Reference: 20210404
21 September 2021
Ross Francis
[FYI request #16558 email]
Dear Ross
Thank you for your request made under the Official Information Act (OIA), received on
30 August 2021. You requested the following:
It was recently reported that, according to Treasury, Covid-19 lockdowns are
estimated to cost the country between $900 million and $1.5 billion per week.
Please send me copies of all information, including but not limited to any briefings
or advice supplied to the Government, about the estimated cost of lockdowns,
dated between 1 January 2020 and 27 August 2021.
The Government has created a $62.1 billion Covid-19 recovery fund. Where has
the money for the $62.1 billion fund come from, and what proportion of the fund
has come from Government revenue via general taxation?
How much of the fund has been spent?
Please specify the fund's spending so it is clear where spending has been
focused and which organisations, companies or projects have received funds.
Without the Covid-19 recovery fund, approximately how many jobs has the
Treasury estimated might be lost?
Please send me copies of all information, including but not limited to any briefings
or advice supplied to the Government, about the estimated number of job losses
due to lockdowns, dated between 1 January 2020 and 27 August 2021.
I have decided under section 15A of the OIA to extend the time limit for deciding on
your request by an additional 40 working days. The new due date for responding to
your request is 23 November 2021.
As you will understand the Treasury, along with a number of Government agencies, is
currently directing resources towards its response to COVID-19. This will mean the
consultations required to make a decision on your request are likely to take longer than
usual. This is the reason for the length of the extension advised in this letter.
This extension will also apply to the time limit for transferring your request, should this
become relevant.
1 The Terrace
PO Box 3724
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
tel. +64-4-472-2733
https://treasury.govt.nz
Notwithstanding this extension, I undertake to make a decision on your request as
soon as reasonably practicable.
You have the right to ask the Ombudsman to investigate and review this decision.
Yours sincerely
Reubhan Swann
Manager, Ministerial Advisory Service
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