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IR-01-22-10061
24 May 2022
P Taylor
[FYI request #19073 email]
Kia ora
Request for information
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) request of 6 April, in which you asked for
information regarding the protests in Wel ington on 2 and 3 March 2022. You requested the
following:
In accordance with the Official Information Act 1982, I would like to request the Tactical
Operations Reports submitted at the end of shift on the 02/03/2022 or 03/03/2022 for or
by those officers that used the fol owing items at the Wellington protest:
1) Batons
2) OC Spray
3) Tear Gas
Your request has been considered in accordance with the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA),
and I can now provide the following response.
As you may be aware, the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) has commenced an
independent investigation and review (Review) of the policing of the occupation on and around
Parliament grounds in Wellington during February and March 2022 (Protest).
Details of the scope of the Review are available on the IPCA’s website
1 and you wil note this
scope includes Police planning and preparation, equipment provided, and operational execution
including tactics used.
Whilst this Review is underway, information relating to the issues under investigation and review
is expected to be the subject of examination by the IPCA under its powers of investigation under
the IPCA Act 1988. With this Review commenced, there is a strong public interest in al owing
these matters to be considered in the round by the IPCA.
1
https://www.ipca.govt.nz/Site/publications-and-media/2022-media-releases/2022-mar-24-
investigation-review-occupation-parliament.aspx
Police National Headquarters
180 Molesworth Street. PO Box 3017, Wellington 6140, New Zealand.
Telephone: 04 474 9499. www.police.govt.nz
We consider that the information you have requested tends to go to the heart of the matters that
are under investigation and review by the IPCA. Where such information is available, it is
withheld in reliance upon section 9(2)(ba)(i ) of the OIA. It is in the public interest for the Review
to be completed without earlier predetermination of the matters it is considering.
We envisage relevant information wil be released fol owing the conclusion of the IPCA’s
Review.
However, I can confirm Police did not use ‘tear gas’ at any time during the protest and therefore
that part of your request is refused pursuant to section 18(e) of the OIA as the information
requested does not exist.
The IPCA anticipates the Review wil be completed and reported on by 31 March 2023. Police
recognises the importance of transparency in these matters and looks forward to the release of
the IPCA’s report, at which time more detailed information regarding the Police response to the
Protest is likely to be publicly available.
Please note that as part of its commitment to openness and transparency, Police proactively
releases some information and documents that may be of interest to the public. An anonymised
version of this response may be publicly released on the New Zealand Police website.
You have the right to ask the Ombudsman to review my decision if you are not satisfied with the
response to your request. Information about how to make a complaint is available at:
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz.
Nāku noa, nā
David Greig
Superintendent
New Zealand Police
