Printed from https://fyi.org.nz/request/34531-use-of-the-term-safe-in-epa-public-communications?unfold=1 on May 28, 2026 04:31

Use of the Term “Safe” in EPA Public Communications

Nigel Gray made this Official Information request to Environmental Protection Authority

The request was successful.

From: Nigel Gray

To: [email address]
Subject: Official Information Request – Use of the Term “Safe” in EPA Public Communications

Official Information Act Request

I request the following information under the Official Information Act 1982.

1. Basis for the EPA’s use of the term “safe” in its public “About” page
The EPA’s “About / What we do” webpage states that the EPA’s work is aimed at “enhancing a safe and sustainable way of life” for New Zealanders.

Please provide:

all internal documents, guidance, briefing notes, communication guidelines, or decision‑making frameworks that define, explain, or justify the EPA’s use of the term “safe” in this context;

any documents that set out the criteria, thresholds, or methodology the EPA relies on when describing its work as contributing to a “safe” way of life.

2. Consistency with the EPA’s OIA response regarding the absence of a definition
In a previous OIA response, the EPA confirmed that it holds no definition, criteria, or internal guidance for the term “safe.”

Please provide:

any internal discussions, emails, or documents that address how the EPA reconciles the use of the term “safe” in its public mission statement with the absence of any internal definition or criteria for that term;

any documents that explain the intended meaning of “safe” as used in the “About / What we do” page.

3. If no such documents exist
If the EPA holds no documents that define, justify, or explain the use of the term “safe” in its public mission statement, please provide:

the EPA’s actual description, explanation, or intended meaning of “safe” as used in that context;

the EPA’s reasons, under section 23 of the OIA, for using the term “safe” in public communications despite holding no definition or criteria for it.

Format
I am happy to receive the information electronically.

Yours faithfully,

Nigel Gray

Link to this

From: Ministerials
Environmental Protection Authority

Attachment Outlook The EPA.png
17K Download

Hi Nigel
Thanks for your email below. 

This has been logged as an Official Information Act request, and we are
now working on our response. Under the Official Information Act the EPA
has 20 working days to make a decision on your request.

Ngā mihi 

Anna 

 [1]The EPA's logo in a dark teal colour.

Follow us on [2]Facebook, [3]Instagram, and [4]LinkedIn. 

Our New Zealand Business Number is 9429041901977.

This email message and any attachment(s) are intended for the addressee(s)
only.

If you receive this message in error, please notify the sender and delete
the message and any attachment(s).

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

From: Nigel Gray <[FOI #34531 email]>
Sent: Thursday, 23 April 2026 5:19 pm
To: Ministerials <[EPA request email]>
Subject: Official Information request - Use of the Term “Safe” in EPA
Public Communications
 
[You don't often get email from
[FOI #34531 email]. Learn why this is
important at [5]https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentific...

To: [email address]
Subject: Official Information Request – Use of the Term “Safe” in EPA
Public Communications

Official Information Act Request

I request the following information under the Official Information Act
1982.

1. Basis for the EPA’s use of the term “safe” in its public “About” page
The EPA’s “About / What we do” webpage states that the EPA’s work is aimed
at “enhancing a safe and sustainable way of life” for New Zealanders.

Please provide:

all internal documents, guidance, briefing notes, communication
guidelines, or decision‑making frameworks that define, explain, or justify
the EPA’s use of the term “safe” in this context;

any documents that set out the criteria, thresholds, or methodology the
EPA relies on when describing its work as contributing to a “safe” way of
life.

2. Consistency with the EPA’s OIA response regarding the absence of a
definition
In a previous OIA response, the EPA confirmed that it holds no definition,
criteria, or internal guidance for the term “safe.”

Please provide:

any internal discussions, emails, or documents that address how the EPA
reconciles the use of the term “safe” in its public mission statement with
the absence of any internal definition or criteria for that term;

any documents that explain the intended meaning of “safe” as used in the
“About / What we do” page.

