29 February 2024
C177729
Colin Whiting
[FYI request #25058 email]
Tēnā koe Colin
Thank you for your request of 31 January 2024 to the Department of Corrections – Ara
Poutama Aotearoa, requesting information about clause 7A and 9B exemptions from the
COVID-19 Public Health Response (Vaccination) Order 2021. Your request has been
considered under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA).
You requested, in response to information previously provided by Corrections under the OIA
(our reference C176430):
How it was possible for 220 Corrections staff to be exempted from having a Covid19
vaccination booster under clause 7A, when clause 7A was replaced by clause 9B on
the 12th November 2021. It is my understanding that at the time any unvaccinated
Corrections staff who had received an exemption under clause 7A, had to re-apply to
receive an exemption under clause 9B. My understanding of your reply, (along with
your reply from a previous FOIA request) is therefore that 220 fully vaccinated
Corrections staff prior to November 12th 2021, were exempted under clause 7A from
having to receive a Covid19 vaccination booster, because they had contracted
Covid19.
Corrections needs to extend the timeframe of our response to your request by 15 working
days, pursuant to section 15A(1)(b) of the OIA, as consultations necessary to make a
decision on the request are such that a proper response to the request cannot reasonably
be made within the original time limit. Therefore, you can expect to receive a response to
your request by 21 March 2024. If you no longer require this information, please let us know
as soon as possible.
NATIONAL OFFICE, WELLINGTON
Mayfair House, 44 – 52 The Terrace, Wellington, 6011, Private Box 1206, Wellington 6140,
Phone +64 4 460 3000
www.corrections.govt.nz
2
Please be advised that should you have any concerns regarding this response you have the
right to ask the Ombudsman to investigate our decision to extend the timeframe. Contact
details are: Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143.
Ngā mihi
Nic Barkley
Manager Ministerial Services
People and Capability