Tēnā koe NZ Council for Civil Liberties 

 

Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the
Act) on 12 October 2021 for: 

 

“1. Copies of all the information provided to those people or
organisations outside government that the Prime Minister said were being
consulted on vaccination certificates; and 

2. Information, correspondence, or advice received from the Privacy
Commissioner or his officials, and minutes of meetings with the
Commissioner or his officials, on the subject of vaccination certificates
since 1 January 2021; and 

3. Advice held, or received, on the Human Rights Act and NZ Bill of Rights
Act implications of introducing vaccination certificates; and 

4. Advice to Ministers since 1 January 2021 on police, intelligence and
security agency, or public service department access to information
gathered when a vaccination certificate is scanned or authenticated by a
place that a certificate holder visits; and 

5. Advice to Ministers since 1 May 2021 about vaccination certificates
(not ‘vaccination passports’ for international use); and 

6. A copy of the speaking and briefing notes officials had to hand when
presenting the vaccination certificate scheme in the press conference on 5
October 2021, including any answers to questions from the media that were
not in fact asked on the day, and any ‘lines to take’. 

 

If the Ministry is unwilling to disclose the advice received and provided
please provide the information that you hold in relation to the following
questions: 

 

1. Why is the government not consulting the public on vaccination
certificates? 

2. How is the government upholding Te Tiriti by working with Mâori? 

3. Why has the government not published the advice from the Privacy
Commissioner, officials working on the Human Rights Act and NZ Bill of
Rights Act implications, and the papers considered by Cabinet? 

4. Will there be any limits on who can download and use the app for
scanning vaccination certificates? If so, what limits? 

5. What data will be collected by the app that scans the certificates? How
much of this data will be retained on the app, or will it all be deleted
once a certificate has been verified as genuine? 

6. What data will be logged by the government when a vaccination
certificate is scanned by a venue? Will this include location, date and
time of the scan? If yes to any of this, for how long will this
information be retained? 

7. Will any of the data logged by the government when a certificate is
scanned be shared with any other government agency? Will the government
legislate to prevent this data from being shared or accessed by any other
agency? 

8, Will the data retained by the government be shared in aggregate form? 

9. Will the data retained by the government be shared in so-called
‘anonymous’ form? 

10. Will the government legislate to protect people’s rights by
prohibiting supermarkets, dairies, health centres, pharmacies, and other
essential public services such as transport and Work and Income offices
from requiring people to show a vaccination certificate? 

11. Will the government put a sunset clause in the legislation to shut
down the domestic vaccination certificate system?” 

 

I have been advised that work on vaccination certificates has been led by
the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC). For this reason, I
have decided to transfer all parts of your request, excluding question 6
(bolded), to DPMC under section 14 of the Act. You can expect a response
from DPMC in due course. 

 

Under section 28(3) of the Act you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to
review any decisions made under this request. The Ombudsman may be
contacted by email at: [1][email address] or by calling 0800
802 602. 

 

Nāku noa, nā 

 

 

Nick Allan  

Manager 

OIA Services Team 

  

[2]Ministry of Health information releases 

[3]Unite against COVID-19 

 

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References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.health.govt.nz/about-ministr...
3. https://covid19.govt.nz/

Kia ora New Zealand Council of Civil Liberties 

 

Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the
Act) to the Ministry of Health (the Ministry) on 12 October 2021 for: 

 

1. Copies of all the information provided to those people or organisations
outside government that the Prime Minister said were being consulted on
vaccination certificates; and 

2. Information, correspondence, or advice received from the Privacy
Commissioner or his officials, and minutes of meetings with the
Commissioner or his officials, on the subject of vaccination certificates
since 1 January 2021; and 

3. Advice held, or received, on the Human Rights Act and NZ Bill of Rights
Act implications of introducing vaccination certificates; and 

4. Advice to Ministers since 1 January 2021 on police, intelligence and
security agency, or public service department access to information
gathered when a vaccination certificate is scanned or authenticated by a
place that a certificate holder visits; and 

5. Advice to Ministers since 1 May 2021 about vaccination certificates
(not ‘vaccination passports’ for international use); and 

6. A copy of the speaking and briefing notes officials had to hand when
presenting the vaccination certificate scheme in the press conference on 5
October 2021, including any answers to questions from the media that were
not in fact asked on the day, and any ‘lines to take’. 

