15 May 2023
Ref: DOIA 2223-2355
Al Johnson
Email:
[FYI request #22080 email]
Tēnā koe Al Johnson
Thank you for your email of 13 April 2023 to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE)
requesting, under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act), the fol owing information further to our
response to your earlier request (Ref: 2223-2043):
1. 1 thing that is missing is how it is being funded - how is the remaining members and work that
constitutes what is left of the MBIE MIQ team funded out of (you might have a reference to an
annual report or parliament table - if you do please let me know where to look).
2. Are the contracts to keep MIQ facilities incurred at a cost to 'reserve' those potential 1250 rooms
if required? When does that contract end please?
In answer to your first question, for the current financial year (through to 30 June 2023) any Managed
Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ) activity is being funded by the Isolation and Quarantine Management
Multi-category appropriation.
This was funded for the 2022/2023 financial year through a Cabinet decision in December 2021.
A significant portion of funding has been returned to the Crown, as facilities and operations were shut
down (during the March and August 2022 period); however, sufficient funds were retained by MBIE to
enable National Quarantine Capability (NQC), Readiness and machinery of government activities to
continue to 30 June 2023 1.
As Budget Day is on 18 May 2023, the 2023/24 Estimates should be made publicly available after that
date. Historical MBIE Estimates information is available here:
https://budget.govt.nz/budget/2022/by/dept/mbie.htm (refer to the Vote Building and Construction
Estimates document attached therein).
1 For further publicly available information you can refer to the following documents (i.e. Aide Mem/Cover Briefing,
Cabinet Papers & Minutes on
Maintaining MIQ in the short-term &
Options for accelerating MIQ network transition
– noting that we have referenced some of these documents in our earlier response to you ref: 2223-2043
)
: Draft
Cabinet paper: Securing funding to maintain MIQ in the short-term (mbie.govt.nz); Maintaining MIQ in the short-
term (mbie.govt.nz); Maintaining MIQ in the short-term – Minute of Decision (mbie.govt.nz); Options for
Accelerating MIQ Network Transition (mbie.govt.nz); an
d Options for Accelerating MIQ Network Transition – Minute
of Decision (mbie.govt.nz).
In response to
question two, the hotel retention contracts have no cost 2. The initial term of the contracts
are currently due to expire on 30 June 2023; however, they do have four x 1-year Rights of Renewal
available.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman if you are unhappy with this
response. Information about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
freephone 0800 802 602.
Nāku noa, nā
Shayne Gray
General Manager
Managed Isolation and Quarantine
2 You can also view a recent Written Parliamentary Question: “
How much money, if any, has been spent on retaining
hotel facilities for Quarantine and Isolation Capacity in each month of this year?“ at this link:
12228 (2023). David
Seymour to the Minister of Health - New Zealand Parliament (www.parliament.nz).
