2 March 2021 Vaccination advice, BORA and medicine approval/safety/quality
Erika Whittome made this Official Information request to Public Service Commission
Response to this request is long overdue. By law Public Service Commission should have responded by now (details and exceptions). The requester can complain to the Ombudsman.
From: Erika Whittome
Dear Public Service Commission,
I refer to the advice "COVID-19 Workforce Vaccinations Guidance" on your website dated 2 March 2021:
https://web.archive.org/web/202105121412...
It says :
" On 3 February 2021, Medsafe the medicines safety authority approved the first Covid-19 vaccine for use in New Zealand. It has been robustly assessed to ensure it meets international standards and local requirements for quality and safety."
1. Please share the information on this medicine approval which the Public Service Commission received that said the medine was approved.
2. Please share the assessment which the Public Service Commission relied on to say that the medicine was robustly assessed for quality and safety.
The advice lauds vaccination and suggests making it a condition of employment agreements, for example:
"Expect: set an expectation that all staff should be vaccinated
Communicate an expectation that all staff who are able to be vaccinated will be vaccinated."
"For at-risk workforces, consider introducing a requirement for new employees to be vaccinated into employment agreements by agreement with any relevant unions."
"Vaccines should be administered in the workplace where possible"
3. Please share the analysis on the justified limitations on the NZ Bill of Rights 1990 which discusses the right to refuse medical treatment. I am requesting all the information (emails, correspondence, policy documents, meeting minutes etc) dated up to 2 March 2021 on the complete analysis of this demonstrably justified limitation on the Bill of Rights 1990.
Yours faithfully,
Erika Whittome
From: Enquiries
Public Service Commission
Kia ora Erika
I am writing to acknowledge receipt of
your OIA request below.
We will endeavour to respond to your
request as soon as possible and in any event no later than 20 working days
after the day your request was received. If we are unable to respond to your
request by then, we will notify you of an extension of that timeframe.
If any additional factors come to light
which are relevant to your request, please do not hesitate to contact us so
that these can be taken into account.
Our letter notifying
you of our decision on your request will confirm if we intend to publish the
letter (with your personal details removed) and any related documents on the Te
Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission’s website.
Ngâ mihi nui
Enquiries Team
îmçra: [email address]
Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission
http://www.publicservice.govt.nz/ | http://www.govt.nz/
-----Original Message-----
From: Erika Whittome <[FOI #34110 email]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 17, 2026 7:31 AM
To: Enquiries <[PSC request email]>
Subject: OIA 2026-0058-Official Information request - 2 March 2021 Vaccination advice, BORA and medicine approval/safety/quality
COMMISSION
This email was sent from someone outside of Te Kawa Mataaho. Please take extra care.
Dear Public Service Commission,
I refer to the advice "COVID-19 Workforce Vaccinations Guidance" on your website dated 2 March 2021:
https://web.archive.org/web/202105121412...
It says :
" On 3 February 2021, Medsafe the medicines safety authority approved the first Covid-19 vaccine for use in New Zealand. It has been robustly assessed to ensure it meets international standards and local requirements for quality and safety."
1. Please share the information on this medicine approval which the Public Service Commission received that said the medine was approved.
2. Please share the assessment which the Public Service Commission relied on to say that the medicine was robustly assessed for quality and safety.
The advice lauds vaccination and suggests making it a condition of employment agreements, for example:
"Expect: set an expectation that all staff should be vaccinated Communicate an expectation that all staff who are able to be vaccinated will be vaccinated."
"For at-risk workforces, consider introducing a requirement for new employees to be vaccinated into employment agreements by agreement with any relevant unions."
"Vaccines should be administered in the workplace where possible"
3. Please share the analysis on the justified limitations on the NZ Bill of Rights 1990 which discusses the right to refuse medical treatment. I am requesting all the information (emails, correspondence, policy documents, meeting minutes etc) dated up to 2 March 2021 on the complete analysis of this demonstrably justified limitation on the Bill of Rights 1990.
Yours faithfully,
Erika Whittome
-------------------------------------------------------------------
This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #34110 email]
Is [PSC request email] the wrong address for Official Information requests to Public Service Commission? 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.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
..........................................................................................................................................
Confidentiality notice: This email may be confidential or legally privileged. If you have received it by mistake, please tell the sender immediately by reply, remove this email and the reply from your system, and don’t act on it in any other way. Ngâ mihi.
hide quoted sections
From: Enquiries
Public Service Commission
Kia ora Erika
Please find a letter of extension relating to your OIA request below.
Ngā mihi
Enquiries Team
īmēra: [1][email address]
[2]A blue square with small dots Description automatically generated
Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission
[3]www.publicservice.govt.nz | [4]www.govt.nz
-----Original Message-----
From: Erika Whittome <[FOI #34110 email]>
Sent: Tuesday, 17 March 2026 7:31 am
To: Enquiries <[PSC request email]>
Subject: OIA 2026-0058-Official Information request - 2 March 2021
Vaccination advice, BORA and medicine approval/safety/quality
COMMISSION
This email was sent from someone outside of Te Kawa Mataaho. Please take
extra care.
Dear Public Service Commission,
I refer to the advice "COVID-19 Workforce Vaccinations Guidance" on your
website dated 2 March 2021:
[5]https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
It says :
" On 3 February 2021, Medsafe the medicines safety authority approved the
first Covid-19 vaccine for use in New Zealand. It has been robustly
assessed to ensure it meets international standards and local requirements
for quality and safety."
