Public Annotation for OIA Request: "COVID-19 infringement notices under the repealed COVID-19 Public Health Response Act 2020 – current collection status and totals as at November 2025"

**OIA Overview**
This Official Information Act (OIA) request, submitted to the Ministry of Justice (primary agency) on 23 November 2025, seeks a comprehensive national summary of all infringement notices issued under the now-repealed COVID-19 Public Health Response Act 2020 (repealed 26 November 2024) and its associated Orders (e.g., Alert Level restrictions, Protection Framework/Traffic Light system, and Vaccinations Orders). The focus is on totals issued, collection status, outstanding amounts, and any post-repeal policies on enforcement, waivers, or amnesties. A copy was also sent to New Zealand Police for issuance data.

The request is publicly available on fyi.org.nz at: [https://fyi.org.nz/request/covid-19-infr...(https://fyi.org.nz/request/covid-19-infr...) (request ID pending full indexing; search "COVID-19 infringement notices repealed Act 2020" on fyi.org.nz for the live page).

This annotation provides historical context, key statistics from public sources and prior OIAs, analysis of known gaps, and recommendations for follow-up. It draws on the research summary provided, deep searches across fyi.org.nz (revealing 20+ related requests, mostly sector-specific with low/no fines reported), government reports (e.g., 2024 Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons Learned), and contemporary media/police updates. No consolidated national totals have ever been released via OIA or public reports, making this request a critical probe nearly one year post-repeal.

1. Background on COVID-19 Infringements in New Zealand
The COVID-19 Public Health Response Act 2020 empowered agencies (primarily NZ Police, with limited roles for WorkSafe NZ and Ministry of Health) to issue infringement notices for breaches like non-essential movement, mask non-compliance, gathering limits, and vaccine mandate violations. Fines started at $300 (later $1,000 for individuals) for low-level offences; prosecutions were reserved for serious/repeat cases.

Enforcement followed a "light-touch" "4 Es" approach (engage, educate, encourage, enforce), prioritizing warnings over fines. The Act's repeal on 26 November 2024 did not affect existing notices—unpaid fines remain enforceable as civil debts under the Interpretation Act 1999 (s 18) and Fines Act 2008, handled by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). No amnesty or mass waiver has been announced, unlike in Australia (e.g., NSW withdrew 23,000 fines and refunded $5.5m in November 2024).

- **Timeline of Key Enforcement Periods**:
- **2020–Mid-2021**: No infringement powers; reliance on warnings/prosecutions (e.g., ~1,000 prosecutions by March 2021, 640 charges/460 convictions by April 2021, with 85 prison sentences).
- **Aug–Dec 2021 (Delta Peak)**: Infringement notices enabled 19 August 2021; ~4,000–6,000 issued (mostly Police), peaking at 1,213 in first 9 days of Level 4 lockdown.
- **2022 (Omicron)**: <500 estimated; negligible under lighter Traffic Light rules.
- **2023–2024**: Minimal; focus shifted to education amid mandate wind-down.

- **Known Issuance Stats (from Police/Media, not consolidated)**:
| Period | Estimated Notices Issued | Key Breaches | Sources |
|--------|---------------------------|--------------|---------|
| Aug 2021 (First Week) | 1,213 | Non-essential travel (e.g., "joyriding," boundary crossing) | NZ Police updates via Stuff/NZ Herald |
| Aug–Sep 2021 | ~3,953 cumulative | Failed to stay home (827 by late Aug); masks/distancing (~63) | Police briefings |
| Full 2021 | ~4,000–6,000 (Police only) | +~1,000–2,000 under Traffic Light (vaccine passes) | Estimates from reports; WorkSafe/MoH: handfuls (e.g., 3 to one restaurant) |
| 2022 | <<1,000 (likely <500) | Mask/gathering breaches; isolated protest-related | No official totals; "minimal" per Royal Commission |
| Total (All Years/Agencies) | ~4,500–7,000 | Low overall (<0.1% of population) | Aggregated estimates; no official grand total |

- **Regional Snapshot (Aug 2021 Peak, per 100,000 people)**:
| Police District | Notices (26 Aug) | Per 100,000 | Notes |
|-----------------|------------------|-------------|-------|
| Canterbury | 246 | 38.1 | Highest; "holiday behaviour" (beaches/surfing) despite no cases |
| Waikato | 148 | 28.8 | Boundary enforcement near Auckland |
| Greater Auckland | ~341 | 19.1 | High volume from population density |
| Nationwide | 1,213 | 23.7 | ~80,000 public breach reports in 2020–21, but warnings dominated (~thousands issued) |

- **Vaccine Mandate Fines (Key Focus of Prior OIAs)**: Despite mandates affecting ~thousands of workers (e.g., health/education deadlines Nov 2021–Jan 2022), enforcement was near-zero. WorkSafe issued no fines to PCBUs/individuals for unvaccinated staff on-site; focus was education/improvement notices. MoH issued ~18 low-value ($300) notices to border/MIQ workers for testing breaches (full pandemic).

