Scott
[FYI request #17696 email]
Ref. CHOIA163
Dear Scott
Response to your request for official information Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) on 24 November
2021 for copies of briefings received by my office in August 2021. Specifically, the briefings
you requested were:
“1. Ministry of Health response shifts to respond to the risk of the Delta variant (REF:
20211793)
2. COVID-19 outbreak phases and management (REF: 20211740)
3. Funding the health system response to COVID-19 - report back on health service
expenditure to 30 June 2021 (REF: 20211774)
4. COVID-19 Alert Level public health advice: Auckland community case (REF:
20211889)
5. Delta outbreak August 2021: Interim public health advice on a review of Alert Level
settings for New Zealand (22 August) (REF: 20211915)
6. Approach to managed isolation and quarantine for community cases and close
contacts (REF: 20211926)
7. Delta Outbreak August 2021: Interim Public Health Advice on a Review of Alert
Level Settings for New Zealand (26 August) (REF: 20211946)
8. Delta Outbreak August 2021: Interim Public Health Advice on a Review of Alert
Level Settings for New Zealand (28 August) (REF: 20211961)
9. Risk-based approach to reconnections: Proposed health requirements under the
three entry pathways (REF: 20211936)”
These documents are itemised in Appendix 1 of this letter and copies are enclosed. The
table in Appendix 1 also outlines the grounds under which I have decided to withhold
information. Where information is withheld, this is noted in the document itself.
I trust this information fulfils your request. 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:
[email address] or by calling 0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely
Chris Hipkins
Minister for COVID-19 Response
Appendix One: List of documents for release
#
Date
Title
Decision on release
1
6 August 2021
Ministry of Health response shifts to Released with some information
respond to the risk of the Delta
withheld under section 9(2)(a).
variant (REF: 20211793)
2
16 August 2021
COVID-19 outbreak phases and
management (REF: 20211740)
3
10 August 2021
Funding the health system
Some information withheld under
response to COVID-19 - report
the following sections of the Act:
back on health service expenditure
9(2)(a) and
to 30 June 2021 (REF: 20211774)
9(2)(b)(ii) where its release
would likely unreasonably
prejudice the commercial
position of the person who
supplied the information
4
17 August 2021
COVID-19 Alert Level public health Some information withheld under
advice: Auckland community case
section 9(2)(a) of the Act.
(REF: 20211889)
5
22 August 2021
Delta outbreak August 2021:
Publicly available here:
Interim public health advice on a
https://covid19.govt.nz/alert-
review of Alert Level settings for
levels-and-updates/proactive-
New Zealand (22 August) (REF:
releases/health-response/.
20211915)
6
23 August 2021
Approach to managed isolation and Released with some information
quarantine for community cases
withheld under section 9(2)(a).
and close contacts (REF:
20211926)
7
26 August 2021
Delta Outbreak August 2021:
Publicly available here:
Interim Public Health Advice on a
https://covid19.govt.nz/alert-
Review of Alert Level Settings for
levels-and-updates/proactive-
New Zealand (26 August) (REF:
releases/health-response/.
20211946)
8
29 August 2021
Delta Outbreak August 2021:
Interim Public Health Advice on a
Review of Alert Level Settings for
New Zealand (28 August) (REF:
20211961)
9
25 August 2021
Risk-based approach to
Some information withheld under
reconnections: Proposed health
section 9(2)(a) of the Act.
requirements under the three entry
pathways (REF: 20211933)
