Feedback on the Proposed Future Service Model for the Needle Exchange Programme
Jason made this Official Information request to Health New Zealand
Response to this request is long overdue. By law Health New Zealand should have responded by now (details and exceptions). The requester can complain to the Ombudsman.
From: Jason
Dear Health New Zealand,
Under the Official Information Act I am requesting information relating to Health New Zealand's "Proposed Future Service Model for the Needle Exchange Programme" which was put out for feedback in November 2024.
Please provide copies of all feedback submitted to Health New Zealand on the "Proposed Future Service Model for the Needle Exchange Programme". Feedback may include feedback provided on the official feedback form and feedback written in letters, emails, or documents. The period for the request is between 20/11/24 and 11/12/24. If any late feedback was received between 11/12/24 and 23/01/25, it should also be included.
Please provide any emails sent by or to Health New Zealand staff/contractors discussing feedback received on the "Proposed Future Service Model for the Needle Exchange Programme". The period for the request is between 20/11/24 and 23/01/2025.
Please provide any emails, reports, or documents written or held by Health New Zealand summarising the feedback and/or making any recommendations or decisions about the Proposed Future Service Model for the Needle Exchange Programme as a result of feedback received. The period for the request is between 11/12/24 and 23/01/25
For the purposes of the Act, I am a New Zealand citizen and residing in New Zealand at the time of making this request. I am making this request as a private citizen. You generally have 20 working days to respond to this notice, as required by law. Your response will be published publicly on the fyi.org.nz website.
Yours sincerely,
Jason
From: hnzOIA
Tēnā koe,
Thank you for contacting Health NZ, Te Whatu Ora. This is an automatic
reply to confirm that we have received your email. Depending on the nature
of your request you may not receive a response for up to 20 working days.
We will try to respond to your query as quickly as possible.
Ngā mihi
Health NZ, Te Whatu Ora.
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From: hnzOIA
Tēnā koe Jason,
Thank you for your email of 23 January 2025, asking for the following
information under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act):
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Under the Official Information Act I am requesting information relating |
|to Health New Zealand's "Proposed Future Service Model for the Needle |
|Exchange Programme" which was put out for feedback in November 2024. |
| |
|1 Please provide copies of all feedback submitted to Health New Zealand |
|on the "Proposed Future Service Model for the Needle Exchange |
|Programme". Feedback may include feedback provided on the official |
|feedback form and feedback written in letters, emails, or documents. The|
|period for the request is between 20/11/24 and 11/12/24. If any late |
|feedback was received between 11/12/24 and 23/01/25, it should also be |
|included. |
| |
|2 Please provide any emails sent by or to Health New Zealand |
|staff/contractors discussing feedback received on the "Proposed Future |
|Service Model for the Needle Exchange Programme". The period for the |
|request is between 20/11/24 and 23/01/2025. |
| |
|3 Please provide any emails, reports, or documents written or held by |
|Health New Zealand summarising the feedback and/or making any |
|recommendations or decisions about the Proposed Future Service Model for|
|the Needle Exchange Programme as a result of feedback received. The |
|period for the request is between 11/12/24 and 23/01/25 |
| |
| |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
This email is to let you know that Health NZ needs more time to make a
decision on your request.
The Act requires that we advise you of our decision on your request no
later than 20 working days after the day we received your request.
Unfortunately, it will not be possible to meet that time limit and we are
therefore writing to notify you of an extension of the time to make our
decision, to 21 March 2025.
This extension is required because the consultations necessary to make a
decision on the request are such that a proper response cannot reasonably
be made within the original time limit.
If you have any questions, please contact us
at [1][email address]
If you are not happy with this extension, you have the right to make a
complaint to the Ombudsman. Information about how to do this is available
at [2]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or by phoning 0800 802 602.
Ngā mihi
Dave
Government Services
Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora
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From: Jason
Dear Dave / hnzOIA,
The extension date HNZ generously provided itself has now passed. What is the hold up?
I hope nobody at HNZ is deliberately obstructing the provision of the requested information, as transparency and accountability are important in order to maintain confidence and trust in government services.
Yours sincerely,
Jason
From: Jason
Dear hnzOIA / Dave,
What’s the status of this request for information? The failure to respond within the timeframe of your own extension is unacceptable.
I note recent media coverage on HNZ’s poor performance regarding OIA requests and the Ombudsman’s recent report on HNZ failings in responding to OIAs and the provision of information. Hopefully this request will be better managed.
Yours sincerely,
Jason
From: hnzOIA
Kia ora Jason,
I apologise for the delay in providing our response, the time taken is not
what we aspire to. This is something we are working to get on top of as we
deal with a high volume of requests and the understandably high public
interest in our work.
We will respond to your request as soon as possible.
Ngā mihi
Dave
Government Services (OIA)
Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora
------------------- Original Message
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-------------------------------------------------------------------
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From: Jason
Dear hnzOIA / Dave,
Perhaps you could provide a date by which you will respond with a decision / the requested information. “As soon as possible” seems a little open ended.
