High Court decision on sharing Māori COVID-19 vaccination data

SECTOR UPDATE - Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield

The Ministry of Health respects today’s decision in the High Court on the sharing of Māori COVID-19 vaccination data with the Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency (Whānau Ora).

While the Court has commented on aspects of the Ministry’s decision making in making data available to both Whānau Ora and other Māori organisations, it has not directed the Ministry to release all data to Whānau Ora, acknowledging the progress made by the Ministry. The Ministry is required to:

• Complete its process of making decisions about providing the data, in those areas where it has not yet agreed to provide data to the applicants.
• Review its decision to provide data in relation to those Māori in Te Ika-a-Māui/North Island who have had only a first dose, in light of the Ministry’s publicly announced position in relation to the general population who have had only one dose.

The Ministry is now taking steps to meet those requirements.

The Ministry is currently consulting a number of iwi about data-sharing with Whānau Ora and will inform these iwi of today’s decision.

The Ministry wishes to acknowledge and thank the Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency for their significant contribution to the overall effort to raise Māori vaccination rates across Te Ika a Māui.

Māori health providers who don’t already have access to specific, local data should talk to their usual DHB contact or to the Ministry.

Source: Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield media release

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