Resources and publications
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Search guides, case notes, opinions, reports and other information. Resources and publications can also be searched by date and other options.
Use the search bar to make your search. Then use the filters to narrow down the results by resource type or topic.
More information about the resource categories on this page
Guides
Commonly used guides include:
- The OIA for Ministers and agencies
- The LGOIMA for local government agencies
- Making official information requests: a guide for requesters
Detailed guidance on the official information legislation and aspects of good administrative practice.
We also have guidance on disability rights and protected disclosures.
Case notes and opinions
Case notes are a short case summary, often demonstrating an aspect of a case.
An Ombudsman's Opinion is published where there is public interest in showing the full details of a case.
Reports
Reports include OPCAT, disability rights, official information practice and systemic investigation.
Outreach
Contains our media releases, newsletters, pamphlets, speeches and fact sheets. Fact sheets are published in multiple language and accessible formats.
Corporate documents
This includes our annual reports and strategic intentions.
Projects, reference and data
This includes our official information complaints data, updates on investigations and other projects, and submissions by the Ombudsman.
View all projects, reference and data
Template letters and work sheets
These template letters and work sheets can be used by agencies to help respond to official information requests.
992 Resources Show all
Deficiencies and delays in decision-making process and release of official information
Case notesRequest for official information about patient and staff safety — failure by the Ministry of Health to make and communicate a decision on request within extended time limit — flaws in the Ministry’s decision-making process rendered the decision unreInformation generated under Labtests contract held by Ministry of Health | Manatū Hauora
Case notesMinistry of Health not entitled to rely on section 18(g) of the OIA to refuse email exchange between Labtests staff – Ministry contracted Labtests to undertake community COVID-19 testing on its behalf – section 2(5) of the OIA establishes that inforCouncil’s decision to charge for supply of official information
Case notesDecision to charge $836.00 for supply of information relating to Policy NFL-P5 of the Proposed District Plan – unreasonable charge – Council accepted recommendation to reconsider its decision and engage with the requester to consider ways to refineRequest for school dental data
Case notesA member of the public complained to the Chief Ombudsman about Health New Zealand’s (HNZ) decision to refuse their request for official information about school dental data.Multiple requests for information from Health New Zealand
Case notesRequests for official information made to Health New Zealand (HNZ) – failures by HNZ to make and communicate decisions on requests within statutory timeframe under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) – HNZ claimed to have made decisions within the lDecision to reduce access to phone and video calls for young person in residence
Case notesThe Chief Ombudsman received a complaint from a young person who was placed in a specialist residential programme operated by Barnardos Aotearoa, in its capacity as a care and custody provider for young people in the custody Oranga Tamariki.Request for information about former CEO’s exit payments
Case notesAfter the Chief Executive of Christchurch City Council tendered their resignation, requesters asked the Council for details of the (now former) CEO’s exit payment.Complaint about Accident Compensation Corporation not notifying health practitioners about treatment injury claims
Case notesHealth practitioner complained that Accident Compensation Corporation not providing an opportunity to respond to treatment injury claims before they are accepted was a breach of natural justice under the NZ Bill of Rights Act - Ombudsman considers ACC did not act unreasonably or contrary to lawRequest for late sibling’s medical records
Case notesA person sought their late sibling’s (the individual) health records from Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora (HNZ).Request for grounds in support of reason for withholding information about the Aarhus Convention
Case notesFailure by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to provide grounds for refusal of an information request, when asked to do so under section 19(a)(ii) – Ministry reiterated statutory reasons for refusal instead of giving fuller explanation – ChFailure by Oranga Tamariki to investigate reports of concern and complaints
Case notesComplaint about failure by Oranga Tamariki to adequately respond to multiple reports of concern – Ombudsman formed opinion Oranga Tamariki acted unreasonably and contrary to law – investigation raised significant issues of failing to follow correct procMinister did not hold information on who wrote or compiled tobacco policy notes
Case notesAssociate Minister of Health refused a request for information about who wrote or compiled notes the Minister provided to officials on tobacco policy.Requests for information about decisions of school board declined as the request was vexatious
Case notesA requester made three information requests to a school Board over the course of several months.Request for names of people who wrote to the Minister of Local Government in support of the extension of Tauranga City Council Commissioners’ terms
