29 November 2022
Matt Brown
[FYI request #20646 email]
Tēnā koe Matt
Thank you for your email of 23 September 2022 to the Ministry of Education requesting the
following information:
1. The scientific and/or public health advice received and/or considered by MoE that
supports the advice provided on the poster regarding the level and acceptable
duration of different CO2 levels in a classroom.
2. Any other documentation (including, but not limited to email, meeting notes,
reviews, earlier proposed versions) relating to the creation, review and
publication of this poster.
3. Any documentation that involves discussion of the relationship between the
acceptable levels of CO2 described in the "How to Slow Covid-19" poster and the
"Indoor Air Quality and Thermal Comfort" requirements provided at
https://assets.education.govt.nz/public/Documents/Primary-
Secondary/Property/Design/Indoor-Air-Quality-and-Thermal-Comfort-V2-v2.0-
2022.pdf
4. In the case that the "How To Slow Covid-19" poster and the "Indoor Air Quality
and Thermal Comfort" document are owned by different teams / departments /
people / groups within MoE - all communication between these groups that
discusses classroom CO2 levels and ventilation between February and
September 2022 inclusive.
Your request has been considered under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act). In
accordance with section 15(1) of the Act, this letter is to advise you that a decision has been
made to grant your request in part.
We have identified a significant amount of information in scope of parts 1-3 of your request
that needed to be considered for release. We are currently finalising the information in
scope, and will release it to you without undue delay.
Some information will be withheld under the following sections of the Act:
9(2)(a) – to protect the privacy of individuals – applicable to contact and personal
information
9(2)(ba)(i) – to protect information which is subject to an obligation of confidence and
where disclosure would likely prejudice the supply of similar information from the
same source and it is in the public interest that such information should continue to
be supplied
9(2)(g)(i) – to maintain the effective conduct of public affairs through the free and
frank expression of opinions between members of an organisation in the course of
their duty in advising the Ministry.
OIA: 1296835
PO Box 1666, Wellington 6140. Phone: +64 4 463 8000 Fax: +64 4 463 8001
In response to Part 4 of your request, we have considered the scope to be much broader
than for parts 1-3, as it refers to all communication discussing CO2 and ventilation, as
opposed to information relating to the poster only. This part of your request is therefore
refused under section 18(f) of the Act, as the information requested cannot be made
available without substantial collation or research.
Thank you again for your email. You have the right to ask an Ombudsman to review the
decision on your request, in accordance with section 28 of the Act. You can do this by writing
to [email address] or to Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10-152,
Wellington 6143.
Nāku noa, nā,
Emma Drysdale
Manager Official and Parliamentary Information
Government, Executive and Ministerial Services
education.govt.nz
