News

The Ombudsman Quarterly Review (OQR) for Winter 2021 is out.

In this edition:

Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier is reminding people making requests for official information, and agencies dealing with those requests, to be mindful of the need to act fairly, reasonably, and with understanding, during the latest nationwide COVID-19 lock

Ombudsman New Zealand continues to ensure fairness for all at this time.

The Chief Ombudsman and his staff are working remotely in accordance with Alert Level 4 regulations, and continue to accept complaints and enquiries.

The Chief Ombudsman investigates complaints about managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) facilities but he can’t always step in.

Two mental health inpatient facilities have yielded very different inspection results despite being run by the same District Health Board and being within metres of each other on the same hospital grounds, Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier says.

Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier has recommended Macleans College in Auckland apologise to a student it expelled following an incident involving a teacher in 2019.

The complainant was injured at a mine site on 11 April 2018 while doing a demolition job for a mining company. The company notified WorkSafe and advised that the complainant suffered a minor soft tissue injury.

Failure by the Minister for Courts to make and communicate his decision on a request for official information within extended time limit — Ombudsman investigation found a failure to meet statutory obligations imposed by the OIA —appeared contrary to law

A woman who sold her car and left New Zealand in December 2019 found herself at the receiving end of correspondence from a debt collection agency for unpaid toll fees.

Our latest OQR is out. In this issue:

The Independent Monitoring Mechanism (IMM) is made up of the Disabled People’s Organisations’ Coalition, the Human Rights Commission and the Ombudsman.

Some interesting OIA issues are covered in new case notes published by the Chief Ombudsman today.

Parliament has agreed to extend Peter Boshier’s appointment  as Chief Ombudsman for another five years.

In the Chamber, the Leader of the House, Chris Hipkins highlighted Mr Boshier’s efforts to resolve complaints in a timely way.

The Chief Ombudsman joins his international counterparts in their call for documentation, preservation and access to information as governments, businesses and citizens deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.  

We’re helping with research by the University of Newcastle Australia into the benefits of good complaints handling in public sector organisations.

Changes to the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA) which came into effect on 21 March 2019 will affect ‘working day’ calculations for LGOIMA.

Last Friday’s attacks in Christchurch have shaken us all to the core.

To the people of Christchurch and to all those who have lost loved ones, my thoughts are with you. Kia kaha.