133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T+64 4 496 2000
3 April 2025
Andrew Riddell
By email: [FYI request #30548 email]
Ref:
H2025064091
Tēnā koe Andrew
Transfer of your request for official information
Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) to the Ministry of
Health - Manatū Hauora (the Ministry) on 28 March 2025. You requested:
“On 17 March the Briefings to Incoming Minister Brown were released - at least a heavily
redacted version was released. Please provide the following in relation to that release
(a) when was the decision made to release the briefings on 17 March?
(b) was the Minister's office involved in the decision on the timing of the release of the
briefings? If so, how.
(c) was the MInister's office involved in any way with the decisions on what redactions
would be made to the briefings prior to their public release, including being informed in
advance for their information and/or on a 'no surprises' basis? If so, provide copies of all
correspondence and communications between the Ministry of Health and the Minister or
the Minister's office on this - this includes emails, electronic messages, phone records and
meeting minutes.
I have been advised that this information is more closely connected with the functions of the
Office of the Minister of Health, Hon Simeon Brown. For this reason, I have decided to transfer
your request to the Minister's office in accordance with 14(b)(ii) of the Act. You can expect a
response from them in due course.
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, na
Jan Torres
Manager, OIA Services
Government and Executive Services | Te Pou Whakatere Kāwanatanga
COPY OF OIA REQUEST
From: Andrew Riddell
<[FYI request #30548 email]>;
Received: Fri Mar 28 2025 08:18:03 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)
To: OIA Requests
<[email address]>; OIA
<[email address]>;
Subject: Of icial Information request - Briefing to Incoming Minister - redactions
Dear Ministry of Health,
On 17 March the Briefings to Incoming Minister Brown were released - at least a heavily
redacted version was released.
Please provide the following in relation to that release
(a) when was the decision made to release the briefings on 17 March?
(b) was the Minister's office involved in the decision on the timing of the release of the briefings?
If so, how.
(c) was the MInister's office involved in any way with the decisions on what redactions would be
made to the briefings prior to their public release, including being informed in advance for their
information and/or on a 'no surprises' basis? If so, provide copies of all correspondence and
communications between the Ministry of Health and the Minister or the Minister's office on this -
this includes emails, electronic messages, phone records and meeting minutes.
Thank you.
Ngā mihi
Andrew Riddell
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This is an Of icial Information request made via the FYI website.
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FYI request #30548 email]
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