19 May 2026
Mark Bell
[FYI request #25291 email]
Tēnā koe Mark
Further response to your request for official information, ref: HNZ00043207
On 5 April 2024, you submitted a request to Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora (Health NZ)
seeking the following information:
Please refine the request to email communication only, focused on Margie Apa's email box
to the Health NZ executive team between the dates of Nov 27 2023 and February 29 2024.
If this is stil refusable under 1 B(f) of the act please provide a very specific explanation in
what way that is the case, and also provide alternative suggestions that could make this
information available.
As another suggested alternative please provide any meeting minutes of the Health NZ ET
discussing this subject from November 23 through to March 24 inclusive.
For completeness, the requests outlined above are in the context of a previous request you made
(ref: HNZ00035319) for the following:
"Please provide all internal communications between the members of the executive team
for Health NZ including meeting minutes, instant messages etc that discuss the response I
damage control in relation to the ongoing analysis of the leaked vaccination data indicating
very significant safety signals for death.”
On 6 May 2024, Health NZ contacted you about refining the scope of your request, as we had
identified that a significant amount of information was potentially in scope, such that your request
may be refused under section 18(f) of the OIA. Fol owing further consultation, on 21 May 2024, you
agreed to refine the scope of your request to:
" .. . email communication only, focused on Margie Apa's email box to the Health NZ
executive team between the dates of November 27 2023 and December 11 2023."
On 11 July 2024, Health NZ communicated a decision on your request. I understand you were
unhappy with our decision to withhold some information and that you subsequently made a
complaint to the Ombudsman.
Health NZ issued a reconsidered response on 12 November 2025. As part of the continued
Ombudsman investigation relating to your request, Health NZ has reconsidered the release of the
information previously withheld and is now able to release further information.
Response
Please refer to
Appendix 1 which provides our decision on the release of documents within scope
of your request. The documents able to be released are attached as
Appendix 2.
Some information has been withheld under the following sections of the OIA:
• section 6(c), as it would be likely to prejudice the maintenance of the law, including the
prevention, investigation and detection of offences, and the right to a fair trial;
• section 6(d), as its release would likely endanger the safety of any person;
• section 9(2)(a), to protect the privacy of individuals;
• section 9(2)(g)(i), to protect the effective conduct of public affairs through the free and frank
expression of opinions; and
• section 9(2)(h), to maintain professional legal privilege.
Where information is withheld under section 9 of the OIA, we do not consider that the
countervailing public interest outweighs the need to withhold at this time.
How to get in touch
If you have any questions, you can contact us at
[email address].
If you are not happy with this response, you have the right to make a complaint to the
Ombudsman. Information about how to do this is available a
t www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
by phoning 0800 802 602.
We have also advised the Ombudsman’s office of our further response to you.
Ngā mihi
Sara Freitag
Manager, Government Services
Appendix One
#
Date
Title
Decision on release
1
30 November 2023 Re: DATA and DIGITAL Some information out of scope.
Update
2
30 November 2023 Re: DATA and DIGITAL Some information is withheld
Update
under the following sections of
the OIA:
• section 9(2)(a); and
• section 9(2)(g)(i).
Some information out of scope.
3
1 December 2023
RE: DISCLOSURE incident Some information is withheld
- approach for a proactive under section 9(2)(a) of the OIA.
release
4
2 December 2023
CONFIDENTIAL_DATA
Some information withheld under
BREACH UPDATE
the following sections of the OIA:
• section 6(c);
• section 6(d);
• section 9(2)(g)(i); and
• section 9 (2)(h).
5
3 December 2023
draft note for Coalition
Some information withheld under
Government briefing
the following sections of the OIA:
• section 6(c);
• section 6(d); and
• section 9(2)(g)(i).
6
3 December 2023
[subject line out of scope] Some information out of scope.
7
4 December 2023
Re: On camera interview Some information is withheld
for this afternoon
under section 9(2)(a) of the OIA.
8
5 December 2023
HAVE FORWARDED TO Some information is withheld
[s9(2)(a)] Re_Data Leak, I under section 9(2)(a) of the OIA.
was provided with the data
and would like to report
9
8 December 2023
RE: FOR APPROVAL –
Some information is withheld
MEDIA RELEASE – DATA under section 9(2)(a) of the OIA.
BREACH UPDATE
TeWhatuOra.govt.nz
Health NZ, PO Box 793,
Wel ington 6140, New Zealand
