New Zealand’s official information legislation is a powerful tool for people to access government information and participate in our democracy. People can request information from Ministers and government agencies under the Official Information Act (OIA) and Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMA). When requested, information must be provided unless there is good reason not to.
If you are unhappy with the processing or final response on your request, including any delay, you can complain to the Ombudsman. You can contact us through our online complaint form.
Some people are choosing to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help them draft complaints to us. There are risks in using AI when making complaints. It must be used responsibly.
AI can help to summarise, organise and refine information. However, AI does not get it right all the time. If you want to use AI in making a complaint, we have some practical advice to help you get the most out of AI while also avoiding some common problems.
AI is a developing area, and we will update this guide from time to time.
Remember—you don’t need to use AI to make a complaint to us. Please see our guidance on making complaints for further information.
Please also see our guide Practical advice on AI for requesters.