4 September 2025
Attention: Colin Whiting
By email: [FYI request #31454 email]
Tēnā koe Colin
Official information request for the names of law firms which provided vaccine advice
Our Ref: OIA-2526018
1.
We refer to your official information request dated 11 August 2025 for:
“…the names of any private law firms used by The Crown Law Office, for
formulating advice it passed onto Government Agencies regarding the
development and implementation of COVID-19 vaccination policy, from 1
October 2021 to 31 March 2022.”
2.
You made this request after receiving our 25 July 2025 response to your 30 June
2025 request for “all of the Government advice given by Crown Law, to all
Government agencies regarding the implementation of vaccination policy from
1st October 2021 until 31st March 2022”.
3.
The information requested in your email dated 11 August 2025 is privileged. We
have therefore decided to withhold this information under section 9(2)(h) of the
Official Information Act 1982 in order to maintain legal professional privilege. We
are satisfied that the public interest in maintaining legal privilege is not
outweighed by any other considerations, in the public interest, to make this
information available.
Proactive release
4.
Please note that we may publish this response (with your personal details
redacted), and any related documents, on Crown Law’s website if we decide
proactive release of this information is or may be in the public interest. If you have
any concerns about this, please let us know within 10 working days of the date of
this letter.
Right to complain to the Ombudsman
5.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this
decision. Information about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
Level 2 Justice C entre, 19 Aitken Street, Wellington 6011 | PO Box 2858 or DX SP20208, Wellington 6140, New Zealand | +64 4 472 1719 | crownlaw.govt.nz
8782031
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6.
If you wish to discuss this decision with us, please feel free to contact
[email address].
Yours faithfully
Mark Bryant
Team Manager
Crown Law
8782031
