Ref: 216018
17 March 2022
J Smith
via FYI.org.nz
Tēnā koe,
Response to your request for Official Information
On 23 February 2022, you made the following request for information from the Human
Rights Commission (“the Commission”):
1. Please provide all peer reviewed evidence and information, briefings,
email, notes and text messages that were used to support the comment by
the Commissioner when he publicly stated that that 'people have lost loved
ones who have suffered severe side effects of vaccination.’
2. What were these severe side effects and how many fatalities, where in the
country by DHB area?
3. Also how many residents and business owners in Wellington has he
engaged with?
Requests 1 & 2 – Information regarding Chief Commissioner’s statement
We understand your request relates to the public statement made by Chief
Commissioner Paul Hunt on 22 February 2022. Please be advised that the part of the
public statement relevant to your request was updated on 23 February 2022 for
clarification purposes, as follows:
“These are people who have told us they have lost loved ones, who say they
have suffered severe side-effects of vaccination and lost jobs.”
The updated statement is available here:
https://www.hrc.co.nz/news/human-rights-
commission-listens-protesters/. We hope that this provides you with sufficient
clarification.
Request 3 – Information regarding engagements
We can advise that the Commissioner has had a number of engagements in relation
to this matter. However, it was agreed between all involved that these engagements
would proceed on a confidential basis.
The Commission considers it is in the public interest that the details of these
engagements remain confidential. Accordingly, this part of your request is being
withheld under section 9(2)(ba) of the Official Information Act 1982.
Stantec House, Level 1, 10 Brandon Street, Wellington
PO Box 10424, Wellington Central, Te Whanganui a Tara Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand
Waea Telephone +64 4 473-9981 Waea Whakaahua Facsimile +64 9 377-3593
Infoline Toll free 0800 496 877 / TT
Y [Human Rights Commission request email] www.hrc.co.nz
Alternative avenues
If you are not satisfied with this response, under the Official Information Act you are
entitled to complain to the Ombudsman’s Office. Information about how to make a
complaint is available at
https://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/ or on freephone
0800 802 602.
Nāku noa, nā
Philippa Moran Legal Advisor | Kaitohu Ture
New Zealand Human Rights Commission | Te Kāhui Tika Tangata
