20 September 2024
Erika Whittome
[FYI request #28173 email]
Tēnā koe Erika Whittome
Official Information Act request
Thank you for your email of 25 August 2024, requesting information about the
Ministry of Social Development (the Ministry) and its actions in regard to Covid
19. I have considered your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the
Act). Please find my decision on your request set out below.
1. Was Covid 19 a disease reported to WorkSafe by MSD?
The Ministry has not notified WorkSafe of any cases of COVID-19.
2. Did Covid 19 arise out of the nature of work at MSD?
COVID-19 did not arise in New Zealand or because of the nature of Ministry work.
Without genomic testing it is not possible to know if transmission of the virus
occurred at a Ministry workplace.
3. Is there or was there in the past, any genetic “gain of function” work
taking place at MSD on corona viruses, or the nursing of corona virus
patients?
The Ministry is not an agency that undertakes work involving genetic testing, nor
has it been involved in the nursing of corona virus patients.
4. Please provide: the written authorisation from the Director General
specifying persons at MSD who were authorised enforcement
person(s) under section 18 (2) the Covid-19 Public Health Response
Act 2020. Please provide the functions and powers that could be
carried out by the authorised enforcement person(s).
The Ministry was not one of the agencies included in this section of the Act. The
Public Health notice, with list of authorised agencies, is here:
COVID-19 Public
Health Response Act 2020 No 12 (as at 15 December 2022), Public Act 18
Authorised enforcement persons – New Zealand Legislation.
5. Please provide: number of exemptions issued to MSD workers under
clause 9 of the Covid 19 Public Health Response (Vaccinations)
Order 2021, eg clause 9, 9A, 12A.
The Aurora Centre, 56 The Terrace, PO Box 1556, Wellington
– Telephone 04-916 3300 – Facsimile 04-918 0099
We have a record of one staff member who applied for and was successfully
granted an exemption by the Ministry of Health.
6. Any other exemptions issued to staff, please provide grounds and
number issued.
See above.
7. In relation to covid 19 vaccines, any payment MSD and/or its
subsidiaries received for each staff member that was vaccinated,
the amount and the scheme the payment was provided under
The Ministry did not make any payment to Ministry staff regarding COVID-19
vaccinations.
8. Any payment the MSD and/or its subsidiaries received for leasing or
renting floor space for vaccination in 2021 and 2022 , eg super
Saturdays events at any of your facilities. Please include the amount
and the scheme the payment was provided under.
Ministry offices were not leased or rented for vaccination in 2021 and 2022,
including super Saturday events.
I will be publishing this decision letter, with your personal details deleted, on the
Ministry’s website in due course.
If you wish to discuss this response with us, please feel free to contact
[MSD request email]. If you are not satisfied with my decision on your request, you have the right to
seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman. Information about how to
make a complaint is available
at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or 0800 802
602.
Ngā mihi nui
Magnus O’Neill
General Manager
Ministerial and Executive Services
