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  • Request for CAA investigation report on Minister’s airport security breach

    Case notes
    Section 9(2)(a) OIA applied to information that would identify Minister’s staff—s 9(2)(a) did not apply to non-sensitive information about actions that occurred in a public place, or to the name of the Investigator—s 6(c) did not apply to information su
  • Request for affidavits relied on to establish diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

    Case notes
    Section 9(2)(a) OIA applied—strong privacy interest in information about childhood, family life and health—privacy interest not extinguished by prior disclosure of certain information in court—no public interest override
  • Request for draft terms of reference for an inquiry

    Case notes
    Draft terms of reference largely the same as publicly available final ones—release would not inhibit the future free and frank expression of opinion or provision of advice to the Prime Minister—s 9(2)(g)(i) did not apply
  • Request for evaluation and audit reports regarding extended supervision orders

    Case notes
    Evaluation report comprised largely academic material and statistical analysis—9(2)(g)(i) did not apply—audit report had been submitted to senior management but marked as draft—disclosure of majority not likely to prejudice future exchange of free and frank opinions—significant public interest considerations in favour of disclosure—audit report released with deletion of names and detailed findings relating to individual service providers
  • Request for briefing notes relating to state visits

    Case notes
    Inspection on conditions in order to identify the documents required provided means of resolving s 18(f) refusal
  • Request for DHB Commissioner’s draft work plan

    Case notes
    Release of draft work plan would likely result in reluctance by staff to draft and consult on document—components of plan, once confirmed, were to be included in the 2016/17 annual plan—s 9(2)(g)(i) provided good reason to withhold
  • Request for draft financial performance analysis

    Case notes
    Draft financial performance analysis prepared by Alma Consulting—s 9(2)(g)(i) did not apply— strong public interest in release
  • Request for information by father relating to school suspension of son

    Case notes
    Request by non-custodial father for information relating to his son’s suspension refused in order to protect son’s privacy—weight to be accorded to privacy vis-à-vis school’s obligations of disclosure under s 77 Education Act—summary of information released to satisfy public interest—Education Act 1989, s 77; Guardianship Act 1968, s 3
  • Request for individual totals of abortions reported in 1997 for certain licensed institutions

    Case notes
    Request for individual totals of abortions reported in 1997 for certain licensed institutions—established privacy interests not outweighed by countervailing public interest, subject only to release of further statistical information
  • Request for information relating to Civic Creche Inquiry

    Case notes
    Request for information relating to Christchurch Civic Creche Inquiry—most information released, but all names and other personal information withheld on privacy grounds—view formed privacy considerations did not attach to names of public sector employees in the context of their positions—privacy did attach to other employment related matters, and to names of private sector employees, children and parents involved—no countervailing public interest considerations identified
  • Request for information concerning patients believed ineligible for publicly funded healthcare

    Case notes
    Request for information from Immigration Service concerning patients believed ineligible for publicly funded healthcare—some information withheld on privacy grounds—some information not held—balance to be struck between public interest in release of information to the extent necessary to confirm eligibility for public funding and privacy interest—release of statement satisfied public interest
  • Department of Corrections required to review process for media contact with inmates

    Case notes
    Access to prison inmates by the news media—conflict between procedural manual and communications policy—policy to be reviewed to ensure consistency with procedures
  • Department of Corrections protocol with Ombudsman regarding death in custody

    Case notes
    Death in custody—application of Protocol between Department of Corrections and Office of the Ombudsmen—issues arising from monitoring departmental investigation—need for improved communication, videotaping, fire safety and emergency procedures
  • Request for complete rate records

    Case notes
    Request for city council’s complete rate records—request refused under s7(2)(a)—consideration of s 115(2) of Rating Powers Act and ss 7(1), 7(2), 60(3) of the Privacy Act—information released
  • Request for information about members of boards for which Minister of Maori Affairs responsible

