tracks the amount spent on contractors and
consultants that the department engages with when reporting to the Governance and
Administration Committee. You can view DPMC’s spend on contractors and consultants,
specifically those that provide communications, media, or public relations advice or services,
in Appendix 4 of 2019/20 Annual review of DPMC and the 2021/22 Estimates for Vote Prime
Minister and Cabinet on the following websites:
parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/submissions-and-advice/all?custom=FINS_104457
parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/submissions-and-advice/all?custom=FINS_111458
Executive Wing, Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand 6011
4486769
64 4 817 9698 www.dpmc.govt.nz
You have the right to ask the Ombudsman to investigate and review my decision under
section 28(3) of the Act.
We do not intend to publish this response on the Department of the Prime Minister and
Cabinet’s website.
Yours sincerely
Clare Ward
Executive Director
Strategy, Governance and Engagement
4486769
2
