133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T+64 4 496 2000
10 October 2022
Sean Richards
By email: [FYI request #20518 email]
Ref: H2022012465
Tēnā koe Sean,
Response to your request for official information
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) to Manatū Hauora
(Ministry of Health) on 12 September 2022 for information regarding the decision to end the
COVID-19 Protection Framework. You specifically requested:
“…all of the public health advice that the Ministry of Health has tendered to the Prime
Minister, Cabinet Office, DPMC, and similar institutions, that the Prime Minister refers to”
Two briefings have been identified in scope of your request, titled ‘
Memo Public Health Risk
Assessment of COVID-19 Mandated Response Measures – 17 August 2022’ and
‘Required
order changes to support the shift to a new approach for managing COVID-19’. Both documents
will be published on Manatū Hauora website at:
www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry/information-
releases/general-information-releases and are therefore refused under section 18(d) of the Act,
as the information requested wil soon be publicly available.
I am also advised that the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) wil publish a
Cabinet paper that is within the scope of your request, titled
‘Future of the COVID-19 Protection
Framework and moving to the new approach’ at:
www.dpmc.govt.nz/publications.
Under section 28(3) of the Act, you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to review any
decisions made under this request. The Ombudsman may be contacted by email at
[email address] or by calling 0800 802 602.
Nāku noa, nā
Steve Waldegrave
Associate Deputy Director-General
Strategy, Policy and Legislation