[UNCLASSIFIED]

 

Thank you for your email.

 

We advise that New Zealanders do not travel overseas at this time due to
the COVID-19 pandemic, associated health risks and travel restrictions.
This do not travel advisory (level 4 of 4) applies to all destinations
except Australia and the Cook Islands. See the [1]SafeTravel website for
more information, including advice for those who are staying put and steps
you should take if you still want to try to return home. We encourage all
New Zealanders overseas to register their details with SafeTravel for
important updates.

 

New Zealanders seeking consular assistance overseas can contact their
nearest New Zealand Embassy or Consulate. Contact details are listed in
each country page on the SafeTravel website. For urgent consular
assistance after-hours, please contact +64 99 20 20 20 (monitored 24
hours).

For enquiries regarding:

·           Managed Isolation and Quarantine – Detailed information can be
found at: [2]https://www.miq.govt.nz.

·           Consular issues - or if you are a New Zealand citizen overseas
needing assistance, email: [email address].

·           New Zealand Scholarships - Use the scholarships enquiries form
available at: [3]https://scholarship.force.com/CommunityF....

·           MFAT Vacancies - visit our website at:
[4]https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/about-us/wor....

·           MFAT Graduate Programme - email:
[email address].

·           New Zealand visas and asylum enquiries - visit the Immigration
New Zealand website at: [5]https://www.immigration.govt.nz/.

·           Visas for other countries - contact the relevant foreign
representative to New Zealand. A full list is available at
[6]https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/embassies/.

·           New Zealand passports - visit the Internal Affairs website at:
[7]www.passports.govt.nz.

·           New Zealand citizenship - visit the Internal Affairs website
at: [8]www.dia.govt.nz/New-Zealand-citizenship.

·           Authentication of documents and Apostilles - visit the
Internal Affairs website at: [9]www.dia.govt.nz/document-authentication.

·           Bringing goods into New Zealand - visit the New Zealand
Customs website at: [10]www.customs.govt.nz.

·           NZ suppliers or companies - visit the New Zealand Trade and
Enterprise website at: [11]www.nzte.govt.nz.

·           To attest fingerprints - visit
[12]https://www.police.govt.nz/faq/having-fi...

·           For New Zealand police certificate/clearance - visit
[13]https://www.police.govt.nz/faq/how-do-i-...
 

For all other enquiries, you will receive a response in due course.  

 

Kind regards,

 

 

MFAT ENQUIRIES

New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade | Manatû Aorere

195 Lambton Quay, Private Bag 18901
Wellington 6160

New Zealand

[14]www.mfat.govt.nz | [15]www.safetravel.govt.nz

 

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[UNCLASSIFIED]

Kia ora Scott,

 

 

Thank you for your OIA request received on 13 December 2021 for:

 

1) All emails between High Commissioner to the Solomon Islands Georgina
Roberts and MFAT staff in New Zealand

2) All emails between Deputy High Commissioner to the Solomon Islands
Hannah van Voorthuysen and MFAT staff in New Zealand

3) All cables between Honiara Post and Wellington

 

 

This email confirms receipt of your request and advises that we will
respond to it as soon as reasonably practicable, and in terms of the
timeframes and requirements of the OIA. Please note, the period between 25
December to 15 January, are not considered working days, as set out in
section 2(1) of the OIA. 

 

We will do our best to make decisions on your OIA request as soon as
practicably possible, and to keep you informed of progress if there are
likely to be delays.

For your information, the Chief Ombudsman has published updated guidance
on OIA requests during the COVID-19 emergency:

• Chief Ombudsman’s statement on official information response times
during COVID-19 lockdown(external link)

• FAQs about official information requests during COVID-19

 

Please note that our response letter to you (with your personal details
redacted), and any enclosed documents, may be published on the Ministry’s
website.

 

Ngâ mihi

 

Executive Services Division

New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade | Manatû Aorere

 

 

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[UNCLASSIFIED]

Tēnā koe Scott

I am writing concerning your OIA request below. This email is to advise that we will need to extend the time limit for responding to you by 25 working days, to 8 March 2022. This is because consultations necessary to make a decision on your request are such that a proper response cannot reasonably be made within the original time frame (section 15A(1)(a) of the OIA refers).

However, if this process is completed before 8 March 2022, the response will be sent to you as soon as possible. If you have any questions, you can contact us by email at: DM [email address]. You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision by contacting www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.

