Societal Impacts of Lockdowns
Chris McCashin made this Official Information request to Ayesha Verrall
This request has an unknown status. We're waiting for Chris McCashin to read recent responses and update the status.
From: Chris McCashin
Dear Ayesha Verrall,
A study by John Hopkins University titled "A Literature Review and Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Lockdowns on COVID-19 Mortality" concluded the following
Points to note in the study concluded the following
- Lockdowns in Europe and USA concluded they reduced Covid-19 deaths by 0.2%
- We find no evidence that lockdowns, school closures, border closures, and limiting gatherings have had a noticeable effect on COVID-19 mortality
- The study concluded that lockdowns “are ill-founded and should be rejected as a pandemic policy instrument. They have contributed to reducing economic activity, raising unemployment, reducing schooling, causing political unrest, contributing to domestic violence, and undermining liberal democracy,” the report said.
As Minister please provide any and all evidence, reports, assessment of impacts, cost / benefit analysis of lockdowns that has been carried out in New Zealand?
If there is no reporting then why not?
Please also provide any and all correspondence between DPMC, Ministry of Defence, NZ Police, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education about forecast lockdowns from January 2022 to todays date. Please include any and all specialist teams that might be working directly on locking Kiwis down.
Please provide all correspondence between these agencies about further restrictions to current settings, legal justification, legal opinions, and and all legal work done to justify draconian lockdowns.
Please note the previous lockdown enforced by Police with threats by the military was declared unlawful and against the bill of rights.
Yours faithfully,
Chris
From: A Verrall (MIN)
Ayesha Verrall
Kia ora
Thank you for taking the time to write to Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall, Minister
for COVID – 19 Response, Minister for Research, Science and Innovation,
Minister for Seniors, and Associate Minister of Health. Your email will be
carefully considered and noted and should a response be required it will
be sent in due course.
Ngâ Mihi
Office of Hon Dr Ayesha
Verrall
Minister for COVID-19
Response
Minister of Research,
Science and Innovation
Minister for Seniors
Associate Minister of
Health
Email:
[email address]
Private Bag 18041,
Parliament Buildings,
Wellington 6160, New
Zealand
[1]https://covid19.govt.nz/assets/resources...
[2]www.covid19.govt.nz
[3]www.mbie.govt.nz
[4]https://officeforseniors.govt.nz
[5]www.health.govt.nz
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References
Visible links
2. http://www.covid19.govt.nz/
3. http://www.mbie.govt.nz/
4. https://officeforseniors.govt.nz/
5. https://www.health.govt.nz/
From: A Verrall (MIN)
Ayesha Verrall
Kia ora Chris,
Thank you for your email of 15 July in which you submitted an Official Information Act request as follows:
As Minister please provide any and all evidence, reports, assessment of impacts, cost / benefit analysis of lockdowns that has been carried out in New Zealand?
If there is no reporting then why not?
Please also provide any and all correspondence between DPMC, Ministry of Defence, NZ Police, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education about forecast lockdowns from January 2022 to todays date. Please include any and all specialist teams that might be working directly on locking Kiwis down.
Please provide all correspondence between these agencies about further restrictions to current settings, legal justification, legal opinions, and and all legal work done to justify draconian lockdowns.
Minister Verrall is considering your request in accordance with the Act, and you can expect a response by 12 August 2022
Ngā mihi
Office of Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall
Minister for COVID-19 Response
Minister of Research, Science and Innovation
Minister for Seniors
Associate Minister of Health
Email: [email address]
Private Bag 18041, Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6160, New Zealand
show quoted sections
From: Daniel Martin
Kia ora Chris,
Thank you for your request for official information received on 15 July 2022 for:
“1. As Minister please provide any and all evidence, reports, assessment of impacts, cost / benefit analysis of lockdowns that has been carried out in New Zealand?
2. If there is no reporting then why not?
3. Please also provide any and all correspondence between DPMC, Ministry of Defence, NZ Police, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education about forecast lockdowns from January 2022 to todays date. Please include any and all specialist teams that might be working directly on locking Kiwis down.
4.Please provide all correspondence between these agencies about further restrictions to current settings, legal justification, legal opinions, and and all legal work done to justify draconian lockdowns."
Parts 3 & 4 of your request asks for information which is more closely connected with the functions of DPMC, New Zealand Police, the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education and for this reason, the Office has decided to partially transfer your request to these agencies under section 14(b)(ii) of the Act. You can expect a response from them in due course. Note the Ministry of Defence were consulted and refused a transfer as they have no information in scope of this 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.
Ngā 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
show quoted sections
From: Enquiries National
Kia ora Chris
Thank you for your request for information that was transferred to the Ministry of Education from the Minister of Health requesting:
" Please also provide any and all correspondence between DPMC, Ministry of Defence, NZ Police, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education about forecast lockdowns from January 2022 to todays date. Please include any and all specialist teams that might be working directly on locking Kiwis down.
