Tēnā koe Spencer

Thank you for your Official Information Act request received by WorkSafe New Zealand on 22 December 2025.

We will respond to your request in accordance with the provisions of the Official Information Act as soon as reasonably practicable and not later than 20 working days.

If we need to extend this timeframe, we will let you know before that date with the reasons why.

Please contact [email address] if you have any questions.

Ngā mihi,

Ministerial Services
8 Willis Street
Wellington
W    worksafe.govt.nz

-----Original Message-----
From: SPENCER JONES <[FOI #33367 email]>
Sent: Monday, 22 December 2025 9:35 pm
To: Ministerial Services – WorkSafe <[email address]>
Subject: Official Information request - Smart Meter Safety – Retained Summary Records under DA626 (Energy Safety)

[You don't often get email from [FOI #33367 email]. Learn why this is important at https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentific... ]

Kia ora WorkSafe OIA Team,

Pursuant to the Official Information Act 1982, I request the following information held by WorkSafe New Zealand relating to advanced electricity meters (“smart meters”), expressly limited to records that are retained under WorkSafe’s Disposal Authority DA626.

This request is framed with reference to DA626 (authorised 9 September 2015; extended June 2025), which confirms that certain summary records, datasets, and aggregate information are retained for accountability, monitoring, and research purposes.

This request does not seek personal information or full operational files.

⸻

1. Retained Summary Records – Energy Safety Audits & Inspections

(DA626 – Class 6: Assessments, audits, inspections)

Please provide any retained summary records, datasets, registers, or aggregate outputs held under DA626 Class 6, from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2025, relating to:
• Energy Safety audits or inspections involving:
• installation,
• replacement,
• upgrade (e.g. 3G → 4G/5G),
• or certification
of advanced electricity meters (smart meters).

This includes (where held in summary or aggregate form only):
• counts by year;
• audit/inspection type;
• high-level outcomes (e.g. compliant / non-compliant / re-inspection required);
• any categorisation referencing meter equipment, advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), or metering upgrades.

⸻

2. Retained Summary Investigation Records – Electrical Safety Incidents

(DA626 – Class 7: Investigations)

Please provide any retained summary investigation records or aggregate datasets held under DA626 Class 7, from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2025, where:
• an advanced electricity meter was:
• identified as involved in, or
• assessed during investigation of
an electrical safety matter, including but not limited to:
• electrical faults,
• voltage irregularities,
• surges,
• equipment malfunction,
• appliance damage,
• fire or overheating risk,
• EMI or RF-related interference concerns.

This request is limited to summary-level or aggregate records only, consistent with DA626 retention obligations.

⸻

3. Retained Summary Registers or Datasets – Equipment / Notifications

(DA626 – Classes 5 & 6 where summary records are retained)

Please provide any retained summary registers, datasets, or reporting outputs (not individual records) relating to:
• notifications,
• equipment oversight,
• certification or compliance tracking

that reference advanced electricity meters, smart meters, or AMI equipment, for the period 2018–2025, where such summaries are retained under DA626.

⸻

4. Confirmation of Record Retention / Non-Existence (DA626-Specific)

If WorkSafe asserts that no records are held in response to any part of this request, please provide:
1. Confirmation of which DA626 class applies to the requested information;
2. Confirmation whether:
• no summary records were ever created, or
• summary records exist but fall outside the scope of this request;
3. If records were disposed of:
• the specific DA626 disposal provision relied upon,
• and the date range of disposal.

⸻

5. Systems Searched (Summary Only)

Please provide a brief description of the systems searched to respond to this request (e.g. inspection databases, investigation registers, EGHR outputs, reporting systems), sufficient to explain how retained summary records were identified.

⸻

Format & Withholding
• Preferred format: Excel, CSV, or PDF.
• If any information is withheld:
• please specify the exact OIA provision relied upon; and
• provide the s9(1) public interest assessment.
• Where full disclosure is not possible, summary or aggregate disclosure is requested pursuant to s16 OIA.

⸻

Public Interest Statement

This request concerns electrical safety oversight, record retention, and regulatory accountability in relation to large-scale smart meter deployment affecting New Zealand households. Disclosure of retained summary records aligns with the purposes of both the Official Information Act 1982 and the Public Records Act 2005.

⸻

Kind regards,
Spencer Jones

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #33367 email]

Is [WorkSafe New Zealand request email] the wrong address for Official Information requests to WorkSafe New Zealand? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.govt.nz/<http://www.govt.nz/> - your guide to finding and using New Zealand government services

________________________________
Any opinions expressed in this message are not necessarily those of WorkSafe New Zealand. This message and any files transmitted with it are confidential and solely for the use of the intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient or the person responsible for delivery to the intended recipient, be advised that you have received this message in error and that any use is strictly prohibited. Please contact the sender and delete the message and any attachment from your computer.
________________________________

hide quoted sections