23 July 2025
Ref: DOIA-REQ-0015709
Dr Hill
Email: [FYI request #31233 email]
Tēnā koe Dr Hil
Thank you for your email of 6 June 2025 to the Ministry of Business, Innovafion and Employment (MBIE)
requesfing, under the Official Informafion Act 1982 (the Act), the fol owing informafion:
Please provide al correspondence between the Ministry of Business, Innovafion and Employment
(MBIE) and Transpower NZ Ltd (including, but not limited to, communicafions with the Chief
Execufive, GM People, General Counsel & Company Secretary, Head of Health and Safety, and
Senior Principal Engineer) involving any and al mafters pertaining to or associated with the
subject of COVID-19 during the period from 1 January 2021 to 30 June 2022.
On 3 July 2025 we wrote to you seeking clarificafion on your request, and on 7 July 2025 we extended the
fimeframe for responding to you.
We undertook a records search for communicafions between MBIE and Transpower NZ from
1 January 2021 and 30 June 2022, using the keyword covid (as this would capture communicafions that
menfioned just Covid and Covid-19). This search returned 1,421 emails.
Without further guidance from you as to how to refine your request, MBIE is refusing your request under
secfion 18(f) of the Act as the informafion you have requested cannot be made available without
substanfial col afion or research.
We encourage you to submit another request with more specificity on the kind of informafion you are
seeking. We are happy to work with you to help focus the scope of your request to retrieve the
informafion you need. To discuss any aspect of your request or this response, or if you require any further
assistance, please contac
t [email address].
You have the right to seek an invesfigafion and review by the Ombudsman of this decision. Informafion
about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802
602.
Nāku noa, nā
Neal Hartley
Head of Data Plafforms & Operafions
Data Strategy and Knowledge
