22 May 2023
P Taylor
[FYI request #21371 email]
Ref: OIA-2022/23-0410
Dear P Taylor
Additional information released to you in response to your Official Information
Act request regarding The Disinformation Project commissioned reports
I refer to your Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) request received on 9 December
2022. You requested:
“1. In a document from a recent Official Information Act response from the
DPMC, the DPMC states: "In the last month, DPMC contracted The
Disinformation Project, who are now separate from Te Pūnaha Matatini, for
two landscape reports and one deep dive report on a topic of choice."
https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffyi.or
g.nz%2Frequest%2F20099%2Fresponse%2F76770%2Fattach%2F4%2F4
600004%25201%2520OIA%2520202122%25201563%2520Harold.pdf&dat
a=05%7C01%7Cinformation%40dpmc.govt.nz%7C5b205f7d8b7e4f515650
08dad98e6269%7Ceea6053309ef4b7a94060f38551cc613%7C0%7C0%7
C638061503458477750%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4w
LjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C200
0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Pojk90dz%2BquDRV6O7O1DxpzL1vBvnj13tUsI9t
2RSEQ%3D&reserved=0
2. In accordance with the Official Information Act 1982, I would like to
request all communications, including but not limited to SMS, emails,
and/or Signal messages, between The Disinformation Project and any
official of the DPMC, that are associated with The Disinformation Project
being commissioned to undertake the work for the two landscape reports
and the one deep dive report mentioned above.”
In the light of your complaint to the Ombudsman, we have reassessed the report the
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) received from
The
Disinformation Project that was previously withheld in full.
Given the passage of time, the concerns relating to the release of the report have
reduced. Accordingly, I have decided to release the report to you. Please find
attached a copy of the report from
The Disinformation Project titled “
Differential
experiences of the pandemic, the infodemic, and information disorders –
disinformation impacts for Māori”. Some names have been withheld under section
9(2)(g)(ii) of the Act, to prevent improper pressure or harassment. This was the final
report prepared for COVID-19 Group and the contract between parties concluded
after delivery.
Executive Wing, Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand 6011
4745436
64 4 817 9700 Facsimile 64 4 472 3181 www.dpmc.govt.nz
In making my decision, I have considered the public interest considerations in section
9(1) of the Act. No public interest has been identified that would be sufficient to
override the reasons for withholding that information.
You have the right to ask the Ombudsman to investigate and review our decision under
section 28(3) of the Act.
Yours sincerely
Tony Lynch
Deputy Chief Executive
National Security Group
Enc: Copy of report from
The Disinformation Project
2