3. If no such documents exist
If the EPA holds no documents that define, justify, or explain the use of
the term “safe” in its public mission statement, please provide:

the EPA’s actual description, explanation, or intended meaning of “safe”
as used in that context;

the EPA’s reasons, under section 23 of the OIA, for using the term “safe”
in public communications despite holding no definition or criteria for it.

Format
I am happy to receive the information electronically.

Yours faithfully,

Nigel Gray

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

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

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #34531 email]

Is [EPA request email] the wrong address for Official Information
requests to Environmental Protection Authority? If so, please contact us
using this form:
[6]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:
[7]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.

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

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Link to this

From: Ministerials
Environmental Protection Authority

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Attachment 26083 Gray OIA reply.pdf
159K Download View as HTML

Tēnā koe Nigel,  
 
Please find attached our response to your OIA request. 
 
Ngā mihi, 

Gianni-Rose 

Official Correspondence Advisor 

 

Follow us on [1]Facebook, [2]X, [3]Instagram, and [4]LinkedIn. 

Our New Zealand Business Number is 9429041901977. 

This email message and any attachment(s) are intended for the addressee(s)
only. 

If you receive this message in error, please notify the sender and
delete the message and any attachment(s). 

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

From: Nigel Gray <[FOI #34531 email]>
Sent: Thursday, April 23, 2026 5:19 PM
To: Ministerials <[EPA request email]>
Subject: Official Information request - Use of the Term “Safe” in EPA
Public Communications
 
[You don't often get email from
[FOI #34531 email]. Learn why this is
important at [5]https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentific...

To: [email address]
Subject: Official Information Request – Use of the Term “Safe” in EPA
Public Communications

Official Information Act Request

I request the following information under the Official Information Act
1982.

1. Basis for the EPA’s use of the term “safe” in its public “About” page
The EPA’s “About / What we do” webpage states that the EPA’s work is aimed
at “enhancing a safe and sustainable way of life” for New Zealanders.

Please provide:

all internal documents, guidance, briefing notes, communication
guidelines, or decision‑making frameworks that define, explain, or justify
the EPA’s use of the term “safe” in this context;

any documents that set out the criteria, thresholds, or methodology the
EPA relies on when describing its work as contributing to a “safe” way of
life.

2. Consistency with the EPA’s OIA response regarding the absence of a
definition
In a previous OIA response, the EPA confirmed that it holds no definition,
criteria, or internal guidance for the term “safe.”

Please provide:

any internal discussions, emails, or documents that address how the EPA
reconciles the use of the term “safe” in its public mission statement with
the absence of any internal definition or criteria for that term;

any documents that explain the intended meaning of “safe” as used in the
“About / What we do” page.

3. If no such documents exist
If the EPA holds no documents that define, justify, or explain the use of
the term “safe” in its public mission statement, please provide:

the EPA’s actual description, explanation, or intended meaning of “safe”
as used in that context;

the EPA’s reasons, under section 23 of the OIA, for using the term “safe”
in public communications despite holding no definition or criteria for it.

Format
I am happy to receive the information electronically.

Yours faithfully,

Nigel Gray

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

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

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #34531 email]

Is [EPA request email] the wrong address for Official Information
requests to Environmental Protection Authority? If so, please contact us
using this form:
[6]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:
[7]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.

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

References

Visible links
1. https://www.facebook.com/EPAgovtNZ/
2. https://twitter.com/EPAgovtnz
3. https://www.instagram.com/epagovtnz/
4. https://www.linkedin.com/company/epagovt...
5. https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentific...
6. https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...
7. https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

Link to this

From: Nigel Gray

Dear Ministerials,
Kia ora Gianni-Rose

Thank you for your email. Unfortunately, the attachments you sent (including the PDF) cannot be opened or downloaded at my end, and the FYI.org.nz mirror is also returning an error when attempting to access the files.

Could you please resend the OIA response as direct PDF attachments (not via secure-link or embedded formats)?

Ngā mihi Nigel Gray

Yours sincerely,

Nigel Gray

Link to this

From: Ministerials
Environmental Protection Authority

Attachment Outlook The EPA.png
17K Download

Attachment 26083 Gray OIA reply.pdf
159K Download View as HTML

Hi Nigel
There may be issues with the FYI website, sometimes I note that the
website goes down or is not working properly. 
I have attached the reply again. 
If it doesn't work, please let us know if there is a different email
address we can send it to. 

