Thank you for your email.

 

Please accept this as acknowledgement that your email has been received by
my office.

 

General COVID-19 information and testing

All the latest COVID-19 information can be found at [1]covid19.govt.nz

For information on testing go
to [2]https://covid19.govt.nz/testing-and-trac...

You can also call Healthline free on 0800 611 116 for health advice and
information at any time.

 

Vaccination

To get your COVID-19 vaccination head
to [3]bookmyvaccine.covid19.health.nz or to the [4]Healthpoint website to
find a vaccination site near you.  

Getting your booster is as important as ever. Even if you aren’t due yours
yet, book it in now at the website above.

COVID-19 Protection Framework

The COVID-19 Protection Framework has been simplified. For information
about what to do at Orange go
to: [5]https://covid19.govt.nz/traffic-lights/l...

If you have questions about the traffic light system, you can [6]make an
enquiry here.    

 

We appreciate your patience. 

Thanks again.
Authorised by Chris Hipkins MP, Parliament Buildings, Wellington

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References

Visible links
1. https://covid19.govt.nz/
2. https://covid19.govt.nz/testing-and-trac...
3. https://bookmyvaccine.covid19.health.nz/
4. https://www.healthpoint.co.nz/covid-19-v...
5. https://covid19.govt.nz/traffic-lights/l...
6. https://covid19.govt.nz/about-this-site/...

Kia ora Mr Bruning,

 

Thank you for your request for official information. The Minister's Office
reference number for your request is: CHOIA278

 

Your request has been logged and you can expect a reply no later than 7
July 2022 as required under the Official Information Act 1982.

 

If you have any queries related to this request, please do not hesitate to
get in touch.

 

Ngā mihi,

 

[1]cid:image001.jpg@01D433B3.8E157340 Daniel
Martin
Health
Private
Secretary

Office of
Hon Chris
Hipkins   

Minister
for
COVID-19
Response |
Minister
of
Education
| Minister
for the
Public
Service |
Leader of
the House

Parliament
Buildings,
Private
Bag 18041,
Wellington
6160, New
Zealand

 

 

show quoted sections

Kia ora J Brunning,

 

Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the
Act) to the former Minister for COVID Response, Hon Chris Hipkins. I am
responding to you on behalf of Hon. Ayesha Verrall as the matters you
raise now fall within her portfolio responsibilities. On 8 June 2022 you
requested:

 

“Please provide all notes, reports and meeting minutes and emails
discussing the bioethics of implementation legislation and regulations
requiring (A) compulsory acceptance of vaccination and (B) wearing of face
covering (mask). This concerns worker obligations and general public
obligations age 12 and older, to be vaccinated to enter certain premises,
and obligations to wear face coverings in non-hospital workplaces, public
environments such as buses and public buildings and in educational
settings. This request is to understand the degree to which bioethics and
established principles of public health were used to support
decision-making and policy-making processes prior to the release of
primary and secondary legislation in New Zealand throughout COVID-19.
Please advise names of all public servants and/or relevant experts who
were members of any bioethics panels; and experts invited to address any
bioethics panels. This request seeks information relating to New Zealand
based bioethics panels produced between 1 December 2019 and 1 June 2022.”

 

No bioethics panels advised the Ministry of Health in the formation of the
policies aimed at containing and addressing the spread of COVID-19 through
vaccinations and the wearing of face masks. As such, your request is
refused under section 18(g)(i) as the information requested is not held by
Minister Verrall’s Office and there are no grounds for believing it is
held by another agency subject to the Act.

 

However, advice and evidence from a number of different disciplines was
taken into account when forming the policies, including science and
insights, epidemiology, virology and public health. Both the Minister for
COVID-19 Response and the Director-General of Health, in making and
considering advice, as well as making Orders, take care to ensure that
they exercise their authority lawfully, including that Orders are made
consistently with the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990.

 

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.

 

Ngâ mihi,

 

 

Daniel Martin

Health Private Secretary | Office of Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall

Minister for COVID-19 Response

Minister of Research, Science and Innovation
Minister for Seniors

Associate Minister of Health

Private Bag 18041, Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6160, New Zealand

 

 

 

 

From: Daniel Martin
Sent: Wednesday, 8 June 2022 11:15 AM
To: [FOI #19618 email]
Subject: RE: Official Information request - Bioethics panels & reports
relating to compulsory vaccination & masking - OIA0746

 

Kia ora Mr Bruning,

 

Thank you for your request for official information. The Minister's Office
reference number for your request is: CHOIA278

 

Your request has been logged and you can expect a reply no later than 7
July 2022 as required under the Official Information Act 1982.

 

If you have any queries related to this request, please do not hesitate to
get in touch.

 

Ngâ mihi,

 

[1]cid:image001.jpg@01D433B3.8E157340 Daniel
Martin
Health
Private
Secretary

Office of
Hon Chris
Hipkins   

Minister
for
COVID-19
Response |
Minister
of
Education
| Minister
for the
Public
Service |
Leader of
the House

Parliament
Buildings,
Private
Bag 18041,
Wellington
6160, New
Zealand

 

 

show quoted sections