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.
30 Resources Show all
Request for list of persons banned from entering New Zealand
Case notesRequest for list of persons banned from entering New Zealand—privacy considerations—public interest in disclosure did not outweigh reason to withholdRequest for results of disciplinary investigation
Case notesRequest for results of disciplinary investigation undertaken by Fire Service Commission and related correspondence—significant privacy interests not outweighed by countervailing public interest, subject to release of an appropriate balanced statementRequest for information about potentially contaminated sites
Case notesRequest for information about potentially contaminated sites—Regional Council held information not known to District Council—privacy interests requiring protection—Land Information Memoranda—public health interests recognised—information withheld from requester but released to owner/occupier and District Council—complaint settled by agreementRequest for a report about the escape of a psychiatric patient from a secure forensic unit
Case notesRequest for report prepared by Capital and Coast District Health Board after escape by psychiatric patient from the secure forensic unit—information withheld—clinical information about patient protected—public interest identified in accountability of CCDHB for escape and steps taken to prevent future escapes—short statement releasedRequest for information about action taken by a university after a student was convicted of fraud
Case notesRequest by journalist for information about action taken by a university after a student was convicted of fraud in relation to applications for aegrotat passes—s 9(2)(a) applied—public interest satisfied by release of media statement explaining action takenRequest for report of misappropriation of funds and fraud by employee
Case notesRequest for internal investigation report into allegations of misappropriation of funds and fraud by senior employee of Fire Service Commission—information withheld to protect privacy—legitimate concern about the expenditure of public monies—summary releasedDepartment of Corrections failed to meet requirements before placing inmate in restrictive regime
Case notesDepartment of Corrections placement of inmate on restrictive regime designed for the most disruptive inmates unreasonable because criteria for placement not met—placement deemed unreasonable—inmate immediately returned to mainstreamDepartment of Corrections applies prison visiting rules too rigidly
Case notesSpecial family visit to inmate denied—decision contrary to Department's national standard—prison agreed to review its local instructions to ensure consistency with spirit and intent of national standardDepartment of Corrections delays prisoner release when segregation order expired
Case notesDelayed release from ‘precautionary segregation’—complaint upheld—implementation of computerised bring-up system to avoid recurrence of problem—no recommendation necessaryUniversity Council cannot exclude public from meetings on basis of members needing ‘free and frank’ discussion
Case notesExclusion of public from part of meeting—adequacy of grounds for exclusion—free and frank expression of opinion not a sufficient basis to exclude the public—Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987, s 48(1)(a)(ii)University Appointment processes should provide better information to applicants
Case notesUnsuccessful applicant for a senior university appointment—alleged procedural unfairness—lack of clarity about processes and rights of appealRequest by non-custodial parent for children’s school reports
Case notesRequest by non-custodial father for school reports of two daughters—father accused of indecently assaulting daughters—father denied charges—information required for defence—s 9(2)(a) applicable, but public interest under s 9(1) in right to justice outweighed complete protectionRequest for information about a victim of crime
Case notesRequest for information about victim of crime—information needed for petition to Governor-General—balance to be struck between privacy interest and public interest in justiceRequest for names of ‘eminent New Zealanders’ consulted during preparation of Intelligence and Security Agencies Bill
Case notesRequest for names of ‘eminent New Zealanders’ who were part of the consultative process in preparing the Intelligence and Security Agencies Bill—request refused under s 9(2)(g)(i) —individuals consulted—in respect of those who advised that disclosure would inhibit them from giving free and frank advice to the Government in future, section 9(2)(g)(i) applied—need to withhold outweighed by countervailing public interestPrison unnecessarily holds inmates in secure unit
Case notesPlacement of minimum secure inmates in maximum security conditionsSchool Boards should record reasons for decisions to suspend