2. Insights from Prior fyi.org.nz OIAs (Deep Search Summary)
Deep searches on fyi.org.nz (query: site:fyi.org.nz "covid infringement" OR "covid fines" OR "covid-19 public health response act" OR "vaccine mandate fines"; 20 results) reveal ~30 related requests (2021–2025), mostly from requesters like Erika Whittome and Colin Whiting probing mandate enforcement. No OIA has yielded a full national total or post-repeal collection stats—agencies cite lack of consolidation or refer to public sources. Key examples:

| OIA Link & Date | Agency | Key Ask | Outcome |
|-----------------|--------|---------|---------|
| [fyi.org.nz/request/31318](https://fyi.org.nz/request/31318) (2025) | Health NZ | Infringements by HealthSource under Act s18(1) | Zero issued; not authorised |
| [fyi.org.nz/request/25596](https://fyi.org.nz/request/25596) (Feb 2024) | Ministry of Health | Total MoH fines issued/collected/staff involved | ~18 notices ($300 each, border testing); low staff headcount |
| [fyi.org.nz/request/29872](https://fyi.org.nz/request/29872) (Jan 2025) | WorkSafe | Fines for unvaccinated health workers + officer designations | Zero/near-zero; overdue/limited response |
| [fyi.org.nz/request/28674](https://fyi.org.nz/request/28674) (Jun 2024) | WorkSafe | Fines to health/disability PCBUs for unvaccinated workers | Zero issued; education-focused |
| [fyi.org.nz/request/29099](https://fyi.org.nz/request/29099) (Nov 2024) | WorkSafe | Fines to education sector post-15 Nov 2021 | Effectively zero |
| [fyi.org.nz/request/29839](https://fyi.org.nz/request/29839) (Jan 2025) | WorkSafe | Fines to Corrections for unvaccinated staff | Zero |
| [fyi.org.nz/request/24856](https://fyi.org.nz/request/24856) (Dec 2023) | MoJ | Costs to prosecute unpaid Protection Framework fines | Refused (no data released) |
| [fyi.org.nz/request/15435](https://fyi.org.nz/request/15435) (2021) | MoJ | Successful prosecutions under Act | Referred to website stats (early data only; no attachments) |

- **Trends from FYI Data**: ~90% of mandate-related requests (e.g., health/education/corrections) confirm zero fines. Police/MoJ responses emphasize "no consolidated data" for totals. No 2025 updates on outstanding fines post-repeal.

3. Why This OIA Matters: Filling Key Gaps
- **No National Total Ever Released**: Estimates suggest ~4,500–7,000 notices, but no breakdown by agency/Order/year. Paid/unpaid status unknown—MoJ handles collections (payment plans, deductions, court if needed), but OIAs like 24856 were refused.
- **Post-Repeal Uncertainty**: Nearly 1 year on, no public data on outstanding amounts (~potentially millions if 50% unpaid at $1,000 avg.) or policies (e.g., quiet write-offs?). Royal Commission (2024) noted high compliance/low enforcement but no fine specifics.
- **Equity Issues**: Māori over-representation low vs. general policing, but regional spikes (e.g., Canterbury 38/100k) highlight uneven impact. Vaccine fines' absence reinforces "education over punishment," but unpaid lockdown fines may burden low-income households.

4. Broader Context & External Sources
- **Royal Commission (2024)**: High compliance (e.g., iwi checkpoints); ~10 MIQ breach transmissions (5/100k escape rate). Enforcement "minimal" in 2022 Omicron phase.
- **Media/Police Archives**: Peak reporting in 2021 (e.g., Stuff/NZ Herald on 1,213 notices); silence post-2022. No 2025 amnesty news.
- **X/Twitter Search (Latest, since repeal)**: No recent posts on NZ COVID fines (query returned zero; focus on global/Aus comparisons).
- **International Contrast**: Aus states (QLD/NSW) wrote off millions in 2024–25; NZ has none.

5. Recommendations & Next Steps
- **Track Response**: Expect reply by ~mid-Jan 2026 (20 working days). If refused (e.g., s18(f) collation), complain to Ombudsman (info@ombudsman.parliament.nz).
- **Follow-Up OIAs**: If partial data, target Police for 2021 breakdowns or WorkSafe for any unreported business fines. Suggest: "Post-repeal outstanding COVID fines by region/sector."
- **For Individuals**: Check fine status via MoJ Collections (0800 4 FINES); no amnesty, but plans available.
- **Public/Journalists**: This could reveal if ~thousands of fines linger as debt—story on "ghost fines" post-repeal. Comment on fyi.org.nz for visibility.

For raw data/downloads or visualizations (e.g., infringement timelines), reply via fyi.org.nz. Last updated: 23 November 2025. Share to amplify transparency!

