MANATU
HAUORA
MINISTRY Of HCALTH
133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T +64 4 496 2000
29 September 2023
Ashley
By email: fyi-request-24008-af [email address]
Ref: H2023031347
Tena koe Ashley
Response to your request for official information
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) to Manato Hauora
(the Ministry of Health) on 31 August 2023 for information regarding staff members' Microsoft
teams records. Each part of your request is responded to in turn:
Copies of the Ministry's policies, procedures, and processes regarding the use of teams
by staff members, including requests to access teams chats by managers.
Manato Hauora has information available to all our kaimahi on its internal website in scope of
this part of your request. A copy of the document is enclosed and has been released to you in
full.
How many requests for access to staff members' teams chats have been made by
managers and/or people leaders in the past 12 months?
Manato Hauora does not hold the information in its requested form as we do not keep a
centralised record for such requests. While the Act allows New Zealanders to ask for
information from Ministers and government agencies and there is no requirement for agencies
to create new information. As such, your request is ref used under section 18(g)(i) of the Act as
the information requested is not held by Manat0 Hauora.
What justifications or reasons are required when lodging a
request to access staff
members' teams records?
Manat0 Hauora reviews any such requests to access teams chats on a case-by-case basis and
considers the Privacy Act 2020, the Ministry's Code of Conduct, and our IT policies in relation to
all such requests.
Are the staff members advised when these requests are lodged as part of the process?
Is privacy a
factor considered when deciding whether to grant access?
Depending on the circumstances regarding the request and after considering the relevant
policies and legislation, Manato Hauora would determine whether to advise the employee of the
request and the decision that has been made as to whether it should be granted.
If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request with us, including this decision, please feel
free to contact the OIA Services Team on: [email address].