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.
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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.
212 Resources Show all
Investigation into Ministry of Education's management of OIA requests about proposed school closures
Systemic investigationsThis 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.Request for the identities of members of the public making submissions and PHARMAC staff involved in decision making on funding of drug
OpinionsTony Wall made a request to PHARMAC for information about the decision to fund the blood thinning drug dabigatran.Local Authority unreasonably failed to consult with residents about building relocation
Case notesLocal Authority allowed relocation of building without providing for adequate consultation process with the local community—Ombudsman upheld complaintMaking disability rights real 2011/2012
Reports, Disability rights reportsThis is the first report of the Independent Monitoring Mechanism of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.Request for information about a Department’s employment operations
Case notesPre-cast concrete operation is a commercial activity—s 9(2)(i) appliesRequest for emails between Costamare and Maritime New Zealand regarding the MV Rena
Case notesReleasing emails between the parties during the negotiations would prejudice willingness of the parties to participate in the negotiation in an open manner—s 9(2)(j) appliesMaking or complaining about requests for official information
Pamphlets and postersA pamphlet explaining what official information is, how you can make a request for it, and how the Ombudsman can help you. Available in Easy Read and Large Print formats, plus versions in te reo Māori, Samoan, Tongan, Korean, Mandarin and Hindi. Or, view a seven-minute YouTube video (in New Zealand Sign Language) on the subject of "Making or complaining about requests for official information".Good decision making
Good administrationThis guide sets out key information about good decision making by agencies, including the role of a decision maker, who has the power to make a decision, how to make good decisions, how to give a statement of reasons and good record-keeping.Managing unreasonable complainant conduct
Good administrationThis manual is designed to help agencies and their staff take a systematic and consistent approach to managing their interactions with complainants. It provides a series of suggestions and strategies to assist all staff members – not just frontline staff – to deal with unreasonable complainant conduct.Requests for information regarding ministerial conflicts of interest
OpinionsIn late 2009 and early 2010 a number of requesters sought a range of information regarding ministerial conflicts of interest.Request for salvage plan relating to MV Rena
Case notesRevealing salvage company’s detailed methodology would give other companies a competitive advantage in future tenders, which would be likely unreasonably to prejudice its commercial position—s 9(2)(b)(ii) appliesRequest for advice about SkyCity convention centre
Case notesNecessary to withhold strategy and bottom lines to enable the Crown to carry on negotiations with SkyCity—s 9(2)(j) appliesAccident Compensation Corporation failed to explain reasons for decision made on independent review
Case notesACC failed to provide a full and detailed explanation as to why it declined to make an ex gratia payment as recommended by an independent reviewerCharge for supply of information relating to cycling fatalities
Case notesProvision of readily retrievable information—no remission of charge for supplying the remaining information in the public interest—some information was available pursuant to a charging regime set by statute and the OIA could not override thisRequest for financial information concerning Council’s waste management proposals
Case notesCouncil waste management activities not commercial—s 7(2)(h) does not applyRequest for email communications between councillors relating to industrial dispute
Case notesDisclosure of informal emails between councillors in highly sensitive context would inhibit future expression of free and frank opinions—s 7(2)(f)(i) provides good reason to withholdAnnual Report 2011/2012 - at a glance
Annual reportsThis document shows our Annual Report for 2011/2012 at a glance.Annual Report 2011/2012 - full report
Annual reportsIn many ways, 2011/12 was a watershed year for us. We received and completed the highest ever number of complaints and other contacts concerning state sector agencies. In particular, we managed a significant increase in official information complaints and complaints relating to the Earthquake Commission.OPCAT Annual Report 2011/2012
OPCAT reportsNew Zealand has a strong human rights reputation internationally and we should strive to strengthen this. Our human rights record affects our ability to trade and to speak and participate credibly in world affairs.Request for draft report to Ombudsman
Case notesRelease of draft report to Ombudsman would inhibit the free and frank expression of opinions—s 9(2)(g)(i) appliesRequest for public submissions made on the Green Paper for Vulnerable Children
Case notesJacinda Ardern MP asked the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) for copies of submissions on the Green Paper for Vulnerable Children received from organisations, businesses and academic staff. MSD refused the request under section 9(2)(f)Good complaints handling by school boards
Good administrationThis guide sets out the key ‘need to know’ information about good complaints handling by school boards. It also explains the Ombudsman’s role in relation to complaints about the administrative conduct of schools.Local authority events funding
Official informationThis guide sets out principles applying to requests for information about events funding by local authorities, including the reasons for withholding and the public interest in release.Request for draft audit report in relation to hospice
Case notesAudit still in process and at the draft reporting phases—s 9(2)(ba)(i) and 9(2)(ba)(ii) provide good reason to withhold—limited distribution of confidential drafts for comment has long been considered a sound administrative practice in the public sector—public interest met through disclosure of final audit reportCharge for supply of information about a hospice
Case notesUnreasonable to refuse request after earlier deciding to supply information subject to a chargeCharge for supply of building information
Case notes$0.45 per page photocopying charge unreasonableRequest for information about assessment of community organisation as approved community service
Case notesSection 9(2)(a) OIA did not apply to correspondence from the chair of the community organisation—the fact that a person signed a letter does not necessarily make that letter personal information about them—signatory was acting in his professional capaciInvestigation of the Department of Corrections in relation to the provision, access and availability of prisoner health services
Systemic investigationsThis 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.Request for transport rates, cost and revenues per route
Case notesCost per route to the Council not protected by s 7(2)(b)(ii)—any prejudice would not be unreasonable—s 7(2)(b)(ii) applies to revenue per route—this would reveal operators’ tender strategies, thereby prejudicing their ability to participate competitively in future tendersStatement of Intent 2012/15
Strategic intentionsThis statement of intent sets out the nature and scope of our functions, the strategic direction of our organisation, what we are hoping to achieve, and some key measures.Request for taser camera footage (subjects gave consent to release)
OpinionsIn this opinion, the subjects of the footage gave written confirmation that they were happy for the footage to be released.Request for investigation report relating to a personal grievance
Case notesSections 9(2)(a) and 9(2)(ba)(i) and (ii) OIA applied—privacy and confidentiality in employment context—express obligation of confidence to parties and other contributors—release would be likely to prejudice the future supply of information needed to de