20 October 2022
J Bruning
[FYI request #20642 email]
Ref: OIA-2022/23-0173
Dear J Bruning
Official Information Act request for documents related to the international travel
vaccination certificate
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) request received by the
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) on 22 September 2022. You
requested:
“Please supply all cabinet papers, memoranda, and reports received by officials and
Ministers regarding an 'International Travel Vaccination Certificate'.
See: September 14, 2022.
https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcovid19.govt.nz
%2Fcovid-19-vaccines%2Fvaccine-passes-and-certificates%2Fproof-of-your-
vaccinationstatus%2F&data=05%7C01%7Cinformation%40dpmc.govt.nz%7C7955e84
efcdc4cc39a8f08da9c2625a7%7Ceea6053309ef4b7a94060f38551cc613%7C0%7C0
%7C637993985039158967%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMD
AiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000%7C%7C%7C&sd
ata=Pt4NaudmZarbuwgAylPFNs0RtbRjqVm6s0WNFgfQt5k%3D&reserved=0
This includes all information internally produced by agencies and government officials,
as well information and advice received from the WHO, United Nations agencies, from
GAVI, CEPI and COVAX; from the World Economic Forum as well as from
management consultancy firms.
Please advise all known countries who have integrated International Travel Vaccination
Certificate into their policies and procedures currently, and countries for which this plan
is underway.”
As you may be aware, work regarding the international travel vaccination certificate was led
by the Ministry of Health. As your request is more closely connected to the Ministry of Health,
it would have been appropriate to partially transfer your request, however I understand you
have made a related request directly to the Ministry and accordingly refer you to the
Ministry’s response.
Your request has been interpreted as being for all advice specifically regarding an
international travel vaccination certificate
. The attached assessment
COVID-19 Vaccines:
Managing the Borders (23 March 2021) has been identified as in scope of your request. I am
responding on DPMC’s behalf as the assessment was written by analysts within the National
Security Group. The distribution list attached to this assessment is withheld under section
6(a) of the Act, to avoid prejudicing the security or defence of New Zealand. The remainder
of this assessment is released to you in full.
Executive Wing, Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand 6011
4634904
64 4 817 9698 www.dpmc.govt.nz
With regard to the part of your request for “
all known countries who have integrated
International Travel Vaccination Certificate into their policies and procedures currently, and
countries for which this plan is underway”, I am refusing this part of your request under
section 18(g)(i) of the Act, as the information requested is not held by DPMC, and I am
advised it is not held by another department. I do however note that the attached
assessment includes some examples of known international approaches as at March 2021.
As noted in your request, more general information is publicly available on the Unite Against
COVID-19 website. This can be accessed at the following link
: https://covid19.govt.nz/covid-
19-vaccines/vaccine-passes-and-certificates/proof-of-your-vaccination-status/
You have the right to ask the Ombudsman to investigate and review my decision under
section 28(3) of the Act.
This response may be published on DPMC’s website during our regular publication cycle.
Typically, information is released monthly, or as otherwise determined. Your personal
information including name and contact details will be removed for publication.
Yours sincerely
Tony Lynch
Deputy Chief Executive
National Security Group
4634904
2
