Resources and publications
Ngā rauemi me ngā tānga
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.
11 Resources Show all
Request for copy of LGOIMA request
Case notesEarlier decision to supply the (wrong) information undermined later decision to declare the request vexatious—request arose out of genuine interest in the subject—while the requester had been critical of Council that did not mean the purpose of his request was to harass or annoy—s 18(h) does not apply—information should be releasedRequest for MOTAT organisational review
Case notesThe Board of the Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT) refused a request under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMA) for a copy of the MOTAT Strategic Review Report (the report).Request for handwritten comments on draft walking and cycling strategy
Case notesRelease would inhibit willingness of Council staff to provide free and frank opinions on drafts circulated by colleagues, or to test the content and recommendations of such documents, which would undermine the accuracy and value of the material that eventuates—s 7(2)(f)(i) appliesRequest for correspondence regarding dog control officer’s actions
Case notesRequest related to dispute some 16 years prior that had already been the subject of court proceedings and inquiries by this Office—request was an attempt to re-litigate already long concluded matters and an abuse of the right to access official information—vexatious complaint—Ombudsman refuses to investigateLocal Authority not unreasonable to hold that right of way issue is a civil matter
Case notesWhether the Council was unreasonable to suggest that a right of way dispute between neighbours was a civil matter—Ombudsman found Council’s advice to have been reasonableRequest for copy of competitor’s licence deed
Case notesFerry service operator requested copy of competitor’s licence deed from ferry terminal facility owner—request refused under s 7(2)(b)(ii) LGOIMA on basis release would prejudice commercial position of licensee—licensee argued that it had originally negotiated licence in atmosphere of complete commercial confidentiality with then port authority at a time when neither party was subject to LGOIMA—Ombudsman considered s 8 LGOIMA and s 75 Local Government Act 2002—neither Act contains transitional or saving provisions concerning information held by private bodies that later become subject to this legislation—request for such information should therefore be considered in same way as any other LGOIMA request—Ombudsman found no commercial prejudice likely and strong public interest in release—facility owner released information.Request for tape recording of Council Committee deliberations
Case notesProperty owner sought tape recording of Council Committee deliberations (public excluded) on his application for a resource consent—withheld under s 7(2)(f)(i)—basis for public exclusion invalid but withholding grounds still available to Council—information on tape recording consisted of free and frank expression of opinions which, if released, would harm ‘the effective conduct of public affairs’ by hampering, delaying or preventing future resource consent processes—no countervailing public interest considerations favouring release that would outweigh the need to protect informationLocal Authority cannot call ‘workshop’ a meeting for purposes of LGOIMA
Case notesCouncil Workshop—decisions not formally made—requirements of the Act cannot be avoided by calling a meeting a workshop—Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987, s 45(1)Request for consultant’s report on potentially contaminated sites
Case notesRequester sought consultant’s report on potentially contaminated sites—Council concerned that information would prejudice site owners’ commercial position when selling land and/or business on that land—s 7(2)(b)(ii)—information already available by way of LIM or PIM request—release would not increase extent of prejudice that already existed—information released on recommendationRequest for contaminated land information
Case notesRequest for contaminated land information—doctoral thesis—information withheld to avoid prejudice to future supply and prejudice to commercial interests of third partiesRequest for copies of returns of electoral expenses and donations by mayoral candidates
Case notesRequest for copies of returns of electoral expenses and donations by mayoral candidates—whether the returns constituted ‘official information’ for the purposes of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987—whether an electoral officer under the Local Electoral Act is an officer, employee or member of a local authority—requested information was not official information—Local Electoral Act 2001, ss 12, 14, and 109