19 December 2022
45 Pipitea St
PO Box 805
Wellington 6140
P Taylor
Phone +64 4 495 7200
FYI.org.nz
Fax +64 4 495 7222
[FYI request #20991 email]
Websit
e dia.govt.nz
Tēnā koe P Taylor
Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) request dated 31 October 2022 (ref OIA22/23 0345)
Thank you for your OIA request dated 31 October 2022 to the Department of Internal Affairs
(Department). You asked for the following information –
“Under the Official Information Act 1982, I would like to request all communications
between any member of the Department of Internal Affairs Digital Safety Team and the
Disinformation Assessment and Response Team (DART) during the period of 01 August
2022 and 30 September 2022.”
On 28 November 2022, we informed you of our decision to extend the time to respond to
your OIA request by 15 working days. This made the new due date for your OIA response to
be on 19 December 2022.
Principle of availability
The guiding principle for considering your request for official information is the principle of
availability (section 5 of the OIA). That is, information must be made available on request
unless there is good reason for withholding it. “Good reason” for withholding is provided for
in the OIA and it is against this framework that we considered whether to withhold official
information in this case.
Response to your request
We have located
16 documents within scope of your request. Documents 3,5,7 and 11 are
withheld in full under section 18(d) of the OIA as these reports have been released and are
publicly available. You can refer to these documents using the following link:
https://fyi.org.nz/request/20989/response/79850/attach/4/H2022015932%20Response.pdf
Therefore, we are releasing
11 documents to you under the OIA. These documents are listed
in the table below and attached to this letter as
Appendix A.
Withholding ground applicable under section 9
Where it is necessary, we are relying on section 9(2)(g)(ii) of the OIA which allows us to
withhold information where it is necessary to protect officers and employees from improper
pressure or harassment. This ground is subject to the public interest test in section 9(1).
Under section 9(2)(g)(ii), we are withholding the contact details (names, roles, phone
numbers and email addresses) of officials and information that would reveal the identities of
the staff in documents 1,2,4,6,8,9,10,12,13,14,15 and 16 to protect them from improper
pressure or harassment in order to maintain the effective conduct of public affairs.
Page 1 of 3
The withholding of this information is not outweighed by other public interest
considerations which render it desirable to make this information available. Therefore,
section 9(2)(g)(ii) constitutes a good reason for withholding in this particular case.
Withholding grounds applicable under section 6 of the OIA
We have considered the conclusive reasons for withholding information that are not subject
to the public interest test, listed in section 6 of the OIA. The particular grounds in question
are as follows:
• Section 6(a) – where the making available of the information would be likely to
prejudice the security or defence of New Zealand, or the international relations of
the Government of New Zealand; and
• Section 6(c) – where the making available of the information would be likely to
prejudice the maintenance of the law, including the prevention, investigation, and
detection of offences, and the right to a fair trial.
The release of the redacted information in documents 1,2,4,6,10 and 12 would likely
prejudice the security of New Zealand under section 6(a) of the OIA. In particular, the
release of this information would be likely to undermine the Department’s operations and,
in turn, detrimentally impact on the nation’s security.
In addition, the release of the redacted information in documents 1,2,4,6,8,10 and 12 would
likely prejudice the maintenance of the law under section 6(c) of the OIA. In particular, it
would jeopardise our ability to gather relevant information for future operations.
Access to the Ombudsman
If you are dissatisfied with our decision on your request for information, you have the right,
under section 28 of the OIA, to make a complaint to the Office of the Ombudsman. The
Office of the Ombudsman can be contacted by phone on 0800 802 602, via post at PO Box
10152 Wellington, or via em
ail to [email address].
Ngā mihi
Jared Mullen
Director Digital Safety
Page 2 of 3
Appendix A
Document Title
Date
Comments
number
1.
Email correspondence between DIA and
16/09/2022 –
Released, but with some information
Ministry of Health regarding additional
27/09/2022
withheld under sections 9(2)(g)(ii), 6(a) and
comments on DART monthly report
6(c) of the OIA
2.
Email from DIA to Ministry of Health
16/09/2022 –
Released, but with some information
providing additional comments on DART
23/09/2022
withheld under sections 9(2)(g)(ii), 6(a) and
report (1 attachment)
6(c) of the OIA
3.
Attachment: Draft DART report with DIA
September 2022
Withheld in full under section 18(d) of the
comments
OIA
4.
Email from DIA providing feedback on
16/09/2022 –
Released, but with some information
DART monthly report (1 attachment)
19/09/2022
withheld under sections 9(2)(g)(ii), 6(a) and
6(c) of the OIA
5.
Attachment: Draft DART report with DIA
September 2022
Withheld in full under section 18(d) of the
comments
OIA
6.
Email from Ministry of Health requesting
16/09/2022 –
Released, but with some information
feedback on DART monthly report (1
19/09/2022
withheld under sections 9(2)(g)(ii), 6(a) and
attachment)
6(c) of the OIA
7.
Attachment: Draft DART report
September 2022
Withheld in full under section 18(d) of the
OIA
8.
Email correspondence between DIA and
31/08/2022 –
Released, but with some information
Ministry of Health regarding Digital Safety 2/09/2022
withheld under section 9(2)(g)(ii) and 6(c) of
Quarterly Report
the OIA
9.
Email from Ministry of Health advising of
21/09/2022
Released, but with some information
decisions relating to DART system
withheld under section 9(2)(g)(ii) of the OIA
10.
Email from Ministry of Health attaching
16/09/2022
Released, but with some information
draft copy of DART monthly report and
withheld under sections 9(2)(g)(ii), 6(a) and
requesting feedback (1 attachment)
6(c) of the OIA
11.
Attachment: Draft DART report
September 2022
Withheld in full under section 18(d) of the
OIA
12.
Email from Ministry of Health notifying
9/09/2022
Released, but with some information
DART references to publications
withheld under sections 9(2)(g)(ii), 6(a) and
6(c) of the OIA
13.
Email from Ministry of Health notifying
5/09/2022
Released, but with some information
DIA on article
withheld under section 9(2)(g)(ii) of the OIA
14.
Email correspondence between DIA and
2/09/2022
Released, but with some information
Ministry of Health regarding VR input into
withheld under section 9(2)(g)(ii) of the OIA
report
15.
Email from DIA to Ministry of Health
24/08/2022
Released, but with some information
providing a letter noting the cessation of
withheld under section 9(2)(g)(ii) of the OIA
DIA support for DART system (1
attachment)
16.
Attachment: Letter from DIA to Ministry
24/08/2022
Released, but with some information
of Health to notify of cessation of DIA
withheld under section 9(2)(g)(ii) of the OIA
support for DIA system
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