6 June 2023
Melanie Petrowski
[FYI request #22893 email]
Ref: OIA-2022/23-0944
Dear Melanie Petrowski
Official Information Act request relating to concerns regarding Laura Bassi being in
NZ waters during recent natural disasters
Thank you for your request made under the Official Information Act (the Act), received on 23
May 2023. You requested:
“ I've been meaning to send this OIA for some time. But because I am still seeing much
debris, well after 3 months since Cyclone Gabrielle hit us, especially in Pakowhai, Hastings,
Hawke's Bay from the Cyclone, and nothing is being done about it, I am sending this OIA
request now.
It had recently come to my attention that the above, research vessel Laura Bassi, was seen
North East of Auckland and in Napier during Cyclone Gabrielle. This ship has a Doppler
Radar, which if you were not aware, provides information about the location and intensity of
precipitation associated with a storm, and the capability to discern air motions within a storm.
Doppler radar systems can provide information regarding the movement of storms as well as
their position. When the Doppler Radar transmits pulses of radio waves, the system keeps
track of the storm phases (shape, position, and form).
The vessel is owned by Italy Biomedical Sciences and currently registered in Italy.
The ship (previously named ERNEST SHACKLETON and POLAR QUEEN) was also here
before and during the Christchurch Earthquake.
My question is why was this ship in our waters? Researching and observing Cyclone
Gabrielle? Was it also researching and observing frequencies (High-frequency Active Auroral
Research) from the Christchurch earthquake? If so, what else has this vessel researched in
New Zealand? Do you have any contractual agreement with the vessel owner and/or the
Italian government or any other government, NGO or unelected global agency (ie CIA, WEF,
UN, Council on Foreign Relations or Bilderberg Group) to surveil our "natural disasters"?
It seems the crew of Laura Bassi knew the major Christchurch earthquake and Cyclone
Gabrielle were going to take place. Why was the vessel positioned in the exact location these
disasters happened? Were they researching and observing information and data from these
atrocities? If so, why and for whom? It should be noted the news of Cyclone Gabrielle was
given to New Zealanders before it even formed.
Were these disasters planned? Evidence suggests that they both were. And if that is the
case, and our governments, particularly prime ministers and cabinets, knew about them, we
have a treasonous and genocidal/democidal government now, and we had a treasonous and
genocidal/democidal government back in 2011, and all who know/knew that these disasters
Executive Wing, Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand 6011
4751437
64 4 817 9700 Facsimile 64 4 472 3181 www.dpmc.govt.nz
were planned and going to take place, needs to be tried for their role in crimes against
humanity.
If you cannot answer this OIA request, please pass it onto the Ministry of Defence and/or
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (formally the Ministry of Research, Science,
and Technology and Ministry of Science and Innovation). ”
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) does not hold information relating
to the part of your request asking “
why was this ship in our waters? Researching and observing
Cyclone Gabrielle? Was it also researching and observing frequencies (High-frequency Active
Auroral Research) from the Christchurch earthquake? If so, what else has this vessel
researched in New Zealand?”. I believe this information is held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and Trade. Accordingly, I have decided to transfer this part of your request to the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Trade under section 14(b)(i) of the Act.
DPMC has carried out a search of its electronic data base and no documents within scope of
your request were identified. Therefore, I am refusing the remainder of your request under
section 18(g) of the Act as the information requested is not held by the department, and
following consultation across agencies, we do not believe it is held elsewhere.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has the usual timeframes under the Act from receipt
of this transfer to make a decision on the first part of your request.
Yours sincerely
Clare Ward
Executive Director
Strategy, Governance and Engagement
4751437
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