Yours sincerely,
Jason
From: hnzOIA
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HNZ00076838 Response.pdf
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HNZ00076838 Appendix.pdf
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Kia ora Jason
Thank you for your request for information on 23 January 2025 regarding
the Needle Exchange Programme.
We apologise for the delay. Please find attached our response to your
request.
If you have any questions, you can contact us
at [1][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
at [2]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or by phoning 0800 802 602.
Ngā mihi
Joy
Government Services
[3][email address]
Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora
Statement of confidentiality: This email message and any accompanying
attachments may contain information that is IN-CONFIDENCE and subject to
legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, use,
disseminate, distribute or copy this message or attachments. If you have
received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and
delete this message
References
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2. http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/
3. mailto:[email address]
From: Jason
Dear hnzOIA,
Thank you for your response to my Official Information Act request and for providing the names of individuals and organisations who submitted feedback on the proposed future model for the Needle Exchange Programme.
I note, however, that while submitter names (which were not requested) have been released, the content of their feedback has been withheld under section 9(2)(ba)(i) of the Act. I respectfully request that you reconsider this decision for the following reasons:
1. Feedback Was Not Provided in Confidence
As Health NZ has already released the names of the individuals and organisations who submitted feedback, it is difficult to reconcile this with a claim that the content of those submissions was provided under an expectation of confidence. If confidentiality were genuinely at stake, the names themselves would have been withheld.
I also note that neither the official feedback form nor any related correspondence indicated that submissions would be treated as confidential, which further weakens the basis for withholding them under section 9(2)(ba)(i).
2. Prejudice to Future Supply Can Be Avoided Through Redaction
If there are concerns that releasing the feedback could discourage future submissions, this risk can be mitigated through redaction of any identifying details. There is no need to withhold entire submissions where the substantive content could inform public understanding and debate—especially where contributors are already publicly identified.
3. Strong Public Interest in Disclosure
The proposed model represents a major change to a critical national public health programme that serves highly marginalised populations. It is clearly in the public interest for the public, stakeholders, and service users to understand the nature and substance of feedback received. Transparency in this process will strengthen the integrity and legitimacy of any final decisions made.
For these reasons, I do not believe that the withholding of this information under section 9(2)(ba)(i) is justified. Alternatively, even if it is arguable that this section applies, I believe that the public interest in release outweighs any such interest in withholding, pursuant to section 9(1).
I therefore request that:
• The feedback be released in full; or
• Redacted versions of the submissions be provided which protect any genuinely sensitive or identifying details.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Yours sincerely,
Jason
From: hnzOIA
Kia ora Jason
Health NZ stands by our decision to withhold information as noted in our
HNZ00076838 response.
If you remain dissatisfied about our decision, you have the right to make
a complaint to the Ombudsman. Information about how to do this is
available at [1]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or by phoning 0800 802 602.
Ngâ mihi
Government Services
[2][email address]
Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora
------------------- Original Message
show quoted sections
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #29852 email]
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[6]https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA
page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Statement of confidentiality: This email message and any accompanying
attachments may contain information that is IN-CONFIDENCE and subject to
legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, use,
disseminate, distribute or copy this message or attachments. If you have
received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and
delete this message
References
Visible links
1. http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/
2. mailto:[email address]
3. mailto:[email
4. http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/
5. mailto:[email
6. https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers
From: Jason
Dear hnzOIA,
Thank you for your reply.
A couple of things:
The reply you sent signed by Deborah Woodley stated "We have provided a summary of aggregated key themes in the feedback which was emailed to regional providers on 5 December 2024 (see Appendix page 8). "
Page 8 of the appendix does not contain a summary of aggregated feedback. It contains a table of questions submitted to HNZ and responses by HNZ. This is neither feedback or aggregated feedback. I also note that December 5 was before the deadline for feedback to be submitted, it would seem highly unusual to be sending out a summary of aggregated feedback before all feedback had been received, particularly if HNZ was conducting a robust process and was endeavouring not to unduly influence or manipulate feedback.
Therefore, I request you please provide this "summary of aggregated feedback" rather than a list of questions and answers that are not feedback.
I am prepared to take this matter to the Ombudsman seeking release of the feedback in full. However, as a compromise, I would accept the release of the feedback provided by organisations only, and not individuals. If you would provide this feedback (happy for it be provided with submitter details redacted), then we could leave it there.
Please provide the missing "summary of aggregated feedback" and advise if you will release the feedback provided by organisations.
The lack of transparency by HNZ on this matter is concerning.
Yours sincerely,
Jason
From: hnzOIA
Kia ora Jason
Health NZ stands by our decision as already advised to you on our email
dated 2 April 2025.
You have the right to make a complaint to the Ombudsman. Information about
how to do this is available at [1]www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or by
phoning 0800 802 602.
Ngā mihi
Government Services
[2][email address]
Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora
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