19 September 2023
Erika Whittome
[FYI request #23990 email]
Ref: OIA-2023/24-0160
Dear Erika
Official Information Act request relating to the handling of OIA requests related to
COVID-19 vaccinations
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) request received on 29 August
2023. You requested:
“Dear Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Please would you share all the
correspondence on policies, procedures, memos etc relating to the process and
handling of official responses to Official Information Act requests relating to any Covid-
19 vaccination matters.
This request is for the timeframe of Jan 2021 until Sept 2022.
I am requesting all correspondence on policy, procedures, memos etc relating to the
subject of Covid-19 vaccination for handling of any OIA for the above date range.”
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) handles all Official Information
Act (OIA) requests in the same manner regardless of the subject. I am therefore refusing
your request for
correspondence on policies, procedures, memos etc relating to the process
and handling of official responses to Official Information Act requests relating to any Covid-
19 vaccination matters for the timeframe of Jan 2021 until Sept 2022 under section 18(e) as
the information requested does not exist.
I can however provide you with the following information regarding DPMC’s handling of OIA
requests.
DPMC has a centralised Ministerial Services Team that oversees the administration of, and
provides advice to DPMC business units on, responding to OIA requests. The Ministerial
Services team also supports the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), which is
a Departmental Agency hosted by DPMC. The policies and procedures for responding to
Official Information Act requests apply to both DPMC and NEMA.
Please find attached the following documentation setting out DPMC’s policy and procedures
for processing of requests:
Document
Description
Decision
Document 1
DPMC and NEMA Official Information Act Quick Guide
Release in full
Document 2
DPMC and NEMA Intranet (Kainga) page on Official
Email address
Information Act Guide for DPMC and NEMA staff.
withheld under
section 9(2)(g)(ii).
Document 3
DPMC and NEMA Guide on working with the Ministerial
Release in full
Services team on Official Information Act requests.
Document 4
Ministerial Services Triage Considerations.
Release in full
4789722
Executive Wing, Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand 6011
64 4 817 9698 www.dpmc.govt.nz
Document
Description
Decision
Document 5
Ministerial Services Quality Assurance Checklist
Release parts
relating to OIA
responses in full
Document 6
Release of staff personal information under the Official
Release in full
Information Act.
The documents provided here are the most relevant, setting out DPMC’s policies and
procedures for responding to requests under the Act for all of DPMC and NEMA. Please note
that individual business units may have internal processes that they follow when engaging
with the Ministerial Services Team on responding to requests.
DPMC uses the guidance for agencies responding to OIA requests available from both the
Office of the Ombudsman and Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission (PSC). The
documents provided do not have specific review dates but are reviewed and revised
regularly and if necessary amended to reflect the latest guidance from the Ombudsman and
PSC. This ensures that our processes are in line with best practice. Amendments are also
needed when DPMC business units close or new business units are established.
In November 2022 DPMC began a review of its processes for responding to Official
Information Act requests which has just been completed. The process map for OIA requests
developed through this review is yet to be finalised and rolled out across DPMC. Accordingly,
this is not in use by DPMC at this time and for that reason is considered out of scope of your
request and has not been included in our response.
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 my decision under
section 28(3) of the Act.
This response wil be published on the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s
website during our regular publication cycle. Typically, information is released monthly, or as
otherwise determined. Your personal information including name and contact details will be
removed for publication.
Yours sincerely
Clare Ward
Executive Director
Strategy, Governance and Engagement
4789722
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