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Advice sent to the Minister of Health in March 2026 is listed below, along with links to any documents that have been proactively released.

Briefings, memos and aides mémoire to Hon Simeon Brown, Minister of Health, 1 – 31 March 2026
Date SentReferenceTitle
2/03/2026H2026078310Withheld under s9(2)(f)(iv) of the Official Information Act
2/03/2026H2026078731Minister Brown meeting with representatives of American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham)
3/03/2026H2025076504Meeting with the Public Health Advisory Committee
4/03/2026H2026079001Withheld under s9(2)(f)(iv) of the Official Information Act
5/03/2026H2026079552Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Final Report: Oral item to Cabinet
5/03/2026H2026078284Withheld under s9(2)(f)(iv) of the Official Information Act
5/03/2026H2026078311Withheld under s9(2)(f)(iv) of the Official Information Act
5/03/2026H2026079136Health New Zealand – Monthly Monitoring Summary Report January 2026
5/03/2026H2026077636Withheld under s9(2)(f)(iv) of the Official Information Act
5/03/2026H2026078795Follow-up from briefing on enhancing assessment and management of neurodevelopmental conditions in children
5/03/2026H2026079533Withheld under s9(2)(f)(iv) of the Official Information Act
6/03/2026H2026078116Withheld under s9(2)(f)(iv) of the Official Information Act
6/03/2026H2025076743Launch of the Impact of Living with a Rare Disorder in Aotearoa New Zealand in 2025 White Paper
6/03/2026H2026078788Budget 2026 – Vote Health Bilateral Meeting, 10 March 2026
9/03/2026H2026078653Meeting with General Practice New Zealand on 12 March 2026
9/03/2026H2026079678Withheld under s9(2)(h) of the Official Information Act
9/03/2026H2026079170Withheld under s9(2)(f)(iv) of the Official Information Act
10/03/2026H2026079627Approval to notify the World Health Organization of New Zealand’s decision on amendments to International Health Regulations
11/03/2026H2026078095Crown entity performance reports: Quarter 2 2025/26
11/03/2026H2026078503Draft updated non-financial performance measures for Vote Health
11/03/2026H2026079326Withheld under s9(2)(f)(iv) of the Official Information Act
12/03/2026H2026079183Options to respond to nitrous oxide misuse
13/03/2026H2026079074Meeting with the Smiles for the Pacific Executive Committee
13/03/2026H2026079338Manage My Health Review – Interim Report
13/03/2026H2026078757Event briefing: Cambridge Prostate Cancer Support Group meeting
15/03/2026H2026079263Withheld under s9(2)(f)(iv) of the Official Information Act
18/03/2026H2026077484Withheld under s9(2)(f)(iv) of the Official Information Act
18/03/2026H2026079218Health New Zealand performance report – Quarter 2 2025/26
18/03/2026H2026078037Rare Disorders Strategy draft implementation plan
19/03/2026H2026079861Opening of St George’s Cancer Care Centre – Nelson
19/03/2026H2026079753Withheld under s9(2)(f)(iv) of the Official Information Act
19/03/2026H2026080032Withheld under s9(2)(f)(iv) of the Official Information Act
19/03/2026H2026080048Withheld under s9(2)(f)(iv) of the Official Information Act
19/03/2026H2026078294Withheld under s9(2)(f)(iv) of the Official Information Act
19/03/2026H2026079003Capital Charge Drawdown Request for Health NZ
19/03/2026H2026079834Withheld under s9(2)(f)(iv) of the Official Information Act
19/03/2026H2026078977Publicly funded private anatomical pathology
19/03/2026H2026079141Changes to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations to improve health system efficiency
19/03/2026H2025076772Update on the deceased organ donation strategy and approaches to progress
20/03/2026H2026080142Preliminary action plan post phase 1 Manage My Health review
20/03/2026H2026080117Withheld under s9(2)(f)(iv) of the Official Information Act
20/03/2026H2026079774Regular meeting with Cancer Control Agency – Te Aho o Te Kahu 
20/03/2026H2026079570Withheld under s9(2)(f)(iv) of the Official Information Act
23/03/2026H2026077594Meeting with the Health Quality and Safety Commission on 25 March 2026
24/03/2026H2026080391Meeting with Sāmoa Minister of Health, Hon Va’aaoao Salu Alofipo
25/03/2026H2026080143Withheld under s9(2)(f)(iv) of the Official Information Act
25/03/2026H2026080430Letter to Health New Zealand regarding deceased organ donation and transplantation
25/03/2026H2026080523Withheld under s9(2)(f)(iv) of the Official Information Act
25/03/2026H2026079628Update on costs for supporting implementation of Stats NZ’s administrative data census model
25/03/2026H2026079688Rheumatic Fever Update – Development of a Group A Streptococcal vaccine
25/03/2026H2026078921Options for government response to harm caused by anti-seizure medicines
26/03/2026H2026079521Meeting with the Medical Council of New Zealand
26/03/2026H2026079540Withheld under s9(2)(f)(iv) of the Official Information Act
26/03/2026H2026079695Improving heart health – options paper
26/03/2026H2026080233Withheld under s9(2)(f)(iv) of the Official Information Act
26/03/2026H2026079873Meeting with the Heart Foundation
26/03/2026H2026080081Meeting with Foetal Anti-Convulsant Syndrome New Zealand
26/03/2026H2026080194Health New Zealand Board Members Access to Contingency Days
26/03/2026H2026080644Withheld under s9(2)(f)(iv) of the Official Information Act
26/03/2026H2026078584Joint approach for the procurement of medical devices – Progress report
26/03/2026H2026079066HealthCERT Public Hospital audit finding update and reporting framework
26/03/2026H2026080728Withheld under s9(2)(f)(iv) of the Official Information Act
26/03/2026H2026079021Performance plan process: Key impact areas
27/03/2026H2026080495Round table with Aotearoa Clinical Trials Trust and Health New Zealand
27/03/2026H2026080686Withheld under s9(2)(f)(iv) of the Official Information Act
27/03/2026H2026080629Budget 2026 – Vote Health Bilateral Meeting, 1 April 2026
30/03/2026H2026080166Withheld under s9(2)(f)(iv) of the Official Information Act
31/03/2026H2026080835Changes to settings to the In Between Travel scheme and National Travel Assistance
31/03/2026H2026079393Options for the future direction of the primary care mid-layer
31/03/2026H2026079500Meeting with National Nursing Leadership Group, 2 April 2026
31/03/2026H2026078933Withheld under s9(2)(f)(iv) of the Official Information Act
31/03/2026H2026079232Meeting with the Pharmaceutical Society Of New Zealand
31/03/2026H2026079572Withheld under s9(2)(f)(iv) of the Official Information Act
31/03/2026H2026080849Table of Budget 2026 Vote Health Initiatives
31/03/2026H2026080751Further advice on changes to settings to the In Between Travel scheme across government

