New Zealand Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Trade
Manatū Aorere
30 April 2024
195 Lambton Quay
Private Bag 18−901
Wellington 6160
New Zealand
N. S. Hudson
T +64 4 439 8000
F +64 4 472 9596
[FYI request #26530 email]
OIA 29332
Tēnā koe N. S. Hudson
I refer to your email of 24 April 2024 in which you request the following under the Official
Information Act 1982 (OIA):
‘I am writing to request information regarding documents held by the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) that contain specific keywords related to
unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) including other synonyms, All-domain Anomaly
Resolution Office (AARO), and Autonomous Aerial Vehicles (AAV).
1.
Keywords:
a.
"UAP",
b.
"UFO",
c.
"USO",
d.
"Drone"
e.
"AARO"
f.
"AAV"
2.
Timeframe:
a.
Please provide a list of documents, including files, emails, memos,
or any other relevant records, that separately contain the specified
keywords from the year 2019 to the present date.
3.
Format of Information:
a.
I request that the information be provided in a format that includes
the title or description of each document, along with the date of
creation or receipt, and any additional metadata available.
4.
Further Details:
a.
If the list of documents containing the specified keywords is
extensive, I am willing to submit separate requests for each year to
facilitate the processing of information.’
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (the Ministry) has no record of the information you have
requested that ”…
contain[s] specific keywords related to unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP)
e [MFAT request email]
w www.mfat.govt.nz
Page 2 of 2
including other synonyms, All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), and Autonomous Aerial
Vehicles (AAV)…” Accordingly, your request is refused under section 18(e) of the OIA, as the
information does not exist.
I do note that the Ministry has prepared, or have been involved in, the drafting of responses to
previous OIA requests on similar topics. These responses are publicly available:
•
https://www.mfat.govt.nz/assets/OIA/OIA-2024/OIA-29210-UAP-26-March-2024.pdf
•
https://www.mfat.govt.nz/assets/OIA/OIA-2023/OIA-28693-UAP-5-July-2023.pdf
Please note that it is our policy to proactively release our responses to official information
requests where possible. Therefore, our response to your request (with your personal information
removed) may be published on the Ministry website:
www.mfat.govt.nz/en/about-us/contact-
us/official-information-act-responses/
If you have any questions about this decision, you can contact us by email at:
[email address]. You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the
Ombudsman of this decision by contacting
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone
0800 802 602.
Nāku noa, nā
Sarah Corbett
for Acting Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade