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62 Resources Show all

  • Template letter 25: Consultation with third parties

    Template letters and worksheets, Template letters
    Use this letter to consult an external third party on an OIA request.

  • Negotiations work sheet

    Template letters and worksheets, Worksheets and other resources
    This summary work sheet will help you to decide whether there is good reason to withhold official information under the negotiations withholding ground.

  • Template letter 26: Informing third parties of the decision on the request

    Template letters and worksheets, Template letters
    Use this letter to let a third party that you’ve consulted know your decision on an OIA request.

  • Work sheet for dealing with public tender information

    Template letters and worksheets, Worksheets and other resources
    This work sheet summarises guidance on dealing with public tender-related information, including responding to OIA / LGOIMA requests for such information.

  • Third party consultation work sheet

    Template letters and worksheets, Worksheets and other resources
    This work sheet takes you through the process of consulting an external third party on an OIA request.

  • Information not held work sheet

    Template letters and worksheets, Worksheets and other resources
    This summary work sheet will help you to decide whether there is a proper basis for refusing a request for official information because the document does not exist / cannot be found or the information is not held.

  • Work sheet for dealing with OIA requests that involve Ministers

    Template letters and worksheets, Worksheets and other resources
    This summary work sheet takes you through the process of dealing with OIA requests that involve a Minister.

  • Work sheet for dealing with administratively challenging requests

    Template letters and worksheets, Worksheets and other resources
    This summary work sheet takes you through the process of dealing with administratively challenging official information requests.

  • Public interest work sheet

    Template letters and worksheets, Worksheets and other resources
    This summary work sheet takes you through the public interest test in section 9(1) of the OIA / section 7(1) of the LGOIMA.

  • Confidential advice to Government work sheet

    Template letters and worksheets, Worksheets and other resources
    This summary work sheet will help you to decide whether there is good reason to withhold official information under section 9(2)(f)(iv) of the OIA, in order to maintain the constitutional convention protecting the confidentiality of advice tendered by Ministers and officials.

  • Free and frank opinions work sheet

    Template letters and worksheets, Worksheets and other resources
    This summary work sheet will help you to decide whether there is good reason to withhold official information in order to maintain the effective conduct of public affairs through the free and frank expression of opinions.

  • Charging work sheet

    Template letters and worksheets, Worksheets and other resources
    This summary work sheet takes you through the process of deciding whether or not to charge for the supply of official information, and if so, how much.

  • Potentially frivolous or vexatious requests work sheet

    Template letters and worksheets, Worksheets and other resources
    This summary work sheet will help you to decide whether there is a proper basis for refusing a request for official information under section 18(f) of the OIA / 17(f) of the LGOIMA, because the request is frivolous or vexatious.

  • Publicly available information work sheet

    Template letters and worksheets, Worksheets and other resources
    This summary work sheet will help you to decide whether there is a proper basis for refusing a request for official information under section 18(d) of the OIA / 17(d) of the LGOIMA, because the requested information is or will soon be publicly available.

  • Sample estimate of costs

    Template letters and worksheets, Worksheets and other resources
    This sample estimate of costs can be used to help calculate a charge for supplying official information, and be provided to the requester.

  • Model protocol on dealing with OIA requests involving Ministers

    Template letters and worksheets, Worksheets and other resources
    This model protocol can be used and adapted by Ministers and agencies to agree on clear and transparent processes for dealing with OIA requests involving the Minister.

  • Disclosure: An investigation into the Ministry of Education's engagement processes for school closures and mergers

    Systemic investigations

  • Information fault lines: accessing EQC information in Canterbury

    Systemic investigations
    A joint report of the Chief Ombudsman and the Privacy Commissioner into the Earthquake Commission's handling of information requests in Canterbury.

  • Investigation into Ministry of Education's management of OIA requests about proposed school closures

    Systemic investigations
    This is the report on my investigation under section 13(3) of the Ombudsmen Act into aspects of the Ministry of Education’s management of official information requests about the proposed closure of schools in Christchurch.

  • Investigation of the Department of Corrections in relation to the provision, access and availability of prisoner health services

    Systemic investigations
    This own motion report, unlike others we have undertaken, did not arise from specific incidents within the prison system, nor from the number of complaints we receive from prisoners.  Our investigation has identified that prisoners have reasonable access to Health Services and generally they receive healthcare equivalent to members of the wider community. However, the service is not without its problems and in the future, it may not be able to meet the healthcare needs of such a diverse population effectively.