Ngā mihi

Executive Services Division
New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade | Manatū Aorere

195 Lambton Quay, Private Bag 18901, Wellington 5045, New Zealand
www.mfat.govt.nz | www.safetravel.govt.nz

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[UNCLASSIFIED]

Tēnā koe Scott

Please see the attached letter concerning your OIA request.

Ngā mihi

Executive Services Division
New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade | Manatū Aorere

195 Lambton Quay, Private Bag 18901, Wellington 5045, New Zealand www.mfat.govt.nz | www.safetravel.govt.nz

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[UNCLASSIFIED]

Kia ora Scott

 

Thank you for your OIA request received on 15 April 2022 for:

I would like to request copies of all Formal Messages between Honiara Post
and Wellington, dated since 18 March 2022.

 

This email confirms receipt of your request and advises that we will
respond to it as soon as reasonably practicable, and in terms of the
timeframes and requirements of the OIA.

 

Please also be advised that the organisational impacts of implementing the
COVID-19 Protection Framework, together with the Ministry’s leadership of
the Government's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, mean that we
may have reduced capacity to process OIA requests. We will do our best to
make decisions on your OIA request as soon as practicably possible, and to
keep you informed of progress if there are likely to be delays.

 

For your information, the Chief Ombudsman has published updated guidance
on OIA requests during this time:

·       [1]Chief Ombudsman's statement on official information response
times during implementation of the COVID-19 Protection Framework

·       [2]FAQs about official information requests during COVID-19

 

Please note that our response letter to you (with your personal details
redacted), and any enclosed documents, may be published on the Ministry’s
website.

 

Ngā mihi

 

Executive Services Division
New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade | Manatū Aorere

 

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[UNCLASSIFIED]

Tēnā koe Scott

I am writing concerning your Official Information Act request below. In our initial scoping exercise, we have identified that the formal messages in this time period either relate to one of a few key topics, or are exchanged in the course of normal diplomatic business.

To assist us in providing you with information which is of interest to you, could you please specify if you are seeking formal messages concerning a certain topic.

Please note that in interpreting your request, we have considered formal messages where Honiara Post and Wellington recipients are copied in, rather than being the key recipients, to be out of scope.
Considering the above stated formal messages in scope would capture a significant volume of information. As such, it would be likely that your request will be refused under section 18(f) of the OIA, as it would require substantial collation and research.

Please confirm if you are able to refine your request by specifying a topic to which the formal messages you are seeking relate, by 3 May 2022. If we do not hear from you, we will proceed with your original request.

Ngā mihi

Executive Services Division
New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade | Manatū Aorere

195 Lambton Quay, Private Bag 18901, Wellington 5045, New Zealand
www.mfat.govt.nz | www.safetravel.govt.nz

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[UNCLASSIFIED]

Tēnā koe Scott

I am writing concerning your OIA request below. This email is to advise that we will need to extend the time limit for responding to you by 30 working days, to 7 July 2022. This is because consultations necessary to make a decision on your request are such that a proper response cannot reasonably be made within the original time frame (section 15A(1)(b) of the OIA refers). Additionally, responding to your amended request still necessitates review of a large quantity of information, and meeting the original time limit would unreasonably interfere with the operations of the Ministry (section 15A(1)(a) of the OIA refers.

However, if this process is completed before 7 July 2022, the response will be sent to you as soon as possible.

Please also be advised that the organisational impacts of implementing the COVID-19 Protection Framework, together with the Ministry’s leadership of the Government's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, mean that we may have reduced capacity to process OIA requests. We will do our best to make decisions on your OIA request as soon as practicably possible, and to keep you informed of progress if there are likely to be delays.

For your information, the Chief Ombudsman has published updated guidance on OIA requests during this time:
•Chief Ombudsman's statement on official information response times during implementation of the COVID-19 Protection Framework
•FAQs about official information requests during COVID-19

If you have any questions, you can contact us by email at: DM [email address]. You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision by contacting www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.

Ngā mihi

Executive Services Division
New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade | Manatū Aorere

195 Lambton Quay, Private Bag 18901, Wellington 5045, New Zealand
www.mfat.govt.nz | www.safetravel.govt.nz

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[UNCLASSIFIED]

Tēnā koe Scott

Please see the attached letter concerning your OIA request.

Ngā mihi

Executive Services Division
New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade | Manatū Aorere

195 Lambton Quay, Private Bag 18901, Wellington 5045, New Zealand
www.mfat.govt.nz | www.safetravel.govt.nz

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