Download the list

Briefings, memos and aides memoire to Hon Simeon Brown, Minister of Health 1 - 31 March 2026
( pdf, 134.9 KB )

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Withheld information

Some parts of this information release would not be appropriate to release and, if requested, would be withheld under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act). Where this is the case, the relevant sections of the Act that would apply have been identified. Where information has been withheld, no public interest has been identified that would outweigh the reasons for withholding it.

SectionConclusive reasons to withhold official information
Section 6(a)Prejudice New Zealand’s defence, security or international relations.
Section 6(b)Prejudice any international government or organisations entrusting information to the government on a basis of confidence.
Section 6(c)Prejudice the maintenance of the law (including the prevention, investigation, and detection of offences and the right to a fair trial).
Section 6(d)Endanger the safety of any person.
Section 6(e)Seriously damage the economy by prematurely disclosing decisions to change or continue with Government economic or financial policies.
SectionOther reasons to withhold official information
Section 9 (2)(a)Protect the privacy of natural persons (including the privacy of a deceased person).
Section 9 (2)(b)Protect information where the making available of the information would disclose a trade secret or would be likely unreasonably to prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied or who is the subject of the information.
Section 9 (2)(ba)Protect information which is subject to an obligation of confidence or which any person is compellable to provide, where the making available of the information would be likely to prejudice the supply of similar information or information from a similar source and it is in the public interest that such information should continue to be supplied, or it would be likely otherwise to damage the public interest.
Section 9 (2)(c)Avoid prejudice to measures protecting the health or safety of members of the public.
Section 9 (2)(d)Avoid prejudice to the substantial economic interests of New Zealand.
Section 9 (2)(e)Avoid prejudice to measures that prevent or mitigate material loss to members of the public.
Section 9 (2)(f)Maintain the constitutional conventions which protect confidentiality of communications by or with the Sovereign or her representative, collective and individual ministerial responsibility, the political neutrality of officials, and the confidentiality of advice tendered by Ministers and officials.
Section 9 (2)(g)Maintain the effective conduct of public affairs through the free and frank expression of opinions by, between, or to, Ministers, officers and employees of a Department or members of an organisation, in the course of their duty, or through protection of any of them from improper pressure or harassment.
Section 9 (2)(h)Maintain legal professional privilege.
Section 9 (2)(i)Enable a Minister or Department to carry out commercial activities.
Section 9 (2)(j)Enable a Minister or Department to carry out negotiations without prejudice or disadvantage.
Section 9 (2)(k)Prevent the disclosure or use of information for improper gain.
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