1. Please share the information on this medicine approval which the Public
Service Commission received that said the medine was approved.
2. Please share the assessment which the Public Service Commission relied
on to say that the medicine was robustly assessed for quality and safety.
The advice lauds vaccination and suggests making it a condition of
employment agreements, for example:
"Expect: set an expectation that all staff should be vaccinated
Communicate an expectation that all staff who are able to be vaccinated
will be vaccinated."
"For at-risk workforces, consider introducing a requirement for new
employees to be vaccinated into employment agreements by agreement with
any relevant unions."
"Vaccines should be administered in the workplace where possible"
3. Please share the analysis on the justified limitations on the NZ Bill
of Rights 1990 which discusses the right to refuse medical treatment. I am
requesting all the information (emails, correspondence, policy documents,
meeting minutes etc) dated up to 2 March 2021 on the complete analysis of
this demonstrably justified limitation on the Bill of Rights 1990.
Yours faithfully,
Erika Whittome
-------------------------------------------------------------------
This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[6][FOI #34110 email]
Is [7][PSC request email] the wrong address for Official
Information requests to Public Service Commission? If so, please contact
us using this form:
[8]https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[9]https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
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.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
..........................................................................................................................................
Confidentiality notice: This email may be confidential or legally
privileged. If you have received it by mistake, please tell the sender
immediately by reply, remove this email and the reply from your system,
and don’t act on it in any other way. Ngā mihi.
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
3. http://www.publicservice.govt.nz/
4. http://www.govt.nz/
5. https://web.archive.org/web/202105121412...
6. mailto:[FOI #34110 email]
7. mailto:[PSC request email]
8. https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...
9. https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers
hide quoted sections
From: Erika Whittome
Dear Enquiries,
Thanks a shame the statutory deadline will not be met. You said "This extension is necessary because consultations needed to make a decision on your request are such that a proper response cannot reasonably be made within the original time limit."
When information is provided under the Act, how is consultation required and justified under the Act?
Yours sincerely,
Erika Whittome
From: Enquiries
Public Service Commission
Kia ora Erika
Please find attached our response to your request for official information
below.
Ngā mihi
Enquiries Team
īmēra: [1][email address]
[2]A blue square with small dotsDescription automatically generated
Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission
[3]www.publicservice.govt.nz | [4]www.govt.nz
-----Original Message-----
From: Erika Whittome <[FOI #34110 email]>
Sent: Tuesday, 17 March 2026 7:31 am
To: Enquiries <[PSC request email]>
Subject: OIA 2026-0058-Official Information request - 2 March 2021
Vaccination advice, BORA and medicine approval/safety/quality
COMMISSION
This email was sent from someone outside of Te Kawa Mataaho. Please take
extra care.
Dear Public Service Commission,
I refer to the advice "COVID-19 Workforce Vaccinations Guidance" on your
website dated 2 March 2021:
[5]https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
It says :
" On 3 February 2021, Medsafe the medicines safety authority approved the
first Covid-19 vaccine for use in New Zealand. It has been robustly
assessed to ensure it meets international standards and local requirements
for quality and safety."
1. Please share the information on this medicine approval which the Public
Service Commission received that said the medine was approved.
2. Please share the assessment which the Public Service Commission relied
on to say that the medicine was robustly assessed for quality and safety.
The advice lauds vaccination and suggests making it a condition of
employment agreements, for example:
"Expect: set an expectation that all staff should be vaccinated
Communicate an expectation that all staff who are able to be vaccinated
will be vaccinated."
"For at-risk workforces, consider introducing a requirement for new
employees to be vaccinated into employment agreements by agreement with
any relevant unions."
"Vaccines should be administered in the workplace where possible"
3. Please share the analysis on the justified limitations on the NZ Bill
of Rights 1990 which discusses the right to refuse medical treatment. I am
requesting all the information (emails, correspondence, policy documents,
meeting minutes etc) dated up to 2 March 2021 on the complete analysis of
this demonstrably justified limitation on the Bill of Rights 1990.
Yours faithfully,
Erika Whittome
-------------------------------------------------------------------
This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[6][FOI #34110 email]
Is [7][PSC request email] the wrong address for Official
Information requests to Public Service Commission? If so, please contact
us using this form:
[8]https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[9]https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
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.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
..........................................................................................................................................
Confidentiality notice: This email may be confidential or legally
privileged. If you have received it by mistake, please tell the sender
immediately by reply, remove this email and the reply from your system,
and don’t act on it in any other way. Ngā mihi.
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
3. http://www.publicservice.govt.nz/
4. http://www.govt.nz/
5. https://web.archive.org/web/202105121412...
6. mailto:[FOI #34110 email]
7. mailto:[PSC request email]
8. https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...
9. https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers
hide quoted sections
From: Erika Whittome
Dear Enquiries,
Regarding question one, your response has not addressed approval. It only addresses "that Medsafe has granted provisional approval"
When something is "approved", it's fully approved. "Provisional approval" indicates conditional, not complete or even half done. For example, I ran a "provisional marathon" on the weekend. I ran 8 miles with the proviso that I would run the other 16 miles next weekend. So it's not a full marathon of 26 miles. It's a "provisional" marathon and I'll finish the rest later.
The PSC said "approval" of the vaccine, so would you please share the information on full approval at the relevant time of the PSC advice? If the information on (full) "approval" simply does not exist, please let me know.
Yours sincerely,
Erika Whittome
Things to do with this request
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- Download a zip file of all correspondence (note: this contains the same information already available above).
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