Stories | Ombudsman New Zealand

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The Ombudsman works with thousands of people every year to investigate complaints and drive wider systemic change. Here are some of their stories.

Getting a $100 refund for an Auckland Transport HOP bus card

The Ombudsman helped change Auckland Transport's HOP card policy and got one of their customers a refund.
Keeping the water on

The Ombudsman helped a family keep its water supply on, following a mistaken debt.
From the archives – the origins of returning marked school exam papers

The Ombudsman helped 134 students in 1984 get their marked School Certificate exam papers back, paving the way for all students.
A council water meter that shouldn't be there

The Ombudsman helped someone whose district council had installed a water meter on their property and was charging them a different rate from the domestic one, without basis.
Getting a lump-sum payment from DHB after misfiled CT scan

The Ombudsman helped the partner of a patient whose CT scan had been misfiled get a lump-sum payment of $10,000 from a DHB.
Limiting the number of helicopters on the Ngapunatoru Plateau

The Ombudsman helped make sure helicopter landings were limited in a remote part of Fiordland to preserve the remoteness of the area.
The Department of Conservation and the Official information Act

The Ombudsman helped the Department of Conservation improve how they handle requests for information.
Learning about the Official Information Act and putting it into action

James and Ishan of St. John's College put their learning about prison reports and the Official Information Act into action.
Improving official information practice at the Ministry of Health

The Ombudsman helped the Ministry of Health to improve its processes for responding to Official Information Act requests.
Supporting the work of the United Nations

New Zealander Sir Robert Martin is the first person with a learning disability to be elected to a United Nations Committee.
School board of trustees and the OIA

Behind every school is a board of trustees who represent the communities they serve. Part of a board’s responsibility involves decisions on official information requests.
Pūhara Mana Tangata | The Chief Ombudsman’s Māori Panel

Pūhara Mana Tangata was established in late 2019 to advise the Chief Ombudsman in his work with Māori.
Investigation into the MIQ booking system

Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier has announced he has started a broad investigation into the MIQ booking system after receiving hundreds of complaints.
Kiingitanga internship 2020

Jacqueline Wynyard-Tane talks about her role as as the Ombudsman New Zealand's first Kiingitanga intern, where she worked in the Disability Rights team.
Te Rōpū Kaiārahi Hauātanga | Disability Advisory Panel

The video features Te Rōpū Kaiārahi Hauātanga in their first meeting. The panel of nine advisors informs the Chief Ombudsman of his work in the area of disability rights.
NZ Ombudsman’s first 60 years in Aotearoa

60 years in 60 seconds - Promo of Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier's new documentary. Watch the documentary on our interactive microsite.
The Kiingitanga & Ombudsman Summer Internship Programme 2021

Watch our Kiingitanga intern Hinerangimarie Berryman speak about her experience with the Ombudsman in 2021.
Chief Ombudsman Summer Internship Programme 2022

Watch our video featuring our previous interns, Charlotte Davis, Hinerangimarie Berryman and George Sabonadiere who share their internship journey with the Chief Ombudsman.
Guidance for school boards on good decision making

Behind every good school is a team of good decision-makers drawn from the community it serves – the school board. This video featuring Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier and Newlands Intermediate staff members gives an overview on how to take the right steps for good decision making
Making Disability Rights Real

This webinar covers the background, role and function of New Zealand’s Independent Monitoring Mechanism (IMM), and how the Chief Ombudsman practically undertakes his work to protect and monitor the rights of disabled New Zealanders.
Chief Ombudsman visits regions affected by recent extreme weather

The Chief Ombudsman, Peter Boshier, travelled to regions affected by recent extreme weather events. He wanted to learn about the issues facing communities and grow awareness of services provided by the Ombudsman.
Kiingitanga/Summer Internship programme 2023/24

The Chief Ombudsman’s Kiingitanga/Summer internship programme 2023/24 returns for the fourth time. For the last 3 years, the internship has been successful in capturing the Chief Ombudsman’s vision
The Ombudsman's Accessibility Strategy and Action Plan

This video shows Te Rōpū Kaiārahi Hauātanga member Mary Schnackenberg’s thoughts on the importance of this work to disabled people.
What the Ombudsman can do for the Deaf community

In this video Lara Draper, a Deaf member of the Ombudsman’s Disability Advisory Panel, answers some of the frequently asked questions that the Ombudsman receives from the Deaf community about their services.