October 14, 2025
Erika Whittome
(no address supplied)
Email:
[FYI request #32329 email]
Tēnā koe Erika,
I am writing in response to your OIA request of 19 September. You sought:
In 2021 and 2022 various RNZ shows contained information on Covid 19 vaccinations. I
request:
• Copies of correspondence briefs memos emails letters etc from the health agencies
such as MoH, NZ Immunization advisory service, health nz that were sent to RNZ
containing information about Covid-19 vaccinations to be used for RNZ broadcast or
RNZ podcasts.
• Covid-19 information that was relied on for RNZ productions such as Our Changing
World, the Detail etc, etc
• Correspondence between these health agencies and the CEO or other receiver of
correspondence at RNZ on Covid 19 vaccinations.
In terms of item 2, there is no specific information utilised by those productions, beyond what was
publicly available. In terms of item 3, there was no correspondence from health agencies to the CEO
on Covid 19 vaccinations.
In terms of Item 1, we have conducted an extensive search for you. I might point out that this has been
quite an onerous task, with our health reporter at the time identifying more than 400 emails that might
be relevant to your request, and the final documents for just calendar 2021 encompassing 441 pages.
It is worth noting that, when you refer to health agencies, this includes the many District Health Boards.
Unfortunately I must ask your patience as I seek an extension to one part of this request, namely the
documents for 2022. I am also stil to receive the results of an email search of the Inbox for our acting
political editor, which may have additional information from 2021, though I think what you wil be
receiving today wil be the lion’s share of the material requested.
I hope to complete your request by the end of the week.
Some points on the documents:
• Because of the size, they are split into January-June 2021 and July-December 2021 and these
wil be sent separately to avoid any issues with your email inbox. 2022 appears to have far less
initial material and should al be encompassed in the one document;
• The redactions are questions and communication from our health correspondent; these are out
of scope from your request, your intention being the information provided to us;
Radio New Zealand House Level 2 155 The Terrace PO BOX 123 Wellington 6140 New Zealand +64 4 474 1999 www.rnz.co.nz
• From August 2021, I have not included every relevant email for the sake of size and time taken
to prepare this material. You wil see the later months do not include the regular newsletters
from the Wel ington or Southern District DHBs (multiple pages, and our emails no longer include
the images). You have copies of their earlier newsletters to understand the material, each of
these DHBs should be able to supply you with a ful suite. In addition, the newsletter from the
Canterbury DHB consisted of a series of links rather than information that can be read in the
initial email; again, as a public agency they can provide you with al this material if you are
interested;
• Further to this point, you wil note that I have not included, from August, every daily media
update issued by the media team at the Ministry of Health. These are titled ‘[EXTERNAL] -
Ministry of Health media release: COVID-19 and vaccinations update (plus date)’, and
contained the latest testing and vaccination numbers. What I have included are any updates or
media releases that cover developments or changes in the vaccination rol -out. I am sure the
Ministry wil have a comprehensive set of these daily releases.
I trust this material will satisfy your request when I have completed it in ful .
You have a right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of the above outcome.
Information about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
freephone 0800 802 602.
Nāku, nā
Andrew Holden
OIA officer
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