Ombudsman - Fairness for All

Office of the Ombudsman | Tari o te Kaitiaki Mana Tangata


  • Accessibility
  • Sitemap
  • FAQs
  • Contact us
  • Home
  • About us
    • Who is the Ombudsman?
    • History
    • Past Ombudsmen
    • Legislation
    • Our structure
    • >Career Centre
      • Current vacancies
  • What we do
    • >Protecting your rights
      • Protected disclosures/whistle-blowing
      • >Monitoring places of detention
        • Inspector powers
      • Disability Convention
    • >Investigations
      • Complaints about state sector agencies
      • Complaints about access to official information
      • Self-initiated investigations
      • Wider administrative improvement investigations
    • >Improve fairness for all
      • Advice and guidance
      • Outreach activities and speaking engagements
      • Training and education
      • International work
  • Who else can help
  • Make a complaint
    • Complaining about state sector agencies
    • Complaining about access to official information
    • >Make a complaint
      • Make a complaint online now
      • Make a complaint by email, fax or letter
  • Resources and publications
    • Search resources and publications
    • >Corporate documents
      • Annual reports
      • Strategic intentions
      • Protocols with agencies
      • OPCAT annual reports
    • >Investigation reports
      • Official Information Practice Investigations (OIPI)
      • Systemic Improvement Investigations (SII)
    • >Guides
      • Official information legislation guides
      • Official information subject guides
      • Good administration guides
      • Disability rights guides
      • Protected disclosures guides
    • >Opinions
      • Official information opinions
      • Ombudsmen Act opinions
    • >Case notes
      • Official information case notes
      • Ombudsmen Act case notes
    • >Resources for agencies
      • Template letters
      • Work sheets and other resources
    • OIA complaints data
    • Disability Convention
    • Convention Against Torture (OPCAT)
    • Submissions
    • >General information
      • Fact sheets on common agency complaints
      • Pamphlets in English
      • Pamphlets in different languages
      • Pamphlets in Easy Read
      • New Zealand Sign Language videos
      • Teaching resources
      • Danks Committee reports
    • OQR newsletter
  • Newsroom
    • All news
    • Media releases
    • Current wider administrative improvement investigations
    • Speeches
    • OQR E-newsletters
  • Skip to content [Accesskey 'C']
  • Skip to navigation [Accesskey 'N']
  • Newsroom>
  • Media releases
  • All news
  • Media releases
  • Current wider administrative improvement investigations
  • Speeches
  • OQR E-newsletters

Media releases

Chief Ombudsman releases report on government OIA practices

Dame Beverley Wakem | December 8, 2015

The Chief Ombudsman has released her report on central government agencies' compliance with their obligations under the Official Information Act when responding to requests for information.  This is the most in-depth review of the Act's operation ever undertaken by the Office of the Ombudsman.  You can view the full report here and the Office's media release here.

Read full story


Chief Ombudsman seeks public experience of OIA

November 2, 2015

The Chief Ombudsman, Dame Beverley Wakem, has renewed her call for requesters to tell her about their experience of accessing official information from government agencies.  The surveys, which can be accessed from our website, close at midnight on Thursday 5 November.  Dame Beverley says "I strongly urge requesters to use this opportunity to provide me with their views, so I have the strongest possible evidence for my review."  Read the full media release here.

Read full story


Ombudsmen's Annual Report 2014/15 tabled in Parliament today

October 15, 2015

The Office of the Ombudsman's Annual Report for the year 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015 was tabled in Parliament this afternoon, which recorded that it had received the second highest amount of work ever and was able to complete 92% of complaints and other work within six months. You can read the full report here and the Office's media statement here.

Read full story


Chief Ombudsman launches major review of OIA practices

December 17, 2014

The Chief Ombudsman, Dame Beverley Wakem, has begun a wide ranging review of Official Information Act (OIA) practices in the public sector.  Read the full media release here.  The Project Summary can be read here. The Survey of Agencies can be read here.  The Survey of Ministers can be read here.

Read full story


Ombudsman meeting the challenge

October 15, 2014

The Ombudsman's annual report for 2013/14, published today, shows the Office is making significant progress in effectively managing its work to make sure people are treated fairly.  Read the full media release here.

Read full story


Disabled people deserve better health and education

August 7, 2014

In it's second report launched today, Independent Monitoring Mechanism of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities says health outcomes for disabled New Zealaners seriously lag behind the rest of the population and is unacceptable.  Read the joint media release here and the full report here.

Read full story


Access to buildings is a human right, says monitoring group

August 7, 2014

In its second report, launched today, the Independent Monitoring Mechanism of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities says proposed changes to building regulations are unnecessary and infringe disabled people's right to access buildings.  You can read the joint media release here and the full report here.

Read full story


New Ombudsman opinion

February 17, 2014

The Ombudsman has released his opinion that the public interest requires release of the majority of the statement given by John Banks to the Police. The statement relates to alleged irregularities in electoral funding donations for the 2010 Auckland Super City Mayoral election. Information from the statement will be released on the Ombudsman’s recommendation, but only after the relevant court proceedings have been concluded, to protect Mr Banks’ right to a fair trial. You can read Professor Paterson’s opinion here. 

Read full story


New Ombudsman opinion

February 12, 2014

The Ombudsman has released his opinion on a complaint about the investigation process followed by the New Zealand Teachers Council.  Professor Paterson found that the process was characterised by unreasonable delays, lack of clarity and poor communication.  You can read the full opinion here.

Read full story


Information fault lines - accessing EQC information in Canterbury

December 19, 2013

The Chief Ombudsman has released her joint report with the Privacy Commissioner on EQC's compliance with its obligations under the Official Information Act and the Privacy Act when responding to requests for information from its Canterbury customers.  You can view the full report here and the joint media release here.

Read full story


  • ← Previous
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • Next →
Back to top ↑

Other organisations that can help

1 2
  • Site Map
  • Contact us
  • Feedback
  • About this Site
  • Accessibility features
  • Privacy
  • Copyright
  • govt.nz