Whakaari/White Island Response (as a Supporting Agency)
Alan Thompson made this Official Information request to New Zealand Police
The request was refused by New Zealand Police.
From: Alan Thompson
Dear New Zealand Police,
In your response to a previous OIA Request (your reference IR-01-20-8787) NZ Police confirmed that you were not the Lead Agency for the White Island/Whakaari response and that NEMA was Lead. Under OIA Request, NEMA subsequently advised that they were not the Lead but that the Bay of Plenty Emergency Management Group were Lead Agency. You will appreciate that as the major agency involved in the response it is a little surprising that NZ Police did not know who was the Lead Agency and who then was coordinating your supporting role in the response.
This is compounded by the EBOPEMG daily Incident Action Plans where it is various recorded that:
- it was a “joint response” with NZ Police (IAP 01 and all subsequent IAPs))
- it was a “joint operation” with NZ Police (IAP 01)
- EBOPEMG’s EOC was “supporting” NZ Police as necessary (IAP 01)
- Police were undertaking an independent response (IAP 01)
- Police were the Lead Agency for rescue and reconciliation functions (IAP 01)
- Police are coordinating recovery and reconciliation (IAP 02)
- The EBOPEMG EOC’s Mission was to “provide appropriate welfare related support function” (IAP 03)
- it was the Objective of the EOC to “Support the NZ Police” (IAP 03).
Nowhere in the IAP records ( ie Mission, Objectives, Intent, etc) from EBOPEMG is there any reference to any role that they had as the Lead Agency to coordinate NZ Police in the "search, rescue and recovery phase of the Whakaari/White Island operation “ as per your advice of the 13th May. In this regard the NZ Coordinated Incident Management System is quite specific with respect to the role of the Lead Agency, the appointed Incident Controller and the process for planning, documenting and issuing Mission, Objectives, Structure, Roles, Tasks, etc.
To assist to clarify your advice that NZ Police were tasked to facilitate the search, rescue and recovery phase of the Whakaari/White Island operation I request (under the provisions of the Official Information Act) the following covering the first 5 days of the response:
1. The IAPs as issued to NZ Police by the Lead Agency that set out the Mission, Objectives, Structure, Roles, Tactics, Tasks, Resources, Communications Plan, Medical Plan, Safety Plan, etc for all parties (including NZ Police).
2. If not included in the above, the tasking or other documentation specifically issued to NZ Police (as a supporting agency) by BOPEMG (as Lead Agency) assigned your task(s) as a supporting agency to search, rescue and recover victims of the Whakaari/White Island incident (refer NZ CIMS Framework).
Alan Thompson
NZ Resident
New Zealand Police
Dear Mr Thompson
I acknowledge receipt of your Official Information Act (OIA) request
below, received by NZ Police on 16 June 2020.
Your request is being actioned pursuant to the Act.
Kind regards
Fiona
Ministerial Services
PNHQ
-----"Alan Thompson" <[FOI #13101 email]>
wrote: -----
To: "OIA/LGOIMA requests at New Zealand Police"
<[New Zealand Police request email]>
From: "Alan Thompson" <[FOI #13101 email]>
Date: 16/06/2020 12:20PM
Subject: Official Information request - Whakaari/White Island Response (as
a Supporting Agency)
Dear New Zealand Police,
In your response to a previous OIA Request (your reference IR-01-20-8787)
NZ Police confirmed that you were not the Lead Agency for the White
Island/Whakaari response and that NEMA was Lead. Under OIA Request, NEMA
subsequently advised that they were not the Lead but that the Bay of
Plenty Emergency Management Group were Lead Agency. You will appreciate
that as the major agency involved in the response it is a little
surprising that NZ Police did not know who was the Lead Agency and who
then was coordinating your supporting role in the response.
This is compounded by the EBOPEMG daily Incident Action Plans where it is
various recorded that:
- it was a “joint response” with NZ Police (IAP 01 and all subsequent
IAPs))
- it was a “joint operation” with NZ Police (IAP 01)
- EBOPEMG’s EOC was “supporting” NZ Police as necessary (IAP 01)
- Police were undertaking an independent response (IAP 01)
- Police were the Lead Agency for rescue and reconciliation functions (IAP
01)
- Police are coordinating recovery and reconciliation (IAP 02)
- The EBOPEMG EOC’s Mission was to “provide appropriate welfare related
support function” (IAP 03)
- it was the Objective of the EOC to “Support the NZ Police” (IAP 03).
