Printed from https://fyi.org.nz/request/2079-resend-how-many-people-whose-passports-were-cancelled-for-security-were-overseas on November 22, 2024 05:23

[Resend] How many people whose passports were cancelled for security were overseas?

Alex Harris made this Official Information request to Minister of Internal Affairs

The request was refused by Minister of Internal Affairs.

From: Alex Harris

Dear Minister of Internal Affairs,

[Resent due to FYI having incorrect Ministerial address]

In February this year the Prime Minister announced that the
government had cancelled the passports of a handful of New Zealand
citizens wanting to fight alongside rebel forces in Syria ("Govt
cancels passports for would-be fighters", Radio NZ, Feb 10 2014). A
subsequent OIA request through FYI
(https://fyi.org.nz/request/1451-cancella...)
confirmed that 6 passports had been cancelled since 2012. I would
like to request the following information under the OIA:

* have any further passports been cancelled under s8A of the
Passports Act 1992 since February 2014?
* how many of the people whose passports have been cancelled under
s8A (2 in 2012 and 4 in 2013, plus any since) were believed or suspected to be
outside NZ at the time?

I would prefer to receive an electronic response. Queries about
this request will be automatically forwarded to me by the
fyi.org.nz website.

Yours faithfully,

Alex Harris

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From: P Dunne (MIN)
Minister of Internal Affairs

On behalf of Hon Peter Dunne, thank you for your correspondence.

 

Your comments will be noted. If you have requested a formal response, this
will be forthcoming in due course.

 

Thank you once again for taking the time to get in touch.

 

Regards,

 

 

Office of Hon Peter Dunne

[1][Minister of Internal Affairs request email]

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From: Ann McLean

Dear Mr Harris

 

On behalf of Hon Peter Dunne, thank you for your Official Information Act
request lodged on 03 October 2014.

 

This email is formal acknowledgement of your request. You will receive a
response within the provisions of the Official Information Act 1982.

 

Kind Regards

 

 

Ann McLean

Private Secretary - Internal Affairs

 

 

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From: P Dunne (MIN)
Minister of Internal Affairs

Dear Alex Harris,

On behalf of Hon Peter Dunne, Minister of Internal Affairs, I write regarding your Official Information Act request lodged 3 October 2014. You requested:

* have any further passports been cancelled under s8A of the Passports Act 1992 since February 2014?
* how many of the people whose passports have been cancelled under s8A (2 in 2012 and 4 in 2013, plus any since) were believed or suspected to be outside NZ at the time?

This office has endeavoured to provide you a response within the 20 day time limit required by the Act. Unfortunately, consultations necessary for the Minister to make a decision on the request are such that a proper response to your request cannot reasonably be given within this original time limit, by Monday 3 November.

Under Section 15A(1)(b) of the Official Information Act, the decision has therefore been made to extend the time limit for responding to your request by four working days, for the Minister to respond to you by Friday 7th November.

If you are not satisfied with this response, you have the right, under Section 28(3) of the Act, to make a complaint to the Ombudsman about the extension.

Sincerely,

Office of Hon Peter Dunne

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From: P Dunne (MIN)
Minister of Internal Affairs

Attachment Response to OIA request A Harris.pdf
92K Download View as HTML

Dear Alex Harris

Please find attached the response to your request made under the Official Information Act 1982.

Kind regards

Office of Hon Peter Dunne

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Joshua Grainger left an annotation ()

How on earth could revealing the number of people who were overseas when their passports were cancelled compromise national security or prejudice investigation? Presumably those whose passports were cancelled would already know it given there's a requirement to notify the person of the cancellation of their passport under s8A(2)(a).

I am genuinely baffled by this refusal. Usually you can at least imagine how the information possibly could fall under the withholding ground. If the theory is that people traveled overseas in secret and the NZ Govt doesn't want to disclose that they know that the person really is overseas presumably that'd be cancelled out by the requirement to notify? And I mean given that they've got to contact the person, presumably that person would have to be contacted overseas anyway?

I would follow this request up, by making a s23 OIA request about this refusal asking for
(a) the findings on material issues of fact; and
(b) subject to subsection (2A), a reference to the information on which the findings were based; and
(c) the reasons for the decision or recommendation.
for this refusal.

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Things to do with this request

Anyone:
Minister of Internal Affairs only: