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.
34 Resources Show all
Request for job application file of National MP
Case notesSection 9(2)(a) OIA provided good reason to withhold some information—low privacy interest in other information about MP’s work and study history in China, due to the amount of information in the public domain and his high public profile—outweighed by pRequest for address information to assist enforcement of judgement orders
Case notesLandlords obtained judgment orders from Courts or Tenancy Tribunal against former tenants but were unable to have them executed as current address for judgment debtors unknown— requested current address information from Department of Work and Income (now part of MSD)—information withheld to protect clients’ privacy, and future supply of information— public interest in maintaining the proper administration of justice and promoting respect for the law outweighed privacy interest—MSD agreed to provide address information direct to Department for CourtsRequest for stock take report on the Crime Reduction Strategy
Case notesReport by external consultant not advice tendered by Ministers or officials—s 9(2)(f)(iv) did not applyRequest for information about serious and sentinel event reports
Case notesRequest to District Health Board for information relating to ‘serious and sentinel events’—22 SSE reports withheld in full—s 9(2)(a) applies to information identifying patients’ families and medical staff—s 9(2)(ba)(i) applies to information identifying medical staff as release would impact negatively on willingness of staff to report incidents and to cooperate with subsequent investigations—s 9(1) public interest in release to promote the accountability of the DHB for management of individual cases and to assure the public that any identified deficiencies are being remedied—reports released with deletions—two ‘protected quality assurance activity’ reports withheld—s 59 of Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act prohibits disclosure of information gained in course of a protected quality assurance activity but s 60 allows release of information that does not identify a particular individual—reports released with deletionsRequest for Treasury analysis on emissions trading scheme
Case notesInformation part of ongoing stream of work—release, with or without the context, would compromise the policy development process—s 9(2)(f)(iv) applies—overall public interest not served by disclosure of information that would undermine policy development—most advice would be released proactively when the framework document was releasedRequest for letter of complaint
Case notesWithholding investigated by the Privacy Commissioner under the Privacy Act 1993 and the Ombudsman under the OIA—personal information about requester released—s 9(2)(a) OIA applied to the remainder—withholding necessary to protect the privacy of the compRequest for advice on daylight savings and 2011 Rugby World Cup
Case notesAnticipatory advice—no opinions or recommendations—s 9(2)(f)(iv) does not apply—public interest in disclosure—issues of national importance demand timely transparencyRequest for draft report on Department of Labour internal controls prepared by KPMG
Case notesDocument labelled ‘draft’ really a final—author was a consultant who would not be deterred from expressing free and frank opinions in future—s 9(2)(g)(i) does not applyRequest for draft answers to parliamentary questions
Case notesDraft answers to parliamentary questions protected by s 9(2)(f)(iv)—parliamentary process sufficiently held the Minister to accountRequest for information about Children’s Commissioner investigation
Case notesSection 9(2)(a) OIA applied to redacted material from draft investigation report—requester no longer authorised to act as advocate for the family—withholding necessary to protect the family’s privacy—requester’s prior knowledge did not affect the familyRequest for advice on electoral finance
Case notesRequest for advice generated on Government’s proposals for electoral finance—advice formed part of ongoing process and no decisions had been made—s 9(2)(f)(iv) provides good reason to withholdRequest for CAB 100 forms
Case notesRequest for all CAB 100 forms since the 2005 general election—convention of confidentiality surrounding the Government’s political consultation processes—public interest in disclosure not sufficiently compelling to outweigh the need to withhold under s 9(2)(f)(iv)—need for confidentiality extended beyond the resolution of the particular issues—at least as long as the particular governmental arrangement enduredCharge for supply of information about Maori interests in the management of petroleum
Case notesCharge avoided by allowing inspection subject to conditionsRequest for advice relating to Amendment Bill
Case notesCabinet had approved legislative proposals in principle but still key steps to be taken before Bill could be introduced to the House—confidentiality required in order to protect the executive government’s ability to develop and negotiate political support for the draft legislation, in a timely and orderly fashion—s 9(2)(f)(iv) applies—opportunities for public participation in legislative process once draft legislation introducedRequest for Ministerial briefing on citizenship review
Case notesInformation not of an advisory nature—information not related to executive government decision making process—s 9(2)(f)(iv) does not applyRequest for transcripts of Police communications in relation to emergency calls
Case notesNo blanket protection for operational discussions between Police officers—need for withholding had to be assessed with regard to the content of the actual communications at issue—opinions expressed were ‘free and frank’ but were not ‘necessary’ for effective conduct of public affairs—details about the communications already publicly available—s 9(2)(g)(i) did not apply and even if it did it was outweighed by strong public interest in releaseRequest for draft responses to OIA requests
Case notesReleasing draft OIA responses would be likely to inhibit the future free and frank expression of opinions—s 9(2)(g)(i) appliesRequest for report on suicide and the media
Case notesStrong public interest in requester having access—participation in making of laws and policy— release on conditionsRequest for father’s immigration file
Case notesPrivate interests gave rise to a public interest—pursuing legal rights and remediesRequest 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 Police review on importation of firearms
Case notesRequest for access to Police review on importation of firearms—release of recommendations would undermine s 9(2)(f)(iv) but not the release of background information—public interest in disclosure outweighs need to withhold recommendations—issue of firearms control is one in which the principle of public safety is paramount—greatest possible transparency required in the making of laws and policiesRequest for advice to Government on producer board reform
Case notesRequest for advice to Government on producer board reform—paper dated December 1988—constitutional conventions—whether still under consideration in May 1999—whether disclosure would interfere with policy making—ss 9(2)(f)(iv) and 9(2)(g)(i)—public interest balancing—participation and accountabilityRequest 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 information