  • Investigation of the Department of Corrections in relation to the complaint procedures of Corrections Inmate Employment

    Systemic investigations
    Corrections Inmate Employment (CIE) is a branch of the Department of Corrections’ (the Department) Rehabilitation and Re-integration Services group. It operates various industries at the prisons, which afford prisoners employment while they are in prison. Following the receipt of complaints from prisoners employed by CIE, concern was expressed about how CIE was handling prisoners’ complaints. I was uncertain whether this concern was justified. I decided it was appropriate on my own motion to undertake an investigation into the efficiency and effectiveness of the complaint procedures by which prisoners employed by CIE may complain to the Department about CIE and its staff.

  • Complaints arising out of bullying at Hutt Valley High School in December 2007

    Systemic investigations
    This is a report on an investigation into a series of violent incidents that occurred at Hutt Valley High School in December 2007. The incidents attracted considerable media attention and led to wider studies of bullying in schools by the Commissioner for Children and the Human Rights Commission.

  • Investigation of the Department of Corrections in relation to an incident of self-harm at Christchurch Women’s Prison and the issuing of strip gowns to prisoners at risk of self harm

    Systemic investigations
    In July 2009, in accordance with the Protocol made pursuant to section 160 of the Corrections Act, I received notification from the Department of Corrections of an incident of prisoner self-harm that had occurred in the At-Risk Unit (ARU) of Christchurch Women’s Prison (CHWO).

  • Investigation of the Department of Corrections in relation to an incident of self-harm at New Plymouth Prison and the Department’s disposable safety razor policy

    Systemic investigations
    On 11 May 2009, the Department of Corrections instituted a new national policy on razor blades for prisoners. The purpose of the policy was to reduce the number of incidents involving razor blades. It applied to those prisoners accommodated in High Security, Remand and Youth Units. These prisoners would no longer be allowed to stockpile or keep issue razor blades. The aim of the policy was interpreted as intending to limit the opportunity for self-harm by misuse of razor blades.

  • Report on complaints arising from aerial spraying

    Systemic investigations
    In June 2003 I received complaints from Ms Jane Schaverien, then of Auckland but now of Wellington, to investigate under the Ombudsmen Act 1975 the question whether the information given to Ministers by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry was inadequate regarding the possible dangers associated with the widespread concentrated use of Foray 48B in West Auckland, and in relation to the Ministry of Health, whether the Ministry had failed to pursue its responsibilities under the Health Act, 1956, or had abdicated those responsibilities in favour of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. In September 2003 I received a complaint from a Hamilton resident, Ms Michelle Rhodes, in generally similar terms regarding the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. These complaints arose from the aerial spraying operations carried out on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in West Auckland to eliminate the Painted Apple Moth, and in parts of Hamilton to eliminate the Asian Gypsy Moth. In relation to West Auckland these operations began on a comparatively small-scale in January 2002, they were continued on a much larger scale through to May 2003, and were finally completed in May 2004.

  • Report on issues involving the criminal justice sector

    Systemic investigations
    The following is my report consequent on a reference directed to me by the Prime Minister to investigate the administration of the criminal justice system. The Terms of Reference directed to me are attached as Appendix A. By agreement the reporting date was extended to 1 December 2007. I note that my report is to be tabled in Parliament. My investigation has been conducted in accordance with the provisions in the Ombudsmen Act 1975.

  • Investigation of the Department of Corrections in relation to the transport of prisoners

    Systemic investigations
    Under the Ombudsmen Act 1975, it is a function of the Ombudsmen to investigate complaints relating to matters of administration affecting persons in their personal capacity against various bodies, including the Department of Corrections (the Department). Pursuant to this Act, the Ombudsmen have power to investigate complaints by prisoners about all aspects of their detention by the Department. On 25 August 2006, prisoner Liam Ashley died as a result of injuries sustained while being transported in a van with other prisoners. Liam was aged 17, and had been the subject of violence by a 25 year old prisoner who was subsequently convicted of Liam’s murder. The Corrections Act 2004 aims to ensure that “custodial sentences and related orders … are administered in a safe, secure, humane, and effective manner”. It is a fundamental responsibility of the Department to achieve this.

  • Investigation of the Department of Corrections in relation to the detention and treatment of prisoners

    Systemic investigations
    Under the Ombudsmen Act 1975, it is a function of the Ombudsmen to investigate complaints relating to matters of administration affecting persons in their personal capacity against various bodies, including the Department of Corrections (the Department). Pursuant to this Act, the Ombudsmen have power to investigate complaints by prisoners about all aspects of their detention by the Department. At the end of 2004 serious issues related to the treatment of prisoners came to public attention.

  • Report on a complaint against the Southern Institute of Technology by six former students

    Systemic investigations
    In December 2002 I received a complaint by six former students of the Southern Institute of Technology, (the Institute), who in 1999 had been enrolled in the National Certificate in Social Services programme conducted by it.

  • Report on the actions of the Department of Labour in regard to an Official Information Act complaint

    Systemic investigations