Measures protecting public health and safety – request to New Zealand Police for video footage of tasered goat

New Zealand Police (Police) received a request from a journalist for video footage of an incident in December 2016 during which a goat was tasered.

Although releasing copies of still images and offering to make the material available for viewing by the requester, Police refused to provide a copy of the full video. Police explained that it was considered necessary to withhold the information to “avoid prejudice to measures protecting the health or safety of members of the public” pursuant to section 9(2)(c) of the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA), due to the distressing nature of the footage.

However, the Chief Ombudsman did not consider that release of the material would prejudice a “measure” within the meaning of section 9(2)(c). Having considered the provisional opinion of the Chief Ombudsman, Police revised the original decision and released the footage to the requester.

This case note is published under the authority of the Ombudsmen Rules 1989 opens page in this tab. It sets out an Ombudsman’s view on the facts of a particular case. It should not be taken as establishing any legal precedent that would bind an Ombudsman in future.