Ngā mihi 

Anna Richardson  (she/her)

Senior Advisor, Official Correspondence 

Ph: +64 4 4745589

 [1]The EPA's logo in a dark teal colour.

Follow us on [2]Facebook, [3]Instagram, and [4]LinkedIn. 

Our New Zealand Business Number is 9429041901977.

This email message and any attachment(s) are intended for the addressee(s)
only.

If you receive this message in error, please notify the sender and delete
the message and any attachment(s).

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

From: Nigel Gray <[FOI #34531 email]>
Sent: Thursday, 21 May 2026 9:21 pm
To: Ministerials <[EPA request email]>
Subject: Re: Official Information request - Use of the Term “Safe” in EPA
Public Communications
 
Dear Ministerials,
Kia ora Gianni-Rose

Thank you for your email. Unfortunately, the attachments you sent
(including the PDF) cannot be opened or downloaded at my end, and the
FYI.org.nz mirror is also returning an error when attempting to access the
files.

Could you please resend the OIA response as direct PDF attachments (not
via secure-link or embedded formats)?

Ngā mihi Nigel Gray

Yours sincerely,

Nigel Gray

-----Original Message-----

Tēnā koe Nigel,  
  
 Please find attached our response to your OIA request. 
  
 Ngā mihi, 

 Gianni-Rose 

 Official Correspondence Advisor 

  

 Follow us on [1]Facebook, [2]X, [3]Instagram, and [4]LinkedIn. 

 Our New Zealand Business Number is 9429041901977. 

 This email message and any attachment(s) are intended for the
addressee(s)
 only. 

 If you receive this message in error, please notify the sender and
 delete the message and any attachment(s). 

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

 From: Nigel Gray <[FOI #34531 email]>
 Sent: Thursday, April 23, 2026 5:19 PM
 To: Ministerials <[EPA request email]>
 Subject: Official Information request - Use of the Term “Safe” in EPA
 Public Communications
  
 [You don't often get email from
 [FOI #34531 email]. Learn why this is
 important at [5]https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentific...

 To: [email address]
 Subject: Official Information Request – Use of the Term “Safe” in EPA
 Public Communications

 Official Information Act Request

 I request the following information under the Official Information Act
 1982.

 1. Basis for the EPA’s use of the term “safe” in its public “About” page
 The EPA’s “About / What we do” webpage states that the EPA’s work is
aimed
 at “enhancing a safe and sustainable way of life” for New Zealanders.

 Please provide:

 all internal documents, guidance, briefing notes, communication
 guidelines, or decision‑making frameworks that define, explain, or
justify
 the EPA’s use of the term “safe” in this context;

 any documents that set out the criteria, thresholds, or methodology the
 EPA relies on when describing its work as contributing to a “safe” way of
 life.

 2. Consistency with the EPA’s OIA response regarding the absence of a
 definition
 In a previous OIA response, the EPA confirmed that it holds no
definition,
 criteria, or internal guidance for the term “safe.”

 Please provide:

 any internal discussions, emails, or documents that address how the EPA
 reconciles the use of the term “safe” in its public mission statement
with
 the absence of any internal definition or criteria for that term;

 any documents that explain the intended meaning of “safe” as used in the
 “About / What we do” page.

 3. If no such documents exist
 If the EPA holds no documents that define, justify, or explain the use of
 the term “safe” in its public mission statement, please provide:

 the EPA’s actual description, explanation, or intended meaning of “safe”
 as used in that context;

 the EPA’s reasons, under section 23 of the OIA, for using the term “safe”
 in public communications despite holding no definition or criteria for
it.

 Format
 I am happy to receive the information electronically.

 Yours faithfully,

 Nigel Gray

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

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

 Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
 [FOI #34531 email]

 Is [EPA request email] the wrong address for Official Information
 requests to Environmental Protection Authority? If so, please contact us
 using this form:
 [6]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:
 [7]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.

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

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Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #34531 email]

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[12]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.

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

References

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