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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.
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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.
20 Resources Show all
Investigation of DOC renewal of Routeburn Track concession
OpinionsSummary In my opinion the decision in 2013 of a Department of Conservation delegate of the Minister of Conservation – to grant a new concession to Routeburn Walks Ltd, on terms permitting the concessionaire to increase from 24 to 40 the numberInvestigation of decision to expel a high school student with Aspergers
OpinionsIn August 2009, following an incident where a year 11 student with Aspergers threatened to assault a teacher in the staff room, the Board of Trustees of the College concerned expelled the student for “gross misconduct” that wasRequest for information concerning transport rate estimates in Wellington Regional Council’s Draft 2011/2012 Annual Plan
OpinionsThe complainant requested the Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) to provide him with “a copy of all the background calculations used to create the estimates for the transport rate tables for the Draft 2011/2012 Annual Plan”.Request for information concerning a general surgeon
OpinionsFairfax Media made a request to the Tairawhiti District Health Board (the DHB) for information regarding one of its general surgeons, including information about a complaint and his surgery statistics.Complaint about Council's investigation into a councillor's alleged code of conduct breaches
OpinionsSummary The complainant, Ms Anne Hunt, was a Horowhenua District Councillor.Request for information concerning Police decision not to lay charge of manslaughter following death from careless discharge of firearm
OpinionsOn 7 April 2012 Christopher Dummer was hunting in the Aorangi Forest Park, South Wairarapa, when he fatally shot Alexander Cameron McDonald.Request for information relating to Whanganui River Iwi Treaty of Waitangi negotiations
OpinionsMr Michael Fennessy of Innes Dean Tararua Law Ltd, on behalf of his client, Mr Mike Plowman, requested copies of certain documents relating to the Crown’s negotiations with Whanganui Iwi regarding “water co-management or proposals forOPCAT Annual Report 2013/2014
OPCAT reportsThis is the seventh annual report of New Zealand’s National Preventive Mechanism (NPM), a monitoring mechanism established under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or PunishmentRequest for the New Zealand Localities dataset
OpinionsKoordinates Limited (Koordinates) made a request to the New Zealand Fire Service Commission (NZFSC) for a copy of a computer dataset known as NZ Localities, which describes the location of boundaries between different areas of the country.Request for list of buildings requiring structural review
OpinionsFollowing the Canterbury earthquake tragedy, and noting the ongoing work of the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission (the Royal Commission), the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment (the Ministry) decided to carry out aRequest for legal advice concerning outsourcing contact with taxpayers
OpinionsThe complainant asked the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) to provide him with copies of its legal advice relating to outsourcing contact with taxpayers about overdue tax debt, overdue tax returns and other matters.Making disability rights real 2012/2013
Reports, Disability rights reportsThis is the second report of the Independent Monitoring Mechanism of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Available in full and summary form.Submission of the Ombudsman - Building (Earthquake-prone Buildings) Amendment Bill
SubmissionsThis submission relates to the information management requirements of clause 275B of the Building (Earthquake-prone Buildings) Amendment Bill.Submission of the Ombudsman - Environmental Reporting Bill
SubmissionsIt is in the interests of all New Zealanders to have comprehensive and reliable information available regularly on environmental issues that affect all of us. I do however have significant concerns with one aspect of the bill, namely clause 16, under which the Secretary for the Environment (MFE) and the Government Statistician can veto release of information to be used in an environmental report.Complaint about eligibility of Early Childhood Education graduates
OpinionsBackground The New Zealand Tertiary College (‘the Tertiary College’) is a private training establishment based in Auckland which is approved and accredited by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (‘NZQA’) to deliver a range of early childhRequest for legal advice concerning parking tickets
OpinionsJanine Rankin of the Manawatu Standard requested a copy of the Palmerston North City Council’s legal advice concerning parking tickets.Complaint about the decision of a Board of Trustees to compulsorily charge for curriculum-related items
OpinionsSummary The complainant is a parent of secondary school students. In 2011, the complainant raised concerns the school was imposing compulsory charges for: photocopying;Request for an interim report into a Chinook salmon mortality event in the Pelorus Sound
OpinionsMr Andrew Caddie, on behalf of the Kenepuru and Central Sounds Residents’ Association, made a request to the Ministry for Primary Industries for reports held in respect of a mortality event in a salmon farm operated by the New Zealand King SalmonSubmission of the Ombudsmen - the Public's Right to Know
SubmissionsThe Ombudsman's submission on the Law Commission's Issues Paper 18 The Public’s Right to Know: A Review of the Official Information Act 1982 and Parts 1-6 of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987Request for taser camera footage (subject gave no consent to release)
OpinionsIn this opinion, the subject of the taser footage did not give explicit consent to release the footage.