New Zealand Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Trade
Manatū Aorere
17 August 2022
195 Lambton Quay
Private Bag 18−901
Wellington 6160
New Zealand
Sebastian
T +64 4 439 8000
F +64 4 472 9596
[FYI request #20017 email]
OIA 28201
Tēnā koe Sebastian
I refer to your email on 25 July 2022 in which you request the following under the Official
Information Act 1982 (OIA):
This is a request for information relating to strategic assessments produced by MFAT.
The 2020 MFAT Annual Report refers to a strategic assessment completed in 2019 (p.5):
"In 2019 we completed the first of what will be three yearly strategic assessments."
The 2021 MFAT Annual Report refers to a strategic assessment on the topic of COVID-19
(p.48):
"A refresh of our strategic framework saw us adopt a new purpose statement and strategic
goals. This followed an extensive COVID-19-related strategic assessment, aimed at
informing the Government’s recovery objectives."
I would like to make a request for copies of:
ONE: The 2019 Strategic Assessment
TWO: The COVID-19-related strategic assessment referred to in the 2021 Annual Report
above
THREE: If the MFAT Strategic Policy Unit has produced any other strategic assessments
since the beginning of 2020, I would like to request a list of them, including the
assessment title and date of issue
1. The 2019 Strategic Assessment
Responding to this part of your request necessitates the review of a large quantity and broad
range of information, and meeting the original time limit would unreasonably interfere with
the operations of the Ministry (section 15A(1)(a) of the OIA refers). Therefore, we need to
extend the time limit for responding to this part of your request to 25 working days, to
Tuesday 27 September 2022. However, we have made a decision on parts 2 and 3 of your
request below.
2. The COVID-19-related strategic assessment referred to in the 2021 Annual Report
Please find attached the document titled “New Zealand’s Foreign Policy 2021-22: Toward
Greater Resilience”. We have withheld some parts of the document under the following
sections of the OIA:
e [MFAT request email]
w www.mfat.govt.nz
Page 2 of 2
•
6(a): to avoid prejudicing the security or defence of New Zealand or the international
relations of the New Zealand Government;
•
6(b)(i): to protect the passing of information from another government on a confidential
basis;
•
9(2)(d): to protect the economic interests of New Zealand; and
•
9(2)(g)(i): to protect the free and frank expression of opinions by departments.
3. If the MFAT Strategic Policy Unit has produced any other strategic assessments
since the beginning of 2020
The document titled “COVID-19 – Foreign Policy Re-engagement Strategy, 9 April 2020”
constituted the Ministry’s early thinking about a foreign policy re-engagement strategy that
has since been overtaken and elaborated on by a Cabinet paper. As such, we are refusing
this part of your request in full under section 9(2) (g)(i) of the OIA. However, we are
providing you with a summary of the more recent and more comprehensive Cabinet paper,
which was released on 26 June 2020 and is publicly available on the Covid19.govt.nz website
here:
https://covid19.govt.nz/updates-and-resources/legislation-and-key-documents/proactive-
release/offshore-issues/#documents-proactively-released-on-26-june.
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
Sarah Corbett
for Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade
