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  • Request for information regarding contact between Board members and news staff

    Case notes
    Request to Television New Zealand for information concerning contact between Board members and news/current affairs staff—reasonable effort must be made to find relevant information
  • Request for Consultative Draft District Plan

    Case notes
    Consultative Draft District Plan refused under s 7(2)(f)(i)—information did not meet requirements of that section—no statutory prohibition in Resource Management Act which prevents information being made available before the date of notification—Resource Management Act 1991, s 35(2)
  • New Zealand Customs Service questioned over acceptance of deposit pursuant to legislation

    Case notes
    Refusal to pay interest following resolution of dispute over Customs value of goods—whether relevant documentation provided at the time of importation—whether s 140 of the Customs Act 1966 (repealed) conferred authority on Department to take deposit—investigation discontinued following discovery that company did not exist as legal entity at the time complaint was made
  • Inland Revenue Department accepts misleading advice caused detriment to holder of student loan

    Case notes
    Inland Revenue Department (IRD) provided misleading advice to student about status of his student loan account— he undertook on-going financial commitments in reliance on that advice— IRD was found to have erred by not providing regular statements of the student loan and accepted that this had caused detriment to the student—there had also been unreasonable delay in responding to the student’s wife’s inquiries about the loan debt and whether it had been cleared—in resolution, IRD agreed with the Ombudsman’s recommendation to put the student back into the position he would have been without relying on misleading advice and to pay an ex gratia payment of $2,400 which was credited to the loan account
  • Inland Revenue Department’s unreasonable use of discretion to withhold information under the Tax Administration Act

    Case notes
    IRD refused to provide details of internal investigation of complaint under s 81(4) of the Tax Administration Act 1994—the information the complainant wanted concerned an investigation into his allegation of improper actions by IRD staff—Ombudsman found that the Commissioner’s discretion to withhold the information was unreasonable because the complainant was entitled to information about an investigation concerning him—IRD agreed with the Ombudsman’s decision and made most of the information available
  • Inland Revenue Department asked to compensate complainant following errors made on GST claim

    Case notes
    IRD failed to provide reasons for decisions to refuse a GST refund claim—there was no evidence for the basis of the refusal but the claim was accepted when similar supporting evidence was provided from another source—IRD gave no explanation for the change of decision—claimant sought compensation for unnecessary expenditure he had incurred to support his claim—Ombudsman found against IRD for errors made and IRD agreed to make an ex gratia payment of $1500 to the complainant
  • Immigration Service not required to consult original employer of overseas employee about new job

    Case notes
    Employee resigned from business which had recruited him from overseas—business knew employee was working for another company but was concerned that it had not been advised of this situation, given the original employee’s obligations for maintenance of person while in NZ—Ombudsman found Immigration Service not obliged to consult with original employee in this situation and the person was in NZ lawfully—Immigration noted original business’s concerns and agreed with the Ombudsman that it would, as a matter of fairness, advise the original business that it was no longer required to be responsible for either the maintenance of the employee or his repatriation, should that prove necessary
  • Immigration Service agrees to make applicants aware of need to renew permits in good time

    Case notes
    Delay in making decisions on applications for further temporary permits—effect of delay on applicant—no unreasonable delay by NZIS—applicants to be informed of need to apply for further permits in good time
  • Accident Compensation Corporation exercise of discretion found to be misleading and deficient

    Case notes
    Exercise of ministerial discretion—effect of advice to Minister fettered exercise of discretion—matter resubmitted to Minister for reconsideration—complaint deemed resolved—Accident Rehabilitation and Compensation Insurance (Experience Rating) Regulations 1993, regulation 7
  • ACC overpaid compensation in error but agreed to write-off debt

    Case notes
    Accident Compensation Corporation overpaid compensation in error and then tried to recover the overpayment debt from young debtor in poor financial position—Ombudsman found for the complainant and ACC agreed to write off debt and revise debt recovery policy
  • Accident Compensation Corporation should clearly identify claimants’ rights in leaflet

    Case notes
    Reference to review and appeal rights contained in accompanying leaflets rather than incorporated in decision letter - Accident Rehabilitation & Compensation Insurance Corporation (ACC) agreed to include standard text in letter of advice to claimants - Accident Rehabilitation and Compensation Insurance Act 1992, s 67
  • Immigration Service allows refugee status claimants to record refugee claimant interviews

    Case notes
    Refugee status claim—refusal to permit tape-recording of interview—practice based on need to preserve confidentiality and potential for recording to intimidate, unsettle or distract claimant—concerns not applicable where claimant requests recording—recording permitted
  • New Zealand Immigration Service must provide opportunity to comment on potentially prejudicial information

    Case notes
    Application for extension to visitor’s permit—application declined on basis of an assumption about the applicant—assumption prejudicial to applicant—applicant entitled to opportunity to comment on prejudicial information before decision—NZIS agreed to review application