20/12/2024
Chris Johnston
[FYI request #29412 email]
Ref: OIA-2024/25-0521
Tēnā koe Chris,
Official Information Act request: Information relating to the Prime Minister’s meetings
during March 2020
Thank you for your request made under the Official Information Act (the Act), received on 9
December 2024. You requested:
1) Outgoing call logs from the Prime Minister's government provided mobile and
desk phones [for the period 9-19 March 2020]. Phone numbers can be redacted
At least the date, time, duration need to be provided. An extract from the
corporate bill to Parliamentary Services might suffice but I leave it to you to
decide the best source.
2) Agenda and Minutes/Actions from the following meetings - please provide
what you can based on what exists (eg formal Minutes may not exist in every
instance, but a follow up email by an official in the PMO may detail Actions):
3 March 2020 12:00 - 12:30 CEO, Chair and Head of Corporate Affairs of Air
New Zealand
- 9 March 2020 11:30 -12:00 COVID-19 Update
- 9 March 2020 14:45 - 14:50 Phone Call: Newly appointed Commissioner of
Police
- 10 March 2020 17:00 - 18:00 External Relations and Security Cabinet
Committee
- 11 March 2020 15:15 - 15:45 Chief Executive and General Manager of
Business New Zealand
- 11 March 2020 16:00 - 16:30 Council of Trade Unions
- 11 March 2020 16:30 - 17:30 Cabinet Committee on COVID-19
- 12 March 2020 22:00 - 22:45 Teleconference: Ministerial Meeting - COVID-19
Ministers
- 14 March 2020 13:00 - 14:00 Teleconference: Cabinet
- 15 March 2020 11:30 - 12:00 Phone Call: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister
Robertson
- 16 March 2020 12:00 - 12:30 COVID-19 Update
- 16 March 2020 13:00 - 15:00 Cabinet Meeting
- 17 March 2020 09:00 - 09:15 Phone: Ulu 0 Tokelau
- 17 March 2020 16:00 - 16:30 Meet: Prime Ministers Office Staff
- 18 March 2020 08:30 - 08:45 Fonterra CE and Chair
- 18 March 2020 09:30 - 10:15 Cabinet Social Wellbeing Committee
- 18 March 2020 10:15 - 10:30 Dr Siouxie Wiles and Dr Michelle Dickinson
- 18 March 2020 11:00 - 11:45 Local Government New Zealand
- 18 March 2020 16:30 - 17:30 Cabinet Committee on COVID-19
- 19 March 2020 16:00 - 17:00 Cabinet
Executive Wing, Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand 6011
4971498
64 4 817 9700 Facsimile 64 4 472 3181 www.dpmc.govt.nz
3) The following meeting titles are withheld in accordance with s9(2)(f)(iv) of the
Official Information Act –
- 3 March 2020 12:30 - 13:00
- 10 March 2020 15:00 - 15;30
- 18 March 2020 12:00 - 13:00
That section says: "this section applies if, and only if, the withholding of the
information is necessary to (f) maintain the constitutional conventions for the time
being which protect (iv) the confidentiality of advice tendered by Ministers of the
Crown and officials"
Section 9(1) says "Where this section applies, good reason for withholding official
information exists, for the purpose of section 5, unless, in the circumstances of
the particular case, the withholding of that information is outweighed by other
considerations which render it desirable, in the public interest, to make that
information available."
With the passage of time, and in light of the recent Phase 1 of the Royal
Commission Report in COVID-19 - could you please review whether:
- This classification was applied correctly for these meetings in the past
- Publishing the titles of these meetings is now assessed differently (i.e. the
balance between confidentiality, public interest and other factors has now
changed).
Even if the meeting titles continue to be withheld, can you please confirm whether
the meetings relate to COVID-19 and/or the government's response?
4) All correspondence by letter or email between the PMO and the following
people/organisations for the month of March 2020:
- CEO, Chair and Head of Corporate Affairs of Air New Zealand
- Fonterra CE and Chair
- Council of Trade Unions
- Commissioner of Police
- Chief Executive and General Manager of Business New Zealand
- Ulu 0 Tokelau
- Dr Siouxie Wiles or Dr Michelle Dickinson
- Local Government New Zealand
All the requests above are separate and severable - so please fulfil what you
can.”
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet does not hold all the information relating to
parts two and four of your request. Indeed, I believe that most of the information relating to
these parts of your request is held by the Department of Internal Affairs and have therefore
decided to transfer these parts of your request to them under section 14(b)(i) of the Act.
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Parts two and four of your request will remain partially with Department of the Prime Minister
and Cabinet, and our response will cover any information we hold. Parts one and three of your
request have not been transferred and also remain with us for response.
You have the right to ask the Ombudsman to investigate and review my decision under
section 28(3) of the Act.
The Department of Internal Affairs has the usual timeframes under the Act from receipt of this
transfer to make a decision on your request.
Nāku noa, nā,
Amy Teague
Manager, Ministerial Services
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