News

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.

Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier says it is alarming that awareness of the Official Information Act and Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act has declined for the second year in a row.

Today is International Right to Know Day.

As New Zealand’s Chief Ombudsman, it is one of the most significant dates in my calendar.

Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier has recommended the Ministry of Education apologise to the Taihape Area School community and board of trustees over its handling of a farm that was bought by the former Taihape College and local community.

Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier has released the latest Official Information Act and Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act complaints data.

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.

Complaints about managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) facilities have surged in the past six weeks, says the Chief Ombudsman, Peter Boshier.

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 Ministry of Health needs to urgently improve its oversight of services for people with an intellectual disability and high and complex needs, says Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier.

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.

An inspection by the Chief Ombudsman of six secure aged care facilities during COVID-19 Alert Levels 1 and 2 last year has found they were safe and hygienic but a lack of staff was having an impact on services.

The Chief Ombudsman says two of three acute care mental health inpatient facilities inspected last year are not fit for purpose and one urgently needs to be upgraded.

Inspections of two prisons by the Ombudsman have highlighted repeat recommendations not being met and the undignified and barren conditions of prisons.

Our latest OQR is out.

In this issue:

An opinion by the Chief Ombudsman has found that the handling of three separate complaints by the former Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC) was unreasonable.

The Chief Ombudsman has begun an investigation into how the Department of Corrections has responded to repeated calls for reforms aimed at improving conditions for prisoners. 

The Chief Ombudsman has released his report on an unannounced inspection of Māngere Refugee Resettlement Centre under the Crimes of Torture Act 1989.

Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier has released a series of New Zealand Sign Language resources to coincide with the start of New Zealand Sign Language Week 2021, today.

Work to support and develop integrity institutions across the Pacific will be strengthened by a United Nations Resolution affirming the importance of the Ombudsman role, says Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier.

Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier today released his latest Official Information Act (OIA) and Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMA) data[1].

Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier today published his latest four reports into Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA) practice and compliance at local authorities.

New Zealand is again ranked first equal with Denmark in the Transparency International annual index of perceived levels of public sector corruption.

A new report from New Zealand’s Independent Monitoring Mechanism (IMM) highlights the realities and challenges disabled people faced during the COVID-19 emergency. 

The Chief Ombudsman is calling on the Department of Corrections to urgently introduce more rehabilitation opportunities for people held under Public Protection Orders (PPOs) to avoid the risk of breaching international human rights obligations.

Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier says holding government to account is never more important than in a time of crisis.

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.