    Case notes
    Request for information about members of boards for which Minister of Maori Affairs responsible—information withheld under s 9(2)(a)—some information already publicly available—a strong privacy interest did not attach to names and terms of appointment of board members of Maori Trust Boards and the Maori Soldiers Trust Central Committee—public interest in release
  • Request for details of severance payment and salary relating to second tier manager

    Case notes
    Request for details of payments made to former employee of Airways Corporation—information refused under s 9(2)(a) and s 9(2)(b)(ii)—release of salary information in a $20,000 band struck the right balance between the established privacy interest and the public interest in disclosure
  • Request by non-custodial parent for children’s school reports which children asked not to provide

    Case notes
    Request by non-custodial parent for children’s school reports—children asked school not to make reports available—reports addressed principally to caregiver—matters to be reported under section 77 of the Education Act—section 9(2)(a) made out—public interest met by separate report prepared on matters under section 77 of the Education Act
  • Request by natural mother for maternity notes and paediatric files of her children who were in interim High Court wardship

    Case notes
    Request by natural mother for maternity notes and paediatric files of her children—children in interim High Court wardship—information previously made available—s 9(2)(a) outweighed by public interest in access to the information for the purposes of custody hearing
  • Request for report by District Inspector into care by mental health services of person convicted of murder

    Case notes
    Request for report by District Inspector into care by mental health services of person convicted of murder—much of the information withheld to protect privacy of individuals—some information already publicly available in course of offender’s trial—public interest in District Inspector’s findings—most information released
  • Request for names of proposed appointees to four Maori Development Commissions

    Case notes
    Request for names of proposed appointees to four Maori Development Commissions—some information refused under s 18(d) as appointments soon to be announced—s 9(2)(a) applied to the remainder of the information which was a preliminary list of nominations
  • Requests for CYPF case reviews

    Case notes
    Requests for case reviews by Children, Young Persons and their Families Service—information withheld under ss 9(2)(a) and 9(2)(g)(i)—private information—social workers should not be discouraged unnecessarily from giving frank accounts of difficult cases where hindsight might identify some error of judgement—some information in case reviews can be withheld—also s 9(1) public interest considerations relating to information about standard of care and remedial action taken in respect of identified deficiencies—consideration of ss 16 and 17—public interest met by publication of comprehensive summary of relevant issues
  • Request for documentation relating to resignation of West Coast Regional Conservator

    Case notes
    Section 9(2)(a) applied to the detailed information requested—public interest considerations under s 9(1) required disclosure of general level of financial settlement and provision for contingent liabilities
  • Request by grandfather for address of grandchildren

    Case notes
    Request by grandfather for address of grandchildren—children in custody of father—address known to requester’s daughters—without more information about the family relationships, disclosure of the address under the OIA would infringe the children’s privacy—good reason to withhold under s 9(2)(a).
  • Department of Corrections accepts obligation to consider inmates’ circumstances when deciding work and educational paroles

    Case notes
    Refusal of work and educational paroles before inmate appeared before National Parole Board—inflexible policy inconsistent with concept of individual case management—review resulted in detailed case management plan for inmate
  • Request for list of names of electors whose eligibility to vote had been challenged

    Case notes
    Request 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 interest
  • Request for information about the outcome of a complaint about a rest home

    Case notes
    Request 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 information
  • Request for a copy of paper presented to Cabinet Strategy Committee

    Case notes
    Information 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 Zealanders
  • Request for information disclosed during confidential Ministerial briefing to sector group

    Case notes
    Request 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 sector
  • Request for information relating to the setting up of the Special Committee on Nuclear Propulsion

    Case notes
    Request 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 manner
  • Request for Court Registrar’s report

    Case notes
    Report on aborted trial released with deletions—‘free and frank expressions of opinion’ by Registrar—no public interest override
  • Request by parents for medical records of 13 year old daughter

    Case notes
    Request for medical records—information about parents and child refused under s 9(2)(a)—during review girl consulted—information released other than therapy transcripts
  • Request for advice relating to remuneration packages of executives involved in sale of SOEs

    Case notes
    Request 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.