Nowhere in the IAP records ( ie Mission, Objectives, Intent, etc) from
EBOPEMG is there any reference to any role that they had as the Lead
Agency to coordinate NZ Police in the "search, rescue and recovery phase
of the Whakaari/White Island operation “ as per your advice of the 13th
May. In this regard the NZ Coordinated Incident Management System is
quite specific with respect to the role of the Lead Agency, the appointed
Incident Controller and the process for planning, documenting and issuing
Mission, Objectives, Structure, Roles, Tasks, etc.
To assist to clarify your advice that NZ Police were tasked to facilitate
the search, rescue and recovery phase of the Whakaari/White Island
operation I request (under the provisions of the Official Information Act)
the following covering the first 5 days of the response:
1. The IAPs as issued to NZ Police by the Lead Agency that set out the
Mission, Objectives, Structure, Roles, Tactics, Tasks, Resources,
Communications Plan, Medical Plan, Safety Plan, etc for all parties
(including NZ Police).
2. If not included in the above, the tasking or other documentation
specifically issued to NZ Police (as a supporting agency) by BOPEMG (as
Lead Agency) assigned your task(s) as a supporting agency to search,
rescue and recover victims of the Whakaari/White Island incident (refer NZ
CIMS Framework).
Alan Thompson
NZ Resident
-------------------------------------------------------------------
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show quoted sections
From: Alan Thompson
Dear New Zealand Police,
Your response to the above OIA Request was due by July 14, 2020 in accordance with the the guidelines supporting the Act.
Please advice when I can expect this overdue reply.
Yours faithfully,
Alan Thompson
NZ Resident
From: Alan Thompson
Dear New Zealand Police,
Your response to the above OIA Request was due by July 14, 2020 in accordance with the the guidelines supporting the Act.
I wrote to remind you of this requirement on the 16th of July and have received no acknowledgement of that letter. Your response is now some 8 days overdue.
Please advice when I can expect this overdue reply.
Yours faithfully,
Alan Thompson
NZ Resident
From: Response & Operations
New Zealand Police
Hi Alan,
I’m following up regarding the status of your OIA.
It is currently going through the review process as we speak.
We intend to have a response to you ASAP.
Thanks
Nicholas
RESPONSE AND OPS GROUP
Police National Headquarters
180 Molesworth Street, Wellington
[1]cid:image002.png@01CF897B.1077C0A0
===============================================================
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New Zealand Police
Good morning Alan
The response to your OIA request is currently under internal review, and I
anticipate that this will be released to you within 10 working days.
I apologise for the delay, and hope this hasn't caused you any
inconvenience.
Thank you
Rikki-Lee
Ministerial Services
-----"Alan Thompson" <[FYI request #13101 email]>
wrote: -----
To: "OIA/LGOIMA requests at New Zealand Police"
<[New Zealand Police request email]>
From: "Alan Thompson" <[FYI request #13101 email]>
Date: 24/07/2020 08:35AM
Subject: Re: Official Information request - Whakaari/White Island Response
(as a Supporting Agency)
Dear New Zealand Police,
Your response to the above OIA Request was due by July 14, 2020 in
accordance with the the guidelines supporting the Act.
I wrote to remind you of this requirement on the 16th of July and have
received no acknowledgement of that letter. Your response is now some 8
days overdue.
Please advice when I can expect this overdue reply.
Yours faithfully,
Alan Thompson
NZ Resident
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FYI request #13101 email]
Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[1]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.
show quoted sections
New Zealand Police
Kia ora Alan
Please see attached the response to your OIA request. Please accept our
apologies for the delay.
Kind regards
Rikki-Lee
PNHQ
===============================================================
WARNING
The information contained in this email message is intended for the
addressee only and may contain privileged information. It may also be
subject to the provisions of section 50 of the Policing Act 2008, which
creates an offence to have unlawful possession of Police property. If you
are not the intended recipient of this message or have received this
message in error, you must not peruse, use, distribute or copy this
message or any of its contents.
Also note, the views expressed in this message may not necessarily reflect
those of the New Zealand Police. If you have received this message in
error, please email or telephone the sender immediately
From: Alan Thompson
Dear New Zealand Police,
Thank you for your response to my OIA lodged on 16 June. The guideline for an OIA response is 20 working days. Your response has taken 42 working days.
I note that the request could have easily and quickly addressed with a simple electronic scan of computer records.
I therefore note but do not accept your apology. This unreasonable delay (22 working days) has been referred to the Office of the Ombudsman.
Yours faithfully,
Alan Thompson
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