New Zealand Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Trade
Manatū Aorere
23 June 2022
195 Lambton Quay
Private Bag 18−901
Wellington 6160
New Zealand
Andrew Li
T +64 4 439 8000
[FYI request #19199 email]
F +64 4 472 9596
OIA 28022
Tēnā koe Andrew Li
I refer to your email of 23 April 2022, in which you request the following under the Official
Information Act 1982 (OIA):
On 0855 Friday, a disgusting message was publicly posted on Twitter by the official
MFATNZ Twitter account, suggesting that Palestinian victims were to blame for the
repeated terrorist attacks by the zionist entity on the al-Aqsa Mosque, and that
Palestinians were somehow morally obliged to refrain from responding against terror
attacks launched by zionist invaders on the third holiest site in Islam and the Gaza
concentration camp.
https://twitter.com/MFATNZ/status/1517245771367673856
I am requesting:
1) All internal notes and communications made by Ms Mahuta and her office with MFAT
and other individuals and organizations which related to the production of this message.
2) All internal notes and communications made by Ms Mahuta and her office with MFAT
and other individuals and organizations which relate to the ongoing zionist terrorist attacks
on the Al Aqsa mosque and Gaza, which have escalated with the particularly disgusting
April 15 attack on the mosque.
3) MFAT policy, documents, and messages related to how MFAT communications should
address Palestine, and the so called state of 'Israel', as well as the conflicts between the
native Palestinian population of Palestine and the zionist invaders.
In addition to the questions above,
4) I am requesting the name of the individual responsible for posting the attack on the
Palestinian people mentioned above:
https://twitter.com/MFATNZ/status/1517245771367673856
On 12 May 2022, the deadline to provide a decision on your request was extended to
23 June 2022.
A decision has been made on your request, and you can expect to receive the information
within the next 7 working days.
Some portions of the response will be withheld under the following sections of the OIA:
•
6(a): to avoid prejudicing the security or defence of New Zealand or the international
relations of the New Zealand Government;
e [email address]
w www.mfat.govt.nz
Page 2 of 2
•
9(2)(a): to protect individuals’ privacy;
•
9(2)(g)(i): to protect the free and frank expression of opinions by departments; and
•
9(2)(g)(ii): to protect officers and employees from improper pressure or harassment.
Where the information has been withheld under section 9 of the OIA, we have identified no
public interest in releasing the information that would override the reasons for withholding it.
Please note that we may publish this letter (with your personal details redacted) on the
Ministry’s website.
If you have any questions about this decision, you can contact us by email at:
[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.
Nāku noa, nā
Julie-Anne Lee
for Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade
