27 June 2025
Dr AO
By email:
[FYI request #31139 email]
Ref:
SBOIA25-741
Dear Dr AO
Response to your request for information
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) on 28 May
2025. The Minister is focused on delivering access to timely, quality healthcare for all New
Zealanders.
Most of your request was transferred to Health New Zealand on 16 June 2025. Please find a
response to the remaining part of your request below.
5/ Ministerial Correspondence - Middlemore Emergency Department (May 2025)
Please provide copies of all correspondence (including emails, memos, briefings, and
letters) read by or sent to you, Minister Simeon Brown, from Te Whatu Ora, between
1 May 2025 and 31 May 2025, relating to the Emergency Department at Middlemore
Hospital. This request is made to your office as the Minister of Health and must not
be transferred to Health New Zealand. The information sought pertains specifically to
ministerial awareness and communications
I am interpreting your request for all correspondence as relating to all correspondence
(including emails, memos, briefings, and letters) read by or sent to Hon Simeon Brown.
On that basis, searches of our information systems have not identified items in scope of your
request. Therefore, section 18(g) of the Act applies to your request.
However, the Minister receives updates on various matters in his weekly reports from health
agencies. While nothing has been identified within the scope of your request, weekly reports
for other periods either are, or wil soon be, proactively released on agency websites:
www.health.govt.nz/information-releases, www.tewhatuora.govt.nz/publications.
Under section 28(3) of the Act, you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to review any
decisions made under this request. The Ombudsman may be contacted by email at:
[email address] or by calling 0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely
Brian Anderton
Senior Ministerial Advisor