9 November 2021
Harold
[FYI request #16724 email]
Ref: OIA-2021/22-0263
Dear Harold
Official Information Act request relating to COVID-19 vaccine certificates for domestic
use
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) request received on 13 September
2021. You requested:
“1) Copies of all briefings to Cabinet or any minister that deal with the topic of COVID-
19
vaccine
certificates
for
domestic
use,
dated
since
9
April.
2) Copies of all other reports generated by DPMC that deal with the topic of
COVID-19 vaccine certificates for domestic use, dated since 9 April.”
I refer to the letter dated 27 September 2021 from the Department of the Prime Minister and
Cabinet (DPMC) advising that part one of your request was transferred to the Minister for
COVID-19 Response, Hon Chris Hipkins. You can expect a response from the Minister
regarding the information within scope of this part of your request in late November 2021.
Regarding part two of your request, on 11 October 2021 the time frame for responding to
your request was extended under section 15A of the Act by 20 working days because it
necessitated consultations to be undertaken before a decision could be made on the request.
Following this extension, I am now in a position to respond.
I advise that DPMC holds no information relating to COVID-19 vaccine certificates for
domestic use, other than those that have been provided to Ministers. Therefore, I am
refusing part two of your request under section 18(e) of the Act as the document alleged to
contain the information requested does not exist.
You have the right to ask the Ombudsman to investigate and review my decision under
section 28(3) of the Act.
We do not intend to publish this response on the Department of the Prime Minister and
Cabinet’s website.
Yours sincerely
Ruth Fairhall
Head of Strategy & Policy, COVID-19 Group
Executive Wing, Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand 6011
4447363
64 4 817 9698 www.dpmc.govt.nz