Update on OIA #32970 (COVID-19 Infringement Notices – National Totals)

Updated: 8 December 2025

The Ministry of Justice has now issued a partial transfer of this request under section 14 of the OIA.

Transferred to:
• New Zealand Police
• WorkSafe New Zealand
• New Zealand Customs Service

These agencies hold the operational data on the number and type of COVID-19 infringement notices issued during 2020–2024.

The Ministry of Justice will still answer the remaining parts, including:
• total fines collected
• total fines outstanding
• write-offs, cancellations, and withdrawals
• how infringements are being handled post-repeal of the COVID-19 Public Health Response Act
• any national enforcement or collection policies after 2024

Notably:

Although the request included infringements issued by the Ministry of Health, MoH was not included in the transfer.
This may require a follow-up once the other agencies reply and confirm whether MoH issued any notices during the early pandemic period.

This OIA, once all agencies respond, should provide one of the first complete pictures of:
• total COVID-19 breaches enforced
• enforcement behaviour across agencies
• how many fines were actually paid
• how many remain outstanding
• what happened to COVID fines after the Act was repealed

Further updates will be posted as responses arrive.

Public Annotation – COVID-19 Public Health Response Act infringement notices (post-repeal position)

This Official Information Act request sought a national picture of COVID-19-related infringement notices and fines issued under the now-repealed COVID-19 Public Health Response Act 2020 and associated Orders, including totals issued, amounts collected, amounts outstanding, and any post-repeal decisions on write-offs or amnesties.

In its response dated 18 December 2025, Ministry of Justice clarified the division of responsibility between issuing authorities and the courts:
• Issuing authorities (such as New Zealand Police, WorkSafe, Customs, and others) are responsible for issuing infringement notices.
• Once lodged with the court, the court’s role is limited to collection and enforcement of fines, not policy decisions about whether infringements should continue to be pursued.

What information was provided
The Ministry supplied court-held data only, covering COVID-19 infringements that were lodged with the courts as fines, including:
• The number of fines imposed for COVID-19-related offences by imposition year (2020–2025);
• The total fine amounts, amounts payable to the Crown, and amounts still owing;
• The total amounts collected by the courts over the same period.

This information is set out in an attached spreadsheet and represents the first consolidated court-level view of COVID-19 fines actually enforced through the justice system.

What information was not provided
The Ministry did not provide:
• Total numbers of infringement notices issued by enforcement agencies (before court lodgement);
• A full national breakdown by issuing agency or type of breach;
• Any post-repeal policy, guidance, or legal advice on write-offs, waivers, amnesties, or prioritisation of COVID-19 fines.

Those elements were either:
• Transferred to issuing agencies under section 14 of the OIA; or
• Refused under section 18(e) on the basis that no such Ministry-held policy or briefing documents exist.

The Ministry also confirmed it has no authority to direct courts on whether fines should be collected, remitted, or returned to issuing agencies, as such decisions are judicial in nature.

Public-interest significance
For the public record, this response establishes that:
• There is no single, central dataset showing total COVID-19 infringement notices issued nationally.
• Post-repeal handling of fines is governed by existing court processes, not by a new repeal-specific policy.
• Accountability for COVID-19 enforcement outcomes remains fragmented across agencies, with the courts only seeing cases that progress to fines.

This OIA clarifies the limits of post-repeal transparency and where responsibility for unanswered questions now sits.

Below is a concise, neutral closing FYI comment you can post to the request thread. It clearly explains the distinction between procedural completion and whole-of-government incompleteness, without advocacy language.

⸻

Closing comment – scope completed for Ministry of Justice, incomplete at whole-of-government level

This request is now complete from the Ministry of Justice’s perspective.

The Ministry has confirmed its limited statutory role in COVID-19 infringement matters and has released all court-held information within its remit, namely data on COVID-19-related fines lodged with the courts, including totals imposed, amounts collected, and amounts outstanding. It has also confirmed that it holds no post-repeal policy, guidance, or legal advice on write-offs, waivers, or amnesties, and that such decisions are not within its administrative authority.

However, the request remains incomplete at a whole-of-government level.

Key elements of the original request sit with issuing authorities, not the courts or the Ministry of Justice. These include:
• total numbers of infringement notices issued (not just those lodged with the courts),
• breakdowns by issuing agency and type of breach, and
• any agency-level decisions on enforcement priorities following repeal of the COVID-19 Public Health Response Act.

Those components were appropriately transferred under section 14 of the OIA to enforcement agencies such as Police, WorkSafe, and Customs. Until those agencies respond, there is no consolidated national picture of COVID-19 infringement enforcement outcomes.

For the public record, this request therefore establishes both:
• the limits of court-level data, and
• the fragmented nature of accountability for COVID-19 infringement enforcement across government.

No further action is required in relation to the Ministry of Justice response.