16 June 2022
Athina Andonatou
[FYI request #19421 email]
Reference: OIA-2021/22-1358
Dear Athina Andonatou
Official Information Act request regarding the World Health Organisation and
preparation for COVID-19
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) request received on 22 May 2022.
You requested:
“Dear Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management, It is come to my attention
that the World Health Organisation may have instructed our Government to prepare for
an imminent coronavirus pandemic. As the truth is hard to find at this time, I am
requesting all documentation, all communications and all reports between
1) the Government and WHO
2) The Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management and The WHO
3) The Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management and the Prime Minister For
the period covering 1 October 2019 to 31 March 2020”
Please note that on 1 December 2019 the National Emergency Management Agency
(NEMA) become operational and all of the existing functions of the Ministry of Civil Defence
& Emergency Management (MCDEM) transferred into the new Agency, with the Ministry
ceasing to exist.
On 1 June 2020, I advised you that question one of your request was more closely
connected to the functions of the Ministry of Health and subsequently transferred this part of
the request to the Ministry of Health for response.
Both NEMA and MCDEM do not hold any information within scope of questions two and
three of your request. Therefore I am refusing your request under section 18(e) of the Act, as
the document alleged to contain the information requested does not exist or, despite
reasonable efforts to locate it, cannot be found.
You may find some useful information in the document
Proposed Amendment to the Health
Act 1956 - Novel Coronavirus, which is publicly available on the Unite Against COVID-19
website:
https:/ covid19.govt.nz/assets/Proactive-Releases/proactive-release/Proposed-Amendment-
to-the-Health-Act-1956-Novel-Coronavirus-Paper-28-01-20.pdf.
You have the right to ask the Ombudsman to investigate and review my decision under
section 28(3) of the Act.
Level 4, Bowen House, Parliament Buildings | PO Box 5010 | Wellington 6145 | New Zealand
Tel: +64 4 830 5100 | [NEMA request email] | www.civildefence.govt.nz
We do not intend to publish this response on the Department of the Prime Minister and
Cabinet’s website.
Yours sincerely
Dave Gawn
Chief Executive
National Emergency Management Agency
4563751
2
