Request for information held by Abortion Supervisory Committee concerning Court judgment and harassment of medical staff and patients

In October and December 2012 Mr Ken Orr of Right to Life New Zealand Inc. made requests to the Abortion Supervisory Committee (ASC) for:

• correspondence relating to the judgment in RTL v The Abortion Supervisory Committee SC 73/2011 [2012] 68; and

• correspondence between the ASC and District Health Boards regarding harassment.

The ASC refused both requests under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA).

In my opinion:

• sections 9(2)(h) and 9(2)(g)(i) of the OIA do not apply to the correspondence relating to the judgment, apart from two short passages; and

• there is good reason under the OIA to refuse the request for correspondence regarding harassment pursuant to section 9(2)(ba)(i) of the OIA.

I recommend that the ASC release the Deputy Solicitor-General’s letter of 13 August 2012, with two passages redacted.