133 Molesworth
Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T+64 4 496 2000
28 June 2023
Michael Fleck
Email:
[FYI request #22980 email]
Ref:
H2023026424
Tēnā koe Michael
Response to your request for official information
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) to Manatū Hauora
(the Ministry of Health) on 2 June 2023 for information regarding current lobbyists from
telecommunications industry. You requested:
“Please provide the names of the lobbyists from Spark, One/Vodafone and 2degrees
who are currently consulting with the Ministry on the safety of new wireless technology
(e.g., 5G, Bluetooth), including those who are liaising with the Interagency Committee
on the Health Effects of Non-Ionising Fields.”
I can confirm that there are no lobbyists from Spark, One/Vodafone and 2degrees who are
currently consulting with Manatū Hauora on the safety of new wireless technology, or with
the Interagency Committee on the Health Effects of Non-Ionising Fields (the Committee). As
such, your request is refused under section 18(e) of the act as the information requested
does not exist.
However, the Committee does have one member from the telecommunications industry, Ben
Blakemore, an employee of 2degrees. His role on the committee arose from involvement in
community engagement about mobile cell site deployment, for which radio-frequency
matters are often a point of interest. Please note, his role on the Committee is not explicitly
as a 2degrees representative, rather a representative for the Telecommunications Carriers
Forum. If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request with us, including this decision,
please feel free to contact the OIA Services Team on:
[email address].
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.
Nāku noa, nā
Dr Andrew Old
Deputy Director-General Public Health Agency | Te Pou Hauora Tūmatanui
