29 August 2022
Harold
[FYI request #20099 email]
Ref: OIA-2021/22-1563
Dear Harold
Official Information Act request relating to COVID-19 disinformation and harmful
content
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) request received on 1 August
2022. You requested:
… for information relating to a presentation on the topic of the government’s response
to COVID-19 disinformation, delivered to the 23 November 2021 meeting of the
COVID-19 Chief Executive’s Board. The minute of this meeting can be accessed here
(on page 207, paragraphs 12 to 15):
https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffyi.org.nz%2Fre
quest%2F17765%2Fresponse%2F75491%2Fattach%2F4%2FFOR%2520RELEASE%
25202%2520of%25202%2520OIA%25202021%252022%25200684.pdf&data=05%7C
01%7Cinformation%40dpmc.govt.nz%7Ca6e194fa0a2d41887b1608da73620598%7Ce
ea6053309ef4b7a94060f38551cc613%7C0%7C0%7C637949162816024288%7CUnk
nown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haW
wiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=yIl3g54wWkVH2v9yHkFSGy8dy
lYgZ4Ppk6nVfaRpq2w%3D&reserved=0
I would like to request:
1) Paragraph 13 states that:
"Members welcomed the paper and presentation [on this topic]."
I would like to request copies of the paper and presentation referred to here.
2) Paragraph 14 states that:
"Members raised questions regarding the coordination arrangements underpinning the
interagency response to disinformation, and the mechanisms to capture and address
material that does not reach a statutory threshold. Rachel responded that a virtual team
would be established in the coming days, followed by the allocation of agency
responsibilities and development of a scenario paper on grey area cases."
I would like to request a copy of this “scenario paper on grey area cases”.
3) Paragraph 15 states that:
"DPMC was encouraged to establish a dashboard of key metrics and leading indicators
Executive Wing, Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand 6011
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64 4 817 9698 www.dpmc.govt.nz
to shape more regular reporting [on COVID-19 disinformation] to Ministers."
If such a dashboard was produced, I would like to request the dates that this
dashboard has been sent to Ministers.
1.
Copies of the paper and presentation regarding disinformation and harmful
content referred in paragraph 13, page 207
I have decided to release the relevant parts of the document listed below, subject to
information being withheld under section 9(2)(g)(i) of the Act, to maintain the effective
conduct of public affairs through the free and frank expression of opinion.
Item
Date
Document Description/Subject
1.
18 November 2021
COVID-19 Disinformation and harmful content
Please note paragraph 20 states that “
Since August 2021, in response to a request from
DPMC (COVID-19 Group and the National Security Group) for insights into the
mis/disinformation landscape and its effect on COVID-19 mitigation measures, Te Pūnaha
Matatini (TPM) has been providing regular analytical reports on the online COVID-19
mis/disinformation and extremist landscape.”
This is factually incorrect. Through 2021, The Disinformation Project (as part of Te Pūnaha
Matatini) carried out disinformation landscape reporting under a research grant through a
COVID‐19 Response Fund (administered by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and
Employment) which ended August 2021. DPMC did not fund, nor enter into a contractual
relationship with Te Pūnaha Matatini for these landscape reports, however, Te Pūnaha
Matatini continued to provide their reports to support the COVID-19 response once the
funding for the project ended.
In the last month, DPMC contracted The Disinformation Project, who are now separate from
Te Pūnaha Matatini, for two landscape reports and one deep dive report on a topic of choice.
Appendix 1 of the above document –
Working Paper: Mis- and disinformation in Aotearoa
New Zealand from 17 August to 5 November 2021, is publicly available on the New Zealand
Family Violence Clearinghouse website:
ht ps:/ thedisinfoproject.org/wp-
content/uploads/2022/04/2021-11-09-FINAL-working-paper-disinformation..pdf.
Accordingly, I have refused this part of your request under section 18(d) of the Act, as the
information requested is publicly available.
2.
A copy of scenario paper on grey area cases
Although discussed at the COVID-19 Chief Executives Board (CCB) meeting, the
development of a scenario paper on grey area cases was not formally commissioned and not
progressed due to other work priorities.
3.
Dates that the dashboard of key metrics and leading indicators was sent to
Ministers
Out of concern for duplication of effort of a smal workforce, the dashboard was discussed
with the working group but not progressed, because at the time the COVID-19 Disinformation
Assessment and Response Team (DART) at the Ministry of Health was developing their own
reporting system.
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Accordingly, the above two parts of your request are refused 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.
In making my decision, I have taken the public interest considerations in section 9(1) of the
Act into account.
You have the right to ask the Ombudsman to investigate and review my decision under
section 28(3) of the Act.
We do not intend to publish this response on the Department of the Prime Minister and
Cabinet’s website.
Yours sincerely
Ruth Fairhall
Deputy Chief Executive
COVID-19 Group
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Document Outline
