1 May 2025
45 Pipitea Street, Thorndon, Wel ington 6011
PO Box 805, Wel ington
Phone: 04 495 7200
Email
: [email address]
Website: dia.govt.nz
Hiria Te Rangi
[FYI request #30600 email]
Tēnā koe Hiria,
Your Official Information Act 1982 request, reference OIA 2425-0946
I am responding to your email of 1 April 2025 to the Department of Internal Affairs (the
Department) requesting the fol owing under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act):
1. All internal emails, memos, or cabinet papers (2023-present) containing the
phrases ‘CLOUD Act’ or ‘sovereign cloud.’
2. Any risk assessments comparing data hosted in U.S. clouds (e.g., AWS, Azure)
versus NZ-based infrastructure.
The Department contacted you on 16 April 2025 to explain that, as currently worded, your
request is very broad in scope, potentially including a significant volume of information that
would in turn require a substantial amount of time to col ate. In the hope of avoiding
refusing your request, you were asked to refine your request as follows, and to confirm your
agreement to the Department’s proposed refined request, by 23 April 2025:
internal emails, memos or cabinet papers (2023-present) containing the phrases
‘CLOUD Act’ or ‘sovereign cloud’, that were sent/received by (past and present) key
personnel involved in the Government Chief Digital Officer (GCDO)’s now closed Cloud
work programme, and sent/received by key GCDO personnel who have an ongoing
role in Cloud-related activities.
As no reply was received by 23 April 2025, I must refuse your request under section 18(f) of
the Act as the information requested cannot be made available without substantial col ation
or research. You are welcome to submit a further request under the Act.
Accessing the Ombudsman
You have the right to seek an investigation and review of my decision by the Office of the
Ombudsman. Information about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Nāku noa, nā
Jeremy Cauchi
Director, Ministerial and Monitoring
