OIA Request - Offshore Data Hosting by Government Agencies
Hiria Te Rangi made this Official Information request to Statistics New Zealand
This request has an unknown status. We're waiting for Hiria Te Rangi to read recent responses and update the status.
From: Hiria Te Rangi
Dear Statistics New Zealand,
Under the OIA, I request:
1. A list of all government departments storing >50% of citizen data offshore (as recorded in Stats NZ’s 2023/24 audits).
2. For each department:
- The cloud provider(s) used (e.g., AWS Sydney, Azure US-East).
- Whether contracts guarantee data repatriation during emergencies.
3. Any departmental exemptions granted from data localization policies.
This information is critical for public accountability. If Stats NZ does not hold complete records, please transfer this request to the relevant agency under S14 of the OIA.
Thank you
Hiria Te Rangi
From: Office of the GS&CE-External
Statistics New Zealand
Tēnā koe Hiria
I am writing to acknowledge receipt of your below Official Information Act
request dated 1 April 2025.
We will endeavour to respond to your request as soon as reasonably
practicable and in any event no later than 2 May 2025, being 20 working
days after the day on which your request was received. If we are unable to
respond to your request by then, we will notify you of an extension of
that timeframe.
Your request is being handled by the Office of the Government Statistician
and Chief Executive. If you have any queries, please feel free to contact
me using this email address. If additional factors come to light which are
relevant to your request, please do not hesitate to contact us so that
these can be taken into account.
Ngā mihi
Lily Reid (she/her)
Advisor – Executive and Government Relations, Office of the Chief
Executive
Kaitohutohu – Ngā Hononga Whakawaho, Kāwanatanga hoki, Tari o te Tumu
Whakahaere
Stats NZ | Tatauranga Aotearoa | [1]stats.govt.nz
About Aotearoa, for Aotearoa
Data that improves lives today and for generations to come
[2]Facebook | [3]Twitter | [4]LinkedIn
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From: Laura Christen
Statistics New Zealand
Tēnā koe Hiria
I am getting in touch to clarify your official information request dated 1 April 2025, in which you request:
“A list of all government departments storing >50% of citizen data offshore (as recorded in Stats NZ’s 2023/24 audits)”.
Since Stats NZ does not hold information on what data is held offshore by other government departments, we can only provide information regarding our own data storage (which includes storage of data provided to us by other government agencies). Please let me know if you would like to amend the wording of your request accordingly. Alternatively, I can look into whether another government department may be able to respond more fully to your request.
I am also seeking to clarify what “as recorded in Stats NZ’s 2023/24 audits” in your request refers to, as we have been unable to determine this.
While we will endeavour to respond to your request as soon as possible, please note that any clarification or amendment of a request is considered to be a new request for the purpose of calculating the maximum statutory timeframe for response—see section 15(1AA) of the Official Information Act.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Ngā mihi,
Laura Christen (pronouns: she/her/hers)
Principal Advisor – Executive and Government Relations, Office of the Government Statistician and Chief Executive | Kaitohutohu Matua – Tari o Te Kaitatauranga Matua Me Te Pouārahi Matua
Stats NZ | Tatauranga Aotearoa | stats.govt.nz | +64 21 711 716
About Aotearoa, for Aotearoa
Data that improves lives today and for generations to come
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From: Laura Christen
Statistics New Zealand
Tēnā koe Hiria
I refer to your official information request dated 1 April 2025 for information on offshore data hosting by government agencies.
We have transferred your request to the Department of Internal Affairs, as we do not hold the information sought in your request but understand it may be held by them under their function as the lead agency for digital government services in New Zealand. In these circumstances, we are required by section 14 of the Official Information Act to transfer your request.
You will hear further from the Department of Internal Affairs concerning your request and may contact them at ([email address]).
Ngā mihi,
Laura Christen (pronouns: she/her/hers)
Principal Advisor – Executive and Government Relations, Office of the Government Statistician and Chief Executive | Kaitohutohu Matua – Tari o Te Kaitatauranga Matua Me Te Pouārahi Matua
Stats NZ | Tatauranga Aotearoa | stats.govt.nz | +64 21 711 716
About Aotearoa, for Aotearoa
Data that improves lives today and for generations to come
show quoted sections
From: minadviceteam
Good afternoon Hiria Te Rangi,
Please find attached the Department’s response to your OIA request.
Kind regards,
Olivia
Olivia Ryan (she / her) | Senior Advisor Ministerial and Official
Correspondence
Ministerial and Monitoring
Policy and Te Tiriti
Department of Internal Affairs | Te Tari Taiwhenua
45 Pipitea Street | PO Box 6011, Wellington 6140 | [1]www.dia.govt.nz
References
Visible links
1. http://www.dia.govt.nz/
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