Ombudsman launches new Official Information Practice Investigations

The Office of the Ombudsman has begun another of its regular investigations reviewing the Official Information Act practices and capabilities of government agencies.

Five agencies have been selected for the latest round of investigations. They are the Ministry for Regulation, Ministry for the Environment, Ministry for Primary Industries, Inland Revenue and the Civil Aviation Authority.

The agencies are a mix of function and size, and include a new agency and a crown entity, which represents a cross section of the public sector.

The investigation will cover how each agency works to achieve the requirements and purposes of the OIA through two key areas:  leadership and culture and performance monitoring and learning.

Targeting leadership and performance can help to identify how effectively leaders are driving improvements and innovation in their OIA practice. This approach supports stewardship of an agency’s official information system while maintaining public trust.

The Ombudsman has an ongoing programme of investigations into public sector official information practices.

The last investigations into the public sector looked at the timeliness practices of seven agencies.