13 May 2021
45 Pipitea Street, Wel ington 6011
Phone +64 4 495 7200
dia.govt.nz
Hemant
fyi-request-19116-
[email address]
Tēnā koe Hemant
Official Information Act request 2122-0702 – Passport staffing over Easter weekend
Thank you for your Official Information Act (Act) request which was transferred from the
Minister of Internal Affairs to the Department of Internal Affairs (Department) on 12 April 2022.
You requested –
On the passports website
(https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.passports.g
ovt.nz%2F&data=04%7C01%7CSDOOfficialCorrespon%40dia.govt.nz%7C0234b20a0
21b47497ee108da1c0b010a%7Cf659ca5cfc474e96b24d14c95df13acb%7C0%7C0%7C63
7853130840681107%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV
2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=EkobgG0SgkykpkF5Je
%2Fj6IORddwbXJPir42Plh%2BNBIo%3D&reserved=0) it says ". .We are experiencing
delays processing passports due to reduced staff on site — we will process your
application as soon as possible. The approximate timeframe to process a standard
passport application is currently 22 working days. . .".
As the delays are due to social distancing (i'm assuming that's why there are reduced
staff on site) how many staff wil be working on easter friday and easter monday to be
able to stil comply with social distancing, but also reduce processing timeframes?
In response to your request I can provide you with the following information.
You have noted the information on our passports website that advises we have reduced staff on
site, and this is affecting processing, and inferred that this was due to social distancing
requirements.
In fact, this refers to the fact that a high proportion of our staff – at times over a third – were
required to quarantine or isolate due to their, or a family member or household member,
contracting COVID-19.
I can advise that there were 16 Life and Identity Services Officers on Saturday 16 April 2022, and
33 Life and Identity Services Officers on Monday 18 April 2022, working on Passport tasks to
help reduce processing timeframes.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this response.
Information about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
freephone 0800 802 602.
Ngā mihi
Julia Taylor
Manager Operational Policy and Official Correspondence
Service Delivery and Operations
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