3 July 2026
Penny Marie
[FYI request #34887 email]
Dear Penny
Official Information Act Request
Our ref: OIA 2026-0166
I refer to your Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) request dated 9 June 2026 for:
“I write pursuant to the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) to request information held by Te
Kawa Mataaho | Public Service Commission (the Commission). I am an investigative
journalist acting in the public interest under the name Penny Marie NZ. My reporting focuses
on public accountability and the administration of public health policy in New Zealand.
This request is one of three complementary OIA requests filed as part of a coordinated
public-interest inquiry. A primary OIA has been filed with Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora
regarding the January 2024 rainbow cervical screening campaign materials HE1191 and
HE1192, which replaced the terms "women" and "female" with "people with a cervix." This
secondary request is directed to the Commission to establish whether any whole-of-
government guidance, standard, or directive issued by the Commission required or
recommended the removal of sex-based language from public-facing government health
communications - as distinct from internal employment or workplace policies.
I note the fol owing relevant legislative and policy context: section 75 of the Public Service
Act 2020 requires chief executives to foster inclusive workplaces; and guidance published on
Digital.govt.nz under the heading "Gender-inclusive language" instructs government
agencies to use gender-neutral language and to "not reference gender unless absolutely
necessary." It is a matter of public interest to understand whether such guidance was
intended to apply to clinical or health-promotion materials addressing sex-specific
conditions.
1. Whole-of-Government Language Guidance
1.1 Guidance, Circulars and Standards
Please provide:
Al guidance notes, circulars, standards or directives issued by the Commission between 1
January 2018 and 31 January 2024 that recommended or required the use of gender-neutral
or gender-inclusive language in public-facing government communications (as opposed to
internal HR or employment policies).
Level 10, Te Iho | 1 Bowen Street | PO Box 329
Wel ington 6140 | New Zealand
Phone +64 4 495 6600
Al documentation relating to whether the Digital.govt.nz inclusive language guidance
(under the heading "Gender-inclusive language") was developed by or in consultation with
the Commission, including any records of the development process, drafting history, inter-
agency consultation, or approval process.
Any guidance issued by the Commission specifical y addressing when sex-based language
(e.g. "women," "female") should be retained, as opposed to replaced, in health or medical
communications targeting sex-specific conditions or populations.
2. Part 2: Public Service Act 2020 - Application to Public-Facing Communications
2.1 Legal and Policy Advice
Please provide:
Any formal advice, legal opinion, or guidance issued by the Commission on whether section
75 of the Public Service Act 2020 (relating to inclusive workplaces) applies to the content of
public-facing communications, as opposed to internal workplace policies.
Any briefing papers or correspondence between the Commission and Health New Zealand |
Te Whatu Ora (or its predecessor, the Ministry of Health) regarding the application of gender-
inclusive language standards to public health communications, covering the period 1
January 2020 to 31 January 2024.
3. Part 3: Rainbow Tick and Accreditation Schemes
3.1 Formal Endorsement and Interaction with Communications Content
Please provide:
Any documentation indicating whether the Commission has formal y endorsed,
recommended, or required Rainbow Tick accreditation (or any equivalent LGBTQ+
accreditation scheme) for public service agencies.
Any guidance issued by the Commission on how Rainbow Tick or similar accreditation
standards interact with the content of public-facing government communications.
Any documentation of complaints or reviews received by the Commission relating to the use
or removal of sex-based language in government public health materials.
4. Part 4: Decision-Making Accountability
4.1 Consultation on Cervical Screening Communications
Please provide:
Any records indicating whether the Commission was consulted by Health New Zealand or
the Ministry of Health on the language used in the 2023/2024 national cervical screening
programme communications, specifical y including materials HE1191 and HE1192.
Any correspondence between the Commission and Health New Zealand on the use of
gender-inclusive language in health promotion materials, for the period 1 January 2022 to
31 January 2024”.
The OIA requires that we advise you of our decision on your request no later than 20 working days
after the day that we received your request. Unfortunately, it wil not be possible to meet that
time limit, and we are, therefore, writing to notify you of an extension of the time to make our
decision, to 31 July 2026.
This extension is necessary because your request is for a large quantity of information or
necessitates a search through a large quantity of information and meeting the original time limit
would unreasonably interfere with our operations and consultations necessary to make a
decision on your request are such that a proper response cannot reasonably be made within the
original time limit.
If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request with us, including this decision, please feel free
to contact Ministerial and Executive Services team at
: [email address]. You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision.
Information about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
freephone 0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely
Nicky Dirks
Manager – Ministerial and Executive Services
Public Service Commission - Te Kawa Mataaho
Document Outline
