2 September 2025
Erika Whittome
[FYI request #32167 email]
Ref: PMO OIA 530-2025-26
Dear Erika
Official Information Act request: Vaccine passports
Thank you for your request made under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act), received
on 30 August 2025. You requested:
The office of prime minister and cabinet released this briefing https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2023-
01/Initial-advice-on-the-domestic-use-of-COVID-19-Vaccination-
certificates.pdf__;!!Asq5-
8xVch3Reg!pncTiSwhS5lDhbi loCa9Cute4TzGi1qNQm6Vcz4bD4h6axmIcQYvLU_4u
BMRqx_0eNr6Bx5aK7Hn5-opWauxGyVevH1fW-oBkM84d1ZRhOS$
It's full of legal advice that is hidden. I request this legal advice to be released given
the wide use of vaccine passports, the wide purview of the vaccine passport usage in
2021/2022 and also the fact that the Ombudsman's office recognises what kinds of
legal advice should be released under the Official information act here https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/sites/default/files/
2022-02/Legal*20professional*20privilege*20-
*20A*20guide*20to*20section*209*282*29*28h*29*20of*20the*20OIA*20and*20secti
on*207*282*29*28g*29*20of*20the*20LGOIMA.pdf__;JSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJS
UlJSUlJQ!!Asq5-
8xVch3Reg!pncTiSwhS5lDhbi loCa9Cute4TzGi1qNQm6Vcz4bD4h6axmIcQYvLU_4u
BMRqx_0eNr6Bx5aK7Hn5-opWauxGyVevH1fW-oBkM84bMeenaC$
Public interest such as the royal covid enquiry is high.
Please provide all the unredacted legal advice in this briefing to your office DPMC:
DPMC-2021/22-324 "Joint Briefing INITIAL ADVICE ON THE DOMESTIC USE
OFCOVID-19 VACCINATION CERTIFICATES
This office does not hold the requested information, and I believe it is held by the Department
of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Accordingly, I have decided to transfer your request to the
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet under section 14(b)(i) of the Act.
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has the usual time limits from receipt of
this transfer to make a decision on your request.
Yours sincerely
Cameron Burrows
Chief of Staff
