Institute of Environmental Science and Research Limited,

Dear ESR / PHF Science,

Under the OIA, I request the following information from 1 January 2020 to 2 September 2025:

Testing/Compliance
Any lab reports, technical data, or assessments on THC testing or compliance for iHemp, provided to MoH, MPI, or other agencies.

Environmental/Health Assessments
Any documents or advice on environmental or health aspects of iHemp (e.g., phytoremediation, emissions).

Interagency Communications
Communications with MoH, MPI, MBIE, MfE concerning hemp testing, compliance, or oversight.

Funding/Contracts
Details of any ESR projects, contracts, or MoH-funded work related to hemp.

Please identify which databases/teams were searched and keywords used, per s18(e).

Yours faithfully,
Spencer Jones

Subject: Re: OIA #32200 – Extension Notice and Clarification of Consultations and Search Process

Kia ora Wendy,

Thank you for your letter dated 30 September 2025 extending the due date for my OIA request (#32200) to 8 October 2025 under section 15A(1)(b) of the Official Information Act 1982 to allow third-party consultations. I acknowledge the extension while reserving my rights under the Act.

To maintain transparency and efficiency—particularly given the approaching statutory deadline—please provide the following clarifications in advance of, or alongside, your final decision:

Consultations under s 15A(1)(b): Please identify (by agency type, not individual names) which third parties are being consulted and the subject matter of those consultations.

Search particulars (s 18(e)): Kindly outline the internal teams or business units searched, the repositories/databases checked (e.g., LIMS, SharePoint, email servers), and the keywords and date ranges used (e.g., “industrial hemp”, “THC compliance”, “phytoremediation”, “MoH briefing”). This forms part of my original request and is required for any valid s 18(e) finding.

Rolling or staged release: If any information has been located that is not dependent on third-party consultation, please release that material now as a partial response, consistent with s 15 and Ombudsman best practice.

Possible transfers (s 14): If any elements of my request relate to information held by another agency (e.g., MoH, MPI, MBIE or MfE), please transfer those parts and notify me of the date and recipient agency.

Anticipated withholdings: If any withholding grounds are being considered (e.g., ss 6, 9, or 18), please indicate the sections so I may refine scope or provide context before a final decision.

As you will know, the Act requires extensions to be reasonable and justified. Given that similar requests to MfE and MPI between June and July 2025 were refused under s 18(e) without adequate search disclosure, I wish to ensure PHF Science’s process meets the higher transparency standard expected by the Ombudsman.

I also note the strong public interest in industrial hemp’s environmental applications (e.g., phytoremediation and emissions reduction), currently under review by the Ministry for Regulation and other agencies. This reinforces the importance of a full and timely response.

If a complete decision is not issued by close of business on 8 October 2025, the request will be deemed refused under s 28 of the Act, and I will refer the matter to the Office of the Ombudsman for review. I hope this can be avoided through prompt clarification.

Kind regards,
Spencer Jones
FYI request #32200