Please provide all correspondence between these agencies about further restrictions to current settings, legal justification, legal opinions, and and all legal work done to justify draconian lockdowns.". The Ministry will consider and respond to your request in accordance with the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act)."
Under section 15(1) of the Act, we are required to make and inform you of our decision on your request as soon as reasonably practicable and in any case not later than 20 working days after the day on which your request is received. You can therefore expect to receive our decision on your request on or before the 6th of September 2022. If more than 20 working days are needed due to the potential workload and/or consultations involved in answering your request, we will notify you accordingly.
Please note, the Ministry may publicly release on our website the response to your request five days after you have received it. Any personal information will be removed.
In the interim, if you have any questions about your request, please email [email address].
Ngā mihi
Enquiries National Team | Ministry of Education ^MC
education.govt.nz | Follow us on Twitter: @educationgovtnz
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From: OIA Requests
Kia ora Chris,
Thank you for your request for official information which was partially
transferred from the Office of Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall and received by the
Ministry of Health on 8 August 2022. The Ministry’s reference number for
your request is H2022009686.
As required under the Official Information Act 1982, the Ministry will
endeavour to respond to your request no later than 20 working days after
the day your request was received. If you'd like to calculate the
timeframe, you can use the Ombudsman's online calculator
here: [1]http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/
If you have any queries related to this request, please do not hesitate to
get in touch.
Ngā mihi
OIA Services Team
M[2]inistry of Health information releases
U[3]nite against COVID-19
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References
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1. http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/
2. https://www.health.govt.nz/about-ministr...
3. https://covid19.govt.nz/
From: Ministerial Services
Tēnā koe Chris
I acknowledge receipt of your Official Information Act (OIA) request
below, partially transferred to NZ Police by Office of Hon Dr Ayesha
Verrall Minister for COVID-19 Response, on 8 August 2022
any and all correspondence about forecast lockdowns from January 2022 to
todays date. Please include any and all specialist teams that might be
working directly on locking Kiwis down.
Please provide all correspondence about further restrictions to current
settings, legal justification, legal opinions, and and all legal work done
to justify draconian lockdowns.
Your request is being actioned pursuant to the OIA. You can expect a
response to your request on or before 5 September 2022
Kind regards, Dylan
Ministerial Services PNHQ
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From: OIA Requests
Kia ora Chris
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the
Act), which was transferred from the Office of Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to
Manatû Hauora (the Ministry of Health) on 8 August 2022 for:
“Please also provide any and all correspondence between DPMC, Ministry
of Defence, NZ Police, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education about
forecast lockdowns from January 2022 to today’s date. Please include any
and all specialist teams that might be working directly on locking Kiwis
down.
Please provide all correspondence between these agencies about further
restrictions to current settings, legal justification, legal opinions,
and and all legal work done to justify draconian lockdowns.”
While the Act allows New Zealanders to ask for information from Ministers
and government agencies, there is no requirement for agencies to create
new information, compile information they do not hold or provide or prove
an opinion. Your questions and the statements that support them appear
designed to engage in a debate about the Government’s response to the
COVID-19 global pandemic, rather than a request for official information.
The Act does not support requests where an opinion, comment, argument, or
hypothetical statement is put to the Ministry for response, couched as a
request for information. Your request is therefore refused under section
18(g) on the grounds that it is not held by Manatû Hauora. There are no
forecast lockdowns and have been no forecast lockdowns.
The Government has undertaken preparatory work to combat new and dangerous
variants of COVID-19, using methods such as vaccination, anti-viral drugs,
PCR testing capacity, contact tracing systems, and an integrated
surveillance. Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall stated on 22 June 2022 that “lockdowns
and other strict measures will be a last resort” in response to any future
new variants of COVID-19. Further information about this announcement is
available at:
[1]www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government-outlines-plans-future-covid-19-variants.
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: [2][email address] or by calling 0800
802 602.
Ngâ mihi
OIA Services Team
M[3]inistry of Health information releases
U[4]nite against COVID-19
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References
Visible links
1. http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/gover...
2. mailto:[email address]
3. https://www.health.govt.nz/about-ministr...
4. https://covid19.govt.nz/
From: A Verrall (MIN)
Ayesha Verrall
Kia Ora Chris
Please see attached the Ministers response to your Official Information Act request
Ngā mihi
Office of Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall
Minister for COVID-19 Response
Minister of Research, Science and Innovation
Minister for Seniors
Associate Minister of Health
Email: [email address]
Private Bag 18041, Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6160, New Zealand
show quoted sections
From: Information [DPMC]
[UNCLASSIFIED]
Kia ora Chris
Thank you for your request for official information transferred from the
Minister for COVID-19 Response to the Department of the Prime Minister and
Cabinet on 8 August 2022 for:
3. Please also provide any and all correspondence between DPMC, Ministry
of Defence, NZ Police, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education about
forecast lockdowns from January 2022 to todays date. Please include any
and all specialist teams that might be working directly on locking Kiwis
down.