Case notesSuspension from school for marijuana smoking—school procedures provided for suspension for drug use—application of principles of High Court decision in M & R v Palmerston North Boys High School—need for transparency in decision-making—consideration of requirements of s.23 of the Official Information Act 1982Request for list of names of electors whose eligibility to vote had been challenged
Case notesRequest for list of names of electors whose eligibility to vote had been challenged—information withheld under s 9(2)(a)—privacy interest not outweighed by public interestRequest for information about the outcome of a complaint about a rest home
Case notesRequest for information about the outcome of a complaint about a rest home—request refused under s 9(2)(a)—public interest in complainants receiving adequate information about investigations and findings—release of summary of informationRequest for a copy of paper presented to Cabinet Strategy Committee
Case notesInformation deleted from position paper on pricing issues presented by ECNZ to Cabinet Strategy Committee—ss 9(2)(g)(i) and 9(2)(j) applied to some of the information—interest in withholding information in certain sections of the paper outweighed by strong public interest in disclosure—s 9(1)—electricity pricing has a direct widespread impact on a large number of New ZealandersRequest for information disclosed during confidential Ministerial briefing to sector group
Case notesRequest by Opposition for information disclosed during confidential Ministerial briefing to sector group—s 9(2)(g)(i)—effective conduct of public affairs—public interest balancing—accountability—need for transparency in Minister’s dealings with financial sectorRequest for information relating to the setting up of the Special Committee on Nuclear Propulsion
Case notesRequest for information relating to the setting up of the Special Committee on Nuclear Propulsion—given the sensitivity of the nuclear propulsion issue and the context in which the information had been generated, the withholding of the information was necessary under ss 9(2)(f)(iv) and 9(2)(g)(i)—at the time of the review the balance of public interest favoured withholding the information requested—the overall public interest was better served in allowing the Special Committee to complete its review in an orderly mannerRequest for Court Registrar’s report
Case notesReport on aborted trial released with deletions—‘free and frank expressions of opinion’ by Registrar—no public interest overrideRequest by parents for medical records of 13 year old daughter
Case notesRequest for medical records—information about parents and child refused under s 9(2)(a)—during review girl consulted—information released other than therapy transcriptsRequest for advice relating to remuneration packages of executives involved in sale of SOEs
Case notesRequest for advice on remuneration packages of executives involved in the sale of SOEs— privacy issues—s 9(2)(a)—remuneration package released subject to deletion of dollar figures.Request for recruitment video
Case notesRequest for copy of video commissioned for overseas recruitment—privacy of individual officers appearing in it—s 9(2)(a)—privacy interest not strong—public interest outweighs any privacy interest—s 9(1)—how Treasury sees its role and how it presents that image to potential recruits both in New Zealand and overseas is a matter of strong public interestRequest for identity of medical advisers who had provided expert opinion to Department of Health
Case notesRequest for identity of medical advisers—need to ensure continued provision of medical advice on value of medicines—consultation with advisers—with one exception, no prejudice to the supply of similar information or information from the same sourceRequest for audio and video tapes relating to allegations of child abuse
Case notesAudio and video tapes relating to allegations of child abuse—relevance of Family Court proceedings—mixed Part 2 and Part 4 informationRequest by convicted rapist for details of compensation claim by rape victim
Case notesRequest by convicted rapist for details of compensation claim by rape victim—conviction under appeal—privacy of victim—s 9(2)(a)—public interest in right to justice—s 9(1)—summary provided—s 16(1)(e)Request for information relating to expenditure of school money
Case notesRequest for minutes of, and reports to, a Board of Trustees’ meetings relating to expenditure of school monies—privacy interests of the Principal and Executive Officer¬—accountability for spending public moneySchool Board suspends 14 year old contrary to law
Case notesA 14 year-old boy suspended for an unspecified period—contrary to law—student later allowed back to school twice more—the Board ‘reinstated’ the suspension twice more when the student’s behaviour deteriorated—under the Education Act the Board must specify the period of suspension—as this was not done, the suspension expired after 7 days and therefore, could not be ‘reinstated’ at a later time—the Board agreed to review its suspension and expulsion procedures to bring them in line with the requirements under the Act