Case notesA complainant made a request to the Department of Internal Affairs for a list of the individuals and organisations that had expressed support to the Minister of Local Government for the extension of the Tauranga City Council Commissioners’ termsRequest for official information about conditions of prison rooms
Case notesAra Poutama Aotearoa Department of Corrections failed to communicate a decision on a request by a prisoner for official information within the statutory timeframe.School Board acted unreasonably by failing to adequately communicate reasons
Case notesThe Chief Ombudsman found the Cashmere High School Board did not act unreasonably in declining enrolment for out-of-zone student.School Board decision to exclude student unreasonable
Case notesChief Ombudsman investigation identified significant issues around decision making and record keeping by St Peter’s College School Board.Requests for information about smokefree legislation
Case notesThe Chief Ombudsman received complaints from two requesters concerning decisions by the Associate Minister of Health (Associate Minister) on their requests for information about the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Act 2022 and its proposed repeal. The requests also covered information on tobacco and vaping policies.Provision of information about Operation Burnham to the Ombudsman
Case notesSelf-initiated investigation by Ombudsman into allegations Ombudsman was misled by NZDF in previous OIA investigation relating to information about Operation Burnham—additional relevant information identified and released in Burnham Inquiry—Ombudsman ofInland Revenue refusal to provide tracing information for overseas borrowers justified
Case notesA complainant requested information from Inland Revenue about how it traces student loan overseas. Inland Revenue refused the request on grounds it would be contrary to the provisions of the Tax Administration Act.Omission by Civil Aviation Authority to consider the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Case notesThe Chief Ombudsman received a complaint from Deaf Action NZ (a disability advocacy organisation) about the response of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to its November 2018 request to include New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) captions in airline-safety briefing videos.Council decisions on new home’s code compliance certificate unreasonable
Case notesThe Council’s decision that it was homeowner’s responsibility to fix the non-compliance was unreasonable. The Council failed to maintain communication and did not propose suitable remedies.Request for official information about scholarship criteria framed as question
Case notesFailure by the Ministry of Education to respond to a request for official information within the statutory timeframe – Ministry did not process the request as an OIA request as Ministry considered that it required the generation of comment – OmbudsmComplaint from rangatahi about experience in care
Case notesThe Chief Ombudsman received a complaint from a young person who came into the care of Oranga Tamariki as an infant.Unreasonable omission by WorkSafe to adequately consider hazard mitigation for serious incident
Case notesComplaint concerning the adequacy of WorkSafe’s investigation into a serious choking incident at an early childhood service leaving a young child severely disabledChildren in Care - published outcomes of complaints
Case notesRead some of the published outcomes of complaints in relation to Children in Care that the Chief Ombudsman has investigated:Failure by Minister to respond to three OIA requests within the statutory timeframe
Case notesThe Chief Ombudsman dealt with three separate complaints in the second half of 2022 concerning delay by the Minister for Māori Development in responding to requests for official information under the Official Information Act.Request for information about vaccination certificates for domestic use
Case notesBackground On 9 October 2021, the New Zealand Council of Civil Liberties (NZCCL) sent a joint letter to the Minister for COVID-19 Response and the Prime Minister expressing concern about the civil liberties implications of the planned inUnreasonable approach by INZ to the removal of the ability to support a Partnership Category visa for deemed perpetrators of family violence
Case notesIn 2018, the Ombudsman received six complaints from New Zealand citizens and residence class visa-holders about Immigration New Zealand’s (INZ’s) application of the Victims of Family Violence (VFV) visa category.Decision to decline a character waiver and associated visa application
Case notesImmigration New Zealand acted unreasonably in deciding not to grant a character waiver and in subsequently declining a visa application.Omission by school board to follow due process before excluding student for gross misconduct
Case notesA student was suspended by the principal on the basis of ‘gross misconduct’ after bringing alcohol to school and sharing it with another student. The Chief Ombudsman investigated whether the board followed a reasonable process in relation to the suspension hearing, and whether the decision to exclude the student was sound.Exercise of discretion to refuse request for personal information not unreasonable
Case notesA complainant made a request for information about themselves that they believed had been provided to Inland Revenue (IR) by a third party. IR provided a summary of the information it had received but refused to provide a full copy of the information, or details of who provided it.