28 July 2023
Delia Mason
[email address]
[FYI request #23006 email]
Ref: DOIA 2223-2833
Tēnā koe Delia
Thank you for your emails of 4 June 2023 to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
(MBIE) requesting information under the
Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
Thank you also for taking the opportunity, since lodging your original request, to discuss and refine
the scope of your request. The agreed scope is as follows:
“My request is for the fol owing information, covering the period from 1 July 2020 to 4 June 2023:
1. all advice you have provided to Ministers about sex workers and the working conditions
experienced by sex workers in New Zealand, and any advice on actions Ministers could
take to improve those conditions
*This should include any advice provided to Ministers about the response to the petition
of Pandora Black (https://petitions.parliament.nz/754469ba-9876-4424-8ff8-
5b84ba93a9cd);
but does not include any advice provided to Ministers in developing a
response to the UN on CEDAW)
2. all information produced by MBIE, for an internal MBIE audience, about the working
conditions of sex workers in New Zealand and whether there were any issues (e.g. emails,
meeting records, discussions, memos, papers)
3. copies of any advice, correspondence or meeting notes between MBIE and any other
government agencies regarding concerns or issues about working conditions or
regulatory standards for sex workers (e.g Human Rights Commission, Ministry for
Women, NZ Police, Ministry for Ethnic Communities)
*Items 2 and 3 relate to substantive information about working conditions / standards
for NZ sex workers. Information produced in developing advice to Ministers (e.g.
correspondence between agencies) should only be included if it contains substantive
information about working conditions / standards for NZ sex workers.
In addition, I request a response to the fol owing question: Outline any projects currently
underway within MBIE about improving the working conditions of NZ workers (e.g. through law
changes) which may be applicable to sex workers.”
We have identified 16 items within the scope of your request. While no substantive advice within
scope was provided to Ministers within the date range of your request, for completeness I have
listed two documents that were provided to Ministers in the following table:
MBIE1376631
Bul ying and Harassment at Work
Currently under the
Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, businesses are required to manage all
health and safety risks arising from their work, so far as is reasonably practicable. Businesses must
ensure the health and safety of their workers, both contractors and employees, so far as is
reasonably practicable.
To examine how bul ying and harassment (including sexual harassment) at work is managed by the
health and safety at work and employment relations regulatory systems, MBIE released an issues
paper for public consultation in 2020. The Government is considering next steps for this work. You
can access the issues paper and consultation submissions analysis document here:
https://www.mbie.govt.nz/have-your-say/bullying-and-harassment-at-work/.
If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request or this response, or if you require any further
assistance, please contact [email address].
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of the decision to release
information with redactions. Information about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Nāku noa, nā
Alison Marris
Manager, Employment Standards Policy
Labour, Science and Enterprise
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
