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Chief Ombudsman welcomes Protected Disclosure Act review

Media release

Issue date:

Thu 20 Feb 2020

The Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier has welcomed today’s announcement by the Minister of State Services Chris Hipkins that the Government intends to begin strengthening the Protected Disclosures Act to provide better protection for whistle blowers.
Integrity doesn’t stop at the border

News article

Issue date:

Wed 12 Feb 2020

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:

Tue 11 Feb 2020

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.
OIA calculator back online

News article

Issue date:

Thu 16 Jan 2020

The OIA calculator is back online.

Thank you for your patience while we addressed the issues in the previous version.

OIA calculator
Chief Ombudsman announces advisory group of rangatira

Media release

Issue date:

Thu 12 Dec 2019

Chief Ombudsman, Peter Boshier, announced today the establishment of a panel of Māori advisers made up of prominent experts and rangatahi leaders.
Chief Ombudsman revisits Not a game of hide and seek

Media release

Issue date:

Wed 11 Dec 2019

The Chief Ombudsman is launching a new inquiry into whether central government agencies have addressed any weaknesses identified in a landmark investigation five years ago.
OIA and LGOIMA requests over the holidays

News article

Issue date:

Wed 4 Dec 2019

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.
Tauranga and Porirua City Councils in next round of LGOIMA practice investigations

Media release

Issue date:

Tue 3 Dec 2019

Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier has announced a further two self-initiated investigations into the official information practices of selected councils.
Our new website is live. Find out what's changed.

News article

Issue date:

Thu 21 Nov 2019

Find out what's changed or improved on our new website.
Chief Ombudsman: new report ‘wakeup call’ for council leaders

Media release

Issue date:

Thu 14 Nov 2019

The Chief Ombudsman says his latest report into official information practice at local authorities is a wakeup call for all council leaders about the importance of an open and transparent workplace culture – and their accountability for achieving that.
Next round of LGOIMA practice investigations underway

Media release

Issue date:

Fri 1 Nov 2019

Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier has commenced another round of self-initiated investigations into the official information practices of selected councils.
Chief Ombudsman releases opinion concerning Let's Get Wellington Moving letter

Media release

Issue date:

Wed 30 Oct 2019

Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier today released his Final Opinion on a complaint about the withholding of a letter written by Green MP and Associate Minister of Transport Julie Anne Genter.
OPCAT aged care inspections programme information published

News article

Issue date:

Fri 18 Oct 2019

One of the Chief Ombudsman’s roles is to check on the treatment and conditions of people held in secure facilities – places people can’t leave even if they want to.
2018/2019 Annual Report released

News article

Issue date:

Thu 17 Oct 2019

Our annual report is now online and it shows what we’ve been doing over the past year to improve how we handle your complaints and protect your rights to request information.
Annual Report highlights a pleasing year

Media release

Issue date:

Thu 17 Oct 2019

Public sector agencies are increasingly making use of advice and resources from the Ombudsman.
Ombudsman releases Community attitudes towards freedom of information survey

Media release

Issue date:

Fri 4 Oct 2019

The Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier says too many New Zealanders are unaware of their rights to request information from Ministers, government agencies and Councils.
Right to know essential to democracy in a digital world

Media release

Issue date:

Thu 26 Sep 2019

Information Access Commissioners and Ombudsmen from across Australia and New Zealand are urging government agencies to do more to make information available for the benefit of citizens.
International Right To Know Day coming up on 28 September

News article

Issue date:

Fri 20 Sep 2019

Information Access Commissioners and Ombudsmen from across Australia and New Zealand are urging government agencies to do more to make information available for the benefit of citizens.
Inspection finds Tongariro Prison ‘safe, well managed’

Media release

Issue date:

Thu 12 Sep 2019

Inspection finds Tongariro Prison ‘safe, well managed’
12 September 2019

An unannounced inspection at Tongariro Prison has found a safe and well-managed prison, with a clear sense of purpose and striving for continuous improvement.
Ombudsman Quarterly Review - Winter 2019

News article

Issue date:

Fri 6 Sep 2019

Our newest OQR is out. In this issue:
Latest OIA, and first set of LGOIMA data, released by the Ombudsman

Media release

Issue date:

Thu 5 Sep 2019

The Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier has released his latest OIA data, and, for the first time, the equivalent data for the LGOIMA.
Unintended consequences for prisoners as Northland continues with old regime

Media release

Issue date:

Tue 20 Aug 2019

The Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier says the Northland Regional Corrections Facility is persisting with policies that are preventing it from achieving its full potential.
Thanks to those helping make disability rights real

News article

Issue date:

Wed 14 Aug 2019

With our Independent Monitoring Mechanism partners, we have just finished gathering your input on the state of disability rights in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Ombudsman releases report on LGOIMA practice at Auckland Council

Media release

Issue date:

Thu 8 Aug 2019

Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier has published his report into Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMA) compliance and practice at New Zealand's largest local authority.
Ombudsman releases report on LGOIMA practice at Far North District Council

Media release

Issue date:

Wed 7 Aug 2019

Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier has published his report into Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMA) compliance and practice at Far North District Council.
New whistleblowing guide for agencies and submission on Protected Disclosures Act consultation

News article

Issue date:

Wed 7 Aug 2019

Today the Chief Ombudsman published a new guide for agencies on whistleblowing and his submission to the State Services Commission consultation on the Protected Disclosures Act (PDA).
New Opinion published

News article

Issue date:

Mon 5 Aug 2019

The Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier has published his findings on a case referred to during parliamentary question time last week.
Your OIA rights and responsibilities – now and in the future

News article

Issue date:

Wed 31 Jul 2019

On 13 July, Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier addressed around 800 delegates at the New Zealand School Trustees Association’s annual conference.
Training in the Pacific

Media release

Issue date:

Fri 26 Jul 2019

Fourteen representatives from seven Pacific Island countries will undertake Ombudsman investigator training in Fiji next week.
Living conditions for most Invercargill prisoners have improved

Media release

Issue date:

Thu 25 Jul 2019

Invercargill Prison is now cleaner, tidier and in better repair than it was three years ago and general living conditions for most prisoners have improved.
Ombudsman releases report on official information practice at the Treasury

Media release

Issue date:

Wed 24 Jul 2019

Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier has completed his investigation into the way the Treasury works with Official Information Act requests.
Ombudsman releases latest LGOIMA practice investigations

Media release

Issue date:

Tue 23 Jul 2019

Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier has released two more investigations into how local authorities work with the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMA).