New Zealand Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Trade
Manatū Aorere
20 June 2022
195 Lambton Quay
Private Bag 18−901
Wellington 6160
New Zealand
Scott
T +64 4 439 8000
[FYI request #19335 email]
F +64 4 472 9596
OIA 28059
Tēnā koe Scott
I refer to your email of 13 May 2022 in which you request the following under the Official
Information Act 1982 (OIA):
Under the NZ Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament, and Arms Control Act 1987 the Prime
Minister can only grant approval to the visit of a foreign warship or aircraft when they are
satisfied that the ship is not carrying any nuclear weapons or uses nuclear propulsion.
I understand that MFAT is the agency responsible for creating submissions to advise Prime
Ministers when they come to make these decisions.
I would like to request copies of the submissions prepared for the Prime Minister by MFAT
for their approval of the following eight visits of foreign warships to New Zealand:
ONE: Indian Navy INS Tabar, July 2006
TWO: Indian Navy INS Sumitra, November 2016
THREE: United States Navy USS Sampson, November 2016
FOUR: People’s Liberation Army Navy CNS Yancheng, November 2016
FIVE: People’s Liberation Army Navy CNS Hengyang, CNS Yulin and CNS Honghu, June
2017
SIX: People’s Liberation Army Navy CNS Qi Jiguang, October 2019
SEVEN: Royal Canadian Navy HMCS Calgary, August 2021
EIGHT: United States Navy USS Howard, November 2021
And MFAT's submission for the Prime Minister's approval of this visit of a foreign military
aircraft:
People's Liberation Army Air Force Ilyushin IL-76, touched down 9 or 10 June 2018, in
New Zealand participating in NZDF exercise Skytrain18
The information relevant to your request is attached. We have withheld some information under
the following sections of the OIA:
6(a): to avoid prejudicing the security or defence of New Zealand or the international
relations of the New Zealand Government; and
9(2)(a): to protect individuals’ privacy.
e [MFAT request email]
w www.mfat.govt.nz
Page 2 of 2
Where the information has been withheld under section 9 of the OIA, we have identified no
public interest in releasing the information that would override the reasons for withholding it.
Please note that we may publish this letter (with your personal details redacted) and enclosed
documents on the Ministry’s website.
If you have any questions about this decision, you can contact us by email at:
[email address]. You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the
Ombudsman of this decision by contacting
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone
0800 802 602.
Nāku noa, nā
Julie-Anne Lee
for Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade