EXECUTIVE COUNCIL CHAMBERS
17 February 2022
Luke
[FYI request #18240 email]
Ref: OIA-2021/22-0863
Tēnā koe Luke
Official Information Act request: Queen's Platinum Jubilee Medal
Thank you for your Of icial Information Act request received on 19 January 2022. You
requested:
“1. Does New Zealand plan to issue The Queen's Platinum Jubilee medal
should Her Majesty be reigning on the 6th of February?
2. If New Zealand is not issuing a Platinum Jubliee medal, please explain why
not.
3. Will NZDF and Emergency Services personnel be provided with a medal
(Jubilee or otherwise), in recognition of their significant contributions to New
Zealand on the 6th of Feburary?
4. In the absence of a medal, wil New Zealand do anything else to recognise
the contributions that Emergency Services and NZDF personnel have made
on the 6th of February?
5. Please release the advice provided to the Prime Minister by the Cabinet
Office, regarding the issuance of a Platinum Jubilee medal. If this request is to
be refused, please also explain why it should be refused with regard to the
fairly significant public interest.
6. What preparations have the Government made in preparation for The
Queen's Platinum Jubilee?”
On 6 February 2022, the Prime Minister paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II in her
Platinum Jubilee year and also unveiled a Platinum Jubilee Emblem for New Zealand,
which has been designed by the New Zealand Herald of Arms, Phil ip O’Shea, CNZM,
CVO. You can find the emblem at
https://gg.govt.nz/office-governor-general/queens-
platinum-jubilee/queens-platinum-jubilee-emblem-new-zealand.
4487288
CABINET OFFICE, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS, WELLINGTON 6011, NEW ZEALAND
Telephone: +64 (4) 830 5010. Email: [email address]
www.dpmc.govt.nz
In terms of other preparations:
-
The Prime Minister noted on 6 February that The Queen has encouraged anyone
who would like to mark the Platinum Jubilee to do so by planting trees, and
announced that the government wil make a donation of $1 mil ion to Trees that
Count to assist with tree planting programmes;
-
A 21-gun salute was fired from Point Jerningham, Wellington on Monday 7
February to mark the anniversary of The Queen’s Accession;
-
Wellington wil participate in The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Beacons, when
beacons wil be lit across the Commonwealth in early June.
The Prime Minister’s statement is available on the Beehive website:
https:/ www.beehive.govt.nz/release/pm-pays-tribute-queen-elizabeth-ii-her-platinum-
jubilee-year.
There are several pages on the Government House website dedicated to the Platinum
Jubilee, at
https://gg.govt.nz/office-governor-general/queens-platinum-jubilee.
Planning for some other events is stil in progress. Further details and information
about events across New Zealand wil be announced as the year progresses.
A Jubilee medal is not part of the planning for the events this year.
As Clerk of the Executive Council, I advised the Prime Minister that New Zealand has
not previously issued its own, separate medal to commemorate a Sovereign’s jubilee or
coronation. I recommended that a medal not be issued for the Platinum Jubilee,
principally for reasons of cost and dif iculty in administering the medal. Final decisions
on the New Zealand Royal Honours system rest with the Prime Minister.
There was no general issue of a medal on 6 February 2022. New Zealand’s Royal
Honours system provides a wide range of options for recognising the service and
contribution of deserving New Zealanders, including members of the New Zealand
Defence Force (NZDF). In addition to recognition provided through the regular honours
system, the NZDF has a comprehensive framework for medallic recognition.
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.
Nāku noa, nā
Michael Webster
Clerk of the Executive Council