 

If the Ministry is unwilling to disclose the advice received and provided
please provide the information that you hold in relation to the following
questions: 

 

1. Why is the government not consulting the public on vaccination
certificates? 

2. How is the government upholding Te Tiriti by working with Mâori? 

3. Why has the government not published the advice from the Privacy
Commissioner, officials working on the Human Rights Act and NZ Bill of
Rights Act implications, and the papers considered by Cabinet? 

4. Will there be any limits on who can download and use the app for
scanning vaccination certificates? If so, what limits? 

5. What data will be collected by the app that scans the certificates? How
much of this data will be retained on the app, or will it all be deleted
once a certificate has been verified as genuine? 

6. What data will be logged by the government when a vaccination
certificate is scanned by a venue? Will this include location, date and
time of the scan? If yes to any of this, for how long will this
information be retained? 

7. Will any of the data logged by the government when a certificate is
scanned be shared with any other government agency? Will the government
legislate to prevent this data from being shared or accessed by any other
agency? 

8, Will the data retained by the government be shared in aggregate form? 

9. Will the data retained by the government be shared in so-called
‘anonymous’ form? 

10. Will the government legislate to protect people’s rights by
prohibiting supermarkets, dairies, health centres, pharmacies, and other
essential public services such as transport and Work and Income offices
from requiring people to show a vaccination certificate? 

11. Will the government put a sunset clause in the legislation to shut
down the domestic vaccination certificate system? 

 

As advised on 27 October 2021, all parts of your request except for part 6
(bolded) were transferred to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet
(DPMC). You can expect a response from DPMC in due course. 

 

The Ministry has drafted a response pertaining to part 6 of your request
and has decided to grant your request. However, more time is required to
administratively process the information for release. The Ministry
anticipates providing this information to you with some information
withheld as out of scope by 1 December 2021 at the latest. 

 

Under section 28(3) of the Act you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to
review any decisions made under this request. The Ombudsman may be
contacted by email at: [1][email address] or by calling 0800
802 602. 

 

Nāku noa, nā 

 

Nick Allan 

Manager OIA Services 

Office of the Director-General 

 

[2]Ministry of Health information releases 

[3]Unite against COVID-19 

 

 

 

show quoted sections

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://www.health.govt.nz/about-ministr...
3. https://covid19.govt.nz/

Kia ora NZ Council of Civil Liberties,  

 

Please find attached a response to your official information act request. 

 

Ngā mihi  

 

OIA Services 

Government Services 

Office of the Director-General 

Ministry of Health 

E: [1][email address] 

show quoted sections

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]

 

 

[UNCLASSIFIED]

 

Kia ora koe,

 

Please see the attached letter regarding your recent OIA request.

 

Ngā mihi,

 

Ministerial Coordinator
Ministerial and Business Services
Strategy, Governance and Engagement
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
E    [1][email address]
 
[2]cid:image002.png@01D43609.296F69C0
 
The information contained in this email message is for the attention of
the intended recipient only and is not necessarily the official view or
communication of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. If you
are not the intended recipient you must not disclose, copy or distribute
this message or the information in it. If you have received this message
in error, please destroy the email and notify the sender immediately.

 

 

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]

 

 

[UNCLASSIFIED]

 

Kia ora koe,

 

Please see the attached letter regarding your recent OIA request.

 

Ngā mihi,

 

Ministerial Coordinator
Ministerial and Business Services
Strategy, Governance and Engagement
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
E    [1][email address]
 
[2]cid:image002.png@01D43609.296F69C0
 
The information contained in this email message is for the attention of
the intended recipient only and is not necessarily the official view or
communication of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. If you
are not the intended recipient you must not disclose, copy or distribute
this message or the information in it. If you have received this message
in error, please destroy the email and notify the sender immediately.

 

 

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]