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See the latest news and announcements.

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  • New LGOIMA calculator launched

    News article
    Issue date:

    Today the Chief Ombudsman has launched an online calculator that will make it easier for you, and local government agencies, to estimate the maximum timeframe for responding to an official information request.

  • Statement from Chief Ombudsman regarding MIQ complaints

    News article
    Issue date:

    Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier has issued the following statement on his consideration of complaints about the managed isolation and allocation system and border-related issues.

  • New case note: WorkSafe’s decision not to formally investigate an incident

    News article
    Issue date:

    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.

  • Minister for Courts found to have acted contrary to law over OIA request

    News article
    Issue date:

    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

  • Waka Kotahi waives toll fee after evidence of vehicle sale

    News article
    Issue date:

    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.

  • New guide—The OIA and the Inquiries Act 2013

    News article
    Issue date:

    The Inquiries Act 2013 provided a new framework for the conduct of public and government inquiries into matters of public importance.

    But there has been some uncertainty about how it interacts with the Official Information Act (OIA).

  • Case note on treatment of disabled mother and removal of newborn child

    News article
    Issue date:

    A case note released today looks into a complaint about Child, Youth and Family, which became Oranga Tamariki – Ministry for Children, removing a five-day-old child from their autistic mother.

  • Invitation: disabled people's experiences during COVID-19

    News article
    Issue date:

    The Independent Monitoring Mechanism (IMM) is writing a report about disabled people’s experiences during the COVID-19 emergency.  

  • First children in care case notes published

    News article
    Issue date:

    Five case notes published today concern complaints about children in care, and how these were resolved. 

  • New guide on proactive release

    News article
    Issue date:

    One of the purposes of the Official Information Act (OIA) is to make official information increasingly available to the NZ public.

  • Integrity doesn’t stop at the border

    News article
    Issue date:
    A Memorandum of Understanding signed this week sets out how the New Zealand and Thai Ombudsmen will work together for good governance, integrity and human rights across the Asia and Pacific regions.
  • Chief Ombudsman releases new case note on chief executive remuneration

    News article
    Issue date:

    The Chief Ombudsman has published a new summary of his investigation into the State Services Commission (SSC)’s decision to withhold information about public service chief executive remuneration.

  • Awareness of whistleblowing legislation alarmingly low

    News article
    Issue date:

    Public awareness of the Protected Disclosures Act (PDA) is very low, according to research undertaken on behalf of the Ombudsman.

  • New guides – Commercial withholding grounds and consulting third parties

    News article
    Issue date:

    The Chief Ombudsman has published a new tranche of guidance on the OIA. There are two new guides on the commercial and negotiations withholding grounds and one guide on how the OIA applies to information about public tender processes.

  • Chief Ombudsman welcomes new Oranga Tamariki role

    News article
    Issue date:

    Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier is welcoming the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of children and young people within the state care and youth justice system.