4.Please provide all correspondence between these agencies about further
restrictions to current settings, legal justification, legal opinions, and
and all legal work done to justify draconian lockdowns."
Part 3 of your request is being refused under section 18 (g) as there are
not forecast lockdowns this year, therefore no correspondence exists.
Regarding part 4 of your request, as currently framed will be very
difficult to meet without substantial collation or research. After initial
consultations within the COVID-19 team we have found more than 1000 emails
in scope, and it will take the team substantial time and effort to locate
them all.
Unless your request is amended, we may have to refuse it under section
18(f) of the OIA , which applies where the information cannot be made
available without substantial collation or research.
However, we proposed to narrow part 4 of your request to:
All correspondence between June-July on any further restrictions under
orange settings, legal justification, legal opinions, and all the legal
work done to justify draconian lockdowns.
Please respond by 31 August 2022 so that we can consider your refinement
in our response to 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: [1][email address] or by calling 0800
802 602.
Ngā mihi,
Camilo Ardiles
Ministerial and Business Services
Strategy, Governance and Engagement
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
E [2][email address]
Link: [3]File-List
Link: [4]Edit-Time-Data
Link: [5]themeData
Link: [6]colorSchemeMapping
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communication of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. If you
are not the intended recipient you must not disclose, copy or distribute
this message or the information in it. If you have received this message
in error, please destroy the email and notify the sender immediately.
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From: Ministerial Services
Tēnā koe Chris
Please find attached the response to your Official Information Act
request, received by New Zealand Police on 8 August 2022.
Ngā mihi
Jeremy
Ministerial Services |
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From: Enquiries National
Tēnā koe Chris
We refer to your email to Hon Ayesha Verrall on 15 July 2022 requesting
information on COVID-19 lockdowns. Hon Verrall’s office partially
transferred the following parts of your request to the Ministry of
Education on 8 August 2022:
3. Please also provide any and all correspondence between DPMC, Ministry
of Defence, NZ Police, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education about
forecast lockdowns from January 2022 to todays date. Please include any
and all specialist teams that might be working directly on locking Kiwis
down.
4.Please provide all correspondence between these agencies about further
restrictions to current settings, legal justification, legal opinions, and
and all legal work done to justify draconian lockdowns."
Your request has been considered under the Official Information Act 1982
(the Act).
We can confirm that the Ministry has engaged in no planning or
correspondence in relation to forecast lockdowns or further restrictions
under the COVID-19 Protection Framework in 2022. Your request is therefore
refused under section 18(e) of the Act, as the information requested does
not exist.
Thank you again for your email. You have the right to ask an Ombudsman to
review our decision on your request, in accordance with section 28 of the
Act. You can do this by writing to [1][email address] or to
Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143.
Nāku noa, nā,
Official and Parliamentary Information | Ministry of Education | ED
[2]education.govt.nz
He mea tārai e mātou te mātauranga kia rangatira ai, kia mana taurite ai
ōna huanga
We shape an education system that delivers equitable and excellent
outcomes
[3]Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga
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From: Information [DPMC]
[UNCLASSIFIED]
Kia ora koe,
Please see the attached letter regarding your recent OIA request.
Ngā mihi,
Ministerial Coordinator
Ministerial Services
Strategy, Governance and Engagement
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
E [1][email address]
The information contained in this email message is for the attention of
the intended recipient only and is not necessarily the official view or
communication of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. If you
are not the intended recipient you must not disclose, copy or distribute
this message or the information in it. If you have received this message
in error, please destroy the email and notify the sender immediately.
Link: [2]File-List
Link: [3]Edit-Time-Data
Link: [4]themeData
Link: [5]colorSchemeMapping
show quoted sections
The information contained in this email message is for the attention of
the intended recipient only and is not necessarily the official view or
communication of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. If you
are not the intended recipient you must not disclose, copy or distribute
this message or the information in it. If you have received this message
in error, please destroy the email and notify the sender immediately.
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. file:///tmp/Signature_files/filelist.xml
3. file:///tmp/Signature_files/editdata.mso
4. file:///tmp/Signature_files/themedata.thmx
5. file:///tmp/Signature_files/colorschememapping.xml
6. file:///tmp/Signature_files/filelist.xml
7. file:///tmp/Signature_files/editdata.mso
8. file:///tmp/Signature_files/themedata.thmx
9. file:///tmp/Signature_files/colorschememapping.xml
Things to do with this request
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