New Zealand Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Trade
Manatū Aorere
19 August 2022
195 Lambton Quay
Private Bag 18−901
Wellington 6160
New Zealand
Andrew Li
T +64 4 439 8000
[FYI request #19742 email]
F +64 4 472 9596
OIA 28155
Tēnā koe Andrew Li
I refer to your email of 24 June 2022 in which you request the following under the Official
Information Act 1982 (OIA):
Yesterday, the zionist lobby group IHRA announced that New Zealand had become an
'observer country'. The IHRA is best known for its anti-semitic 'Working Definition of
Antisemitism', which conflates the Jewish religion and Jewish people with the zionist
ideology by defining criticism of 'Israel' for its crimes against the indigenous Palestinian
population of Palestine as 'anti-Semitism'. Jewish groups which oppose Palestinian
genocide, both in New Zealand and abroad, as well as other human rights groups, have
condemned this organization for that reason.
This is of particular relevance given MFAT's track record of opposing the recognition of the
Nakba, the ethnic cleansing and genocide of the Palestinian people, and providing other
support to the zionist entity.
Disclose, in electronic form:
* all documents from Jan 2017 onwards related to the decision to affiliate with this anti-
semitic organization
* all communications from Jan 2017 onwards regarding the IHRA, inclusive but not limited
to those with foreign governments, and their local representatives and paid lobbyists, such
as Rob Berg and Sheree Trotter
On 4 July 2022, we wrote to you to advise that responding to your request as currently framed
would capture a significant volume of information. As such, we advised that it was likely that
your request would be refused under section 18(f) of the OIA, as it would require substantial
collation and research.
On 5 July 2022, you replied to our suggested refinement email and submitted a request for the
following:
key documents from Jan 2017 onwards related to the decision to affiliate with
this anti-semitic organization
the subjects and sender/recipients names/email addresses for all emails from
Jan 2017 onwards regarding the IHRA, inclusive but not limited to those
exchanged with official representatives of foreign governments, and local
subversives and paid lobbyists, such as Rob Berg and Sheree Trotter
On having reviewed the scope of your refined request of 5 July 2022, we established that point
two of your request would still capture a significant volume of information, and it would again
likely be refused under section 18(f) of the OIA.
e [MFAT request email]
w www.mfat.govt.nz
Page 2 of 2
On 13 July 2022 we advise you of this and sought your agreement to refine point two of your
request to be for:
A summary of all emails from Jan 2017 onwards from foreign governments regarding
the IHRA.
Between 14 July and 22 July 2022, we had further exchanges of correspondence with you, in
which you agreed to refine your request to the below three points:
1. Key documents in the decision for New Zealand to apply for observer status of the
International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance [IHRA].
2. A summary of all emails from Jan 2017 onwards from foreign governments regarding
the IHRA.
3. Incoming and outgoing ministerial correspondence with the public, related to advocating
for New Zealand to join the IHRA or to adopt the IHRA Working Definition of
Antisemitism.
In answer to point two of your request, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has received
only one email from a foreign government that makes reference to the International Holocaust
Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). A very brief reference to the IHRA was made in an otherwise-
unrelated email from Israel on a United Nations General Assembly Resolution on Holocaust
denial.
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;
9(2)(a): to protect individuals’ privacy;
9(2)(g)(i): to protect the free and frank expression of opinions by departments; and
9(2)(g)(ii): to protect officers and employees from improper pressure or harassment.
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.
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
Sarah Corbett
for Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade
