11 October 2022
Harold
[FYI request #20096 email]
Tēnā koe Harold
Thank you for your email of 1 August 2022 which was transferred to my office on 29 August 2022
in which you request the following under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA):
I would like to make a request for copies of the following briefings received by the minister
in his role as Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control:
1) 7/12/2020 Approval for Foreign Military Aircraft to Land in New Zealand in 2021
4) 12/02/2021 Saudi Arabia: Export of Controlled Items
5) 16/02/2021 Proposed overflight by US Air Force B-52 aircraft
6) 16/02/2021 The Process for Considering Requests for Entry of Foreign Warships into
New Zealand Internal Waters
7) 15/03/2021 Air New Zealand: Control and Export Status of US Navy Engines
8) 21/06/2021 Operation Burnham: National Detention Policy
15) Final y, in response to Written Parliamentary Question 43291 (2021): “What reports,
briefings, memos, aides-memoire, notes or written advice, if any, has the Minister
received about nuclear-armed submarines?” The minister replied “None to date, but I
understand briefing is under preparation” (as at 23 September 2021). I would like to
request a copy of the briefing referred to here.
On 23 September 2022, we extended the timeframes for responding to your request by 10
working days. Thank you for your patience while we processed the request.
Attached are the documents relevant to your request. Some portions of the documents are withheld
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;
6(b)(i): to protect the passing of information from another government on a confidential
basis;
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)(h): to maintain legal professional privilege.
Document 6, ‘
16/02/2021 The Process for Considering Requests for Entry of Foreign Warships
into New Zealand Internal Waters’ is withheld in full under section 6(a) of the OIA, to avoid
prejudicing the security or defence of New Zealand or the international relations of the
New Zealand Government.
Page 2 of 2
I am refusing your request for Document 4 “
12/02/2021 Saudi Arabia: Export of Controlled
Items” under Section 18(e) of the OIA, because the document requested does not exist or,
despite reasonable efforts to locate it, cannot be found. This was an administrative reporting
error.
I am refusing your request for Document 8 “
21/06/2021 Operation Burnham: National Detention
Policy” under section 18(d) of the OIA, because the information will soon be publicly available
and will be published at the following link:
Media and resources | New Zealand Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Trade (mfat.govt.nz).
Where the information has been withheld under section 9 of the OIA, no public interest in releasing
the information has been identified that would override the reasons for withholding it.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision by
contactin
g www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Nāku noa
Hon Nanaia Mahuta
Minita Take Aorere / Minister of Foreign Affairs
