133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
15 May 2023
T+64 4 496 2000
Al
By email: [FYI request #22121 email]
Ref:
H2023021908
Tēnā koe Al,
Response to your request for official information Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) to Manatū Hauora
(Ministry of Health) on 16 March 2023 for information regarding domestic vaccine passes. You
requested:
“I would like to be provided with emails that were received by or sent within Health from
between 1 July 2021 to December 24 2021 with any discussion within them on domestic
vaccine passes.
I'm interesting in emails that discuss the implementation of, and the recommendations
made to cabinet, including commentary once the domestic vaccine pass was introduced.
I am not requesting any information on the use of - or discussion of - the international
version of the covid vaccine travel pass.”
On 27 March 2023, Manatū Hauora contacted you to advise that as your request currently
stood, was for a very large volume of information. We also advised that your request may be
refused under section 18(f) of the Act as the information requested cannot be made available
without substantial collation or research, unless a refinement to the scope is made. On the
same day you responded the following:
- exclude emails around the technical implementation of the build of the domestic vaccine
pass. This means no emails from IT teams that are primarily concerned with tech.
Manatū Hauora conducted a search of emails in all databases across the Ministry and identified
over 20 thousand email chains that could potentially be within scope of your request.
Unfortunately, there is not a method to exclude emails only relating to the technical
implementation of the domestic vaccine pass. I have considered whether charging or extending
the time to compile the information would enable us to respond. However, I do not believe it is in
the public interest to do so. Therefore, your request is unfortunately refused under section 18(f)
of the Act.
Manatū Hauora however remains open to working with you on a new request. Key documents
such as briefings and aides-mémoire may hold the information you are looking for. They will
provide a comprehensive account of actions taken to implement the domestic vaccine pass,
rather than email correspondence, which is usually administrative in nature.
Under section 28(3) of the Act, you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to review any
decisions made under this request. The Ombudsman may be contacted by email at:
[email address] or by calling 0800 802 602.
Nāku noa, nā
Jan Torres
Manager, OIA Services
Government and Executive Services l Te Pou Whakatere Kāwanatanga
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