DRAFT ELT Meeting Minutes
Date & time
14 February 2022, 0900-1200
Location
GF.08, Microsoft Teams Meeting
Mark Sowden (Chair), Catherine Morrison (minute taker), Kate Satterthwaite (observer as
In attendance
Senior Manager External & Government Relations), Simon Mason, Terry McCaul, Christy Law,
Craig Jones, Rachael Milicich, Lyndsey Dance, Rhonda Paku, Vince Galvin
Apologies
ACT
#
Agenda item
Item 2
Confidential: Vaccination Mandate
Led by
Terry McCaul, Melisa Kappely
Paper taken as
read.
Melisa Kappely (Chief People Officer) joined the meeting at 0940am
INFORMATION
Summary of discussion
Paper summarised update on consultation for vaccine mandate. In terms of consultation
64% were in favour whilst 34% not in favour for the vaccine mandate. Reached out to
appropriately 1300 staff to gather feedback.
Have gone through submissions in detail.
In general, staff were in favour of mandating the vaccination, feedback was that people
would feel a lot safer if vaccinations have been mandated in office.
Those who were against, it was more around the risk and severity of people losing their jobs
of the vaccination mandate.
There was feedback on concerns around the risk assessment being focused more on Delta
variant rather than Omicron variant. That was mainly due to Ministry of Health not having
updated advice or guidance in terms of transmission rates and other information when
consultation begun.
Have updated risk assessment, although more controls wil be coming in place, does not
change the fact we'd be looking at vaccinations and boosters going forward for the risk
RELEASED UNDER THE OFFICIAL
assessment.
Requested for staff to provide their vaccination status voluntary. Over 870 staff entered their
status, of those 7 staff who have indicated they’re unvaccinated stil do not wish to disclose
1
this information, whilst remainder 470 staff have not updated their status. Have reviewed
over 100 pages of feedback on an individual basis.
Questions
Were PSA consulted?
• CPO advised this was released to PSA earlier before proceeding with consultation.
Only responded with ‘we support vaccinations. In essence, PSA have taken a central
approach therefore neither encourage nor deny mandates.
How does Stats support Senior Managers in making decisions?
• We need to provide support around Senior Managers, but also ensure they legal y
know what they can and cannot do.
Does this mandate have a timestamp? What is the trigger point?
• CPO advised each time there is a material change, we need to go back and review
the risk assessment and review if there is anything different. Especial y with any new
ACT
variant.
• If there was any material change risk assessment or policy, would require further
review and would be required to raise with ELT and have further discussion.
Key thing wil be where the decisions are made, and effectively at what level?
• Suggest Senior Managers make the business base, with Tier Three Management
with ability to sign-off/manage through. Essential y, Senior Managers have the
conversations to start with, whilst Tier Three managers make the decisions.
INFORMATION
Advised People and Culture wil prepare paper for People Leaders to assist in answering
queries from staff.
Surmised that decision document wil be passed by Legal and Communications for review,
OFFICIAL
wil contain main questions and responses and be brought back to ELT for final decision.
Melisa Kappely left the meeting at 0956am
THE
Decisions
ELT: a)
Agreed to
proceed to next stage with vaccine mandate as surmised in paper
b)
Note specifical y
in decision document, every time there's a new variant and/or
UNDER
material change, Stats are required to review risk assessment and perceive if this
warrants another review alongside policy.
c)
Agreed that final decision wil rest with General Managers, whilst being consistent
with policy.
Action Points
• Proceed in creating decision document and bring back to ELT for final decision
(Melis
RELEASED a Kappely)
2
