10 March 2025
Wellingtonian
[FYI request #30136 email]
Ref: PMO OIA 300-2024-25
Dear Wellingtonian
Official Information Act request: Prime Ministers correspondence and statements on
Destiny Church, Auckland Pride and LGBTQ+ safety and wellbeing
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) request, received on 19 February
2025. You requested:
“I am writing to request information under the Official Information Act 1982 regarding
your response to the recent protest by Destiny Church members at Auckland Pride.
Specifically, I request:
1. Any official communications, internal or external, regarding the government’s
response to the protest, including any discussions about a public statement.
2. The reasons why you did not publicly condemn the protest, particularly via official
government channels or personal social media, given its impact on the LGBTQ+
community.
3. Any government policies or initiatives currently in place to support LGBTQ+ safety
and well-being, and whether this incident has prompted any reassessment of those
efforts.
4. How the government’s current stance on LGBTQ+ rights compares to previous
administrations, including that of former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.”
I have interpreted your request to be for information held by the Prime Minister, Rt Hon
Christopher Luxon and his office. Responses to the relevant parts of your request are
detailed below.
Prior to addressing a media standup event on 16 February 2025, the Prime Minister was
verbally advised that the Destiny Church protest topic was likely to be raised. The Prime
Minister chose to address media queries at that time without further preparation. The verbal
advice above is the only item of information identified within scope of part one of your
request.
In relation to part two of your request, please note that the Prime Minister provided
statements to the media from 15 to 17 February 2025 condemning the actions of Destiny
Church protestors at the Auckland Pride event. The Prime Minister’s comments are
available online at the following li
nks: Destiny Church protests: Prime Minister Christopher
Luxon says protestors went ‘too far’; Prime Minister hits back at Destiny Church after violent
Auckland Rainbow event protest - NZ Herald; destiny-church-went-too-far-pride-event-
protest-pm-says.
No information has been identified or is held by this office relating to a subsequent
reassessment of current policies or initiatives currently in place to support LGBTQ+ safety
and well-being. Therefore, I am refusing part three of your request under section 18(g) of the
Act, as the information requested is not held by this office.
I am advised that there are relevant policies and initiatives already in place and the following
ministries and agencies have completed work in the LGBTQIA+ space:
• Ministry of Social Development -
lgbti-release-ministry-of-youth-development.pdf
• New Zealand Police -
Diversity liaison officers | New Zealand Police
• Department of Corrections -
I.10 Management of transgender prisoners | Department
of Corrections
• Ministry of Education -
Supporting LGBTQIA+ students | Inclusive Education
• Oranga Tamariki -
Rainbow youth in care
The Act enables people to request existing official information. It does not require a Minister
of the Crown, including the Prime Minister,, to form or provide an opinion to respond to a
request. Since the information you seek in part four of your request would involve the
generation of an opinion, this aspect of your request is not covered by the Act, and no
response is provided.
You have the right to ask the Ombudsman to investigate and review my decision under
section 28(3) of the Act.
Yours sincerely
Cameron Burrows
Chief of Staff
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