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See the latest news and announcements.

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  • New LGOIMA calculator launched

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    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

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    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.

  • Ombudsman Quarterly Review Winter 2021

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    Issue date:

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

    In this edition:

  • Chief Ombudsman’s statement on official information response times during COVID-19 lockdown

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    Issue date:

    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 working in accordance with Alert Level 4 regulations

    News article
    Issue date:

    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.

  • MIQ complaints fact sheet

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    Issue date:

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

  • Contrasting results for two mental health units operating side by side

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    Issue date:

    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.

  • New case note: Board of Trustees decision to expel student on basis of gross misconduct not justified

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    Issue date:

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

  • New case note—confidential advice tendered by Police

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    Issue date:

    The Chief Ombudsman has issued a new case note that further illustrates his approach to section 9(2)(f)(iv) of the OIA when coalition negotiations are in train.

  • New case note—information about COVID-19 clusters

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    Issue date:

    The Chief Ombudsman has published a case note on a complaint about a request for information about the names of COVID-19 clusters linked to cases in the Bay of Plenty District.

  • New guidance—the OIA’s confidentiality withholding ground

    News article
    Issue date:

    The Chief Ombudsman has published a new guide today on the OIA’s confidentiality withholding ground.

    The OIA says that information must be made available unless there is a good reason not to.

  • New privacy guide and case notes

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    Issue date:

    The Chief Ombudsman has published a new guide today on the OIA’s privacy withholding ground.

    The OIA says that information must be made available unless there is a good reason not to.

  • OIA and LGOIMA requests over the holidays

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    Issue date:
    By law, when you ask an agency for official information they have to respond to your request as soon as reasonably practicable and no later than 20 working days after they got it.
  • Strategic intentions for 2019-23 released

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    The Chief Ombudsman's Strategic Intentions document for 2019-23 has now been released.
  • Chief Ombudsman’s submission on OIA consultation

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    Issue date:
    In March, the Ministry of Justice announced a public consultation on matters relating to the Official Information Act.
  • New complaints handling research announced

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    Issue date:

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

  • Free and frank advice and the Official Information Act

    News article
    Issue date:
    How do we strike the right balance between enabling confidential consideration of free and frank advice, and enabling the public to access official information to support open government? Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier discusses in a new Victoria University Policy Quarterly article.
  • New guides – ‘Good government’ withholding grounds

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    Issue date:
    The Chief Ombudsman has published a suite of new guides on the ‘good government’ withholding grounds under the OIA and LGOIMA.