OIA23-0005
30 January 2023
Tony Lucas
[FYI request #21524 email]
Dear Tony Lucas
Thank you for your email of 6 January 2023 requesting information relating to wild snakes in
New Zealand. Your request has been considered under the Official Information Act 1982
(OIA).
You requested the following:
I request any and all information about wild snakes in New Zealand, in particular all
information, documents, emails and official correspondence about snake sightings
within New Zealand.
Collation of any and all information about wild snakes would unreasonably interfere with the
operations of the department. The request is therefore refused under section 18(f) of the
OIA,
that the information requested cannot be made available without substantial collation or
research.
We contacted you on 9 January 2023 and 12 January 2023 to seek a refinement of your
request. If you are to make another request with a refined scope, we may be able to provide
information in response to this. Some examples of potential refinement of the scope of your
request could include:
• The number of snakes intercepted at the border and/or the number of snakes found
post-border over a specific time period.
• Specific documentation - final papers/reports, or briefings regarding snake sightings
in New Zealand over a specific time period.
Should you have any concerns with this response, I would encourage you to raise these with
the Ministry for Primary Industries at [email address]. Alternatively, you
are advised of your right to also raise any concerns with the Office of the Ombudsman.
Contact details are: Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143 or at
[email address].
Yours sincerely
Veronica Herrera
Director, Diagnostic and Surveillance Services
Charles Fergusson Building, 34-38 Bowen Street
PO Box 2526
Wel ington 6140, New Zealand
biosecurity.govt.nz