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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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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.
58 Resources Show all
Submission of the Ombudsmen - the Public's Right to Know
SubmissionsThe Ombudsman's submission on the Law Commission's Issues Paper 18 The Public’s Right to Know: A Review of the Official Information Act 1982 and Parts 1-6 of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987Request for information about senior employee’s departure and personal expenses
Case notesSection 9(2)(a) OIA applied—privacy and confidentiality in employment context—s 9(2)(ba)(ii) OIA applied—settlement agreement contained express obligation of confidence—release would be likely to damage the public interest by making it more difficult toRequest for information about Police investigation into complaint against Minister
Case notesSection 6(c) OIA did not apply—no prejudice to the maintenance of the law in circumstances where the investigation had concluded and no charges had been laid—s 9(2)(a) applied—high privacy interest given the nature of the allegations and the fact that nRequest for correspondence between MP and Registrar of Pecuniary interests held by the Prime Minister
Case notesCorrespondence was subject to the OIA because it was held by the Prime Minister for official purposes—section 18(c)(ii) OIA did not apply—release by the Prime Minister, to whom the information had properly been disclosed, would not constitute contempt oRequest for information about investigation of ECan’s performance
Case notesSection 9(2)(ba)(i) OIA did not apply to interview notes in their ‘totality’—however, it applied to names and identifying details—express obligation of confidence—release would be likely to prejudice the future supply of similar information—it is in theCharge for supply of Customs policy
Case notesFull remission of labour component of the charge in the public interest—accessibility of policies and guidelines affecting personsAnnual Report 2009/2010
Annual reportsAt the close of the 2009/10 reporting year we find ourselves in a similar position to the agencies we oversee: endeavouring to deliver more and better services with the same (or in some cases fewer) resources.Request for information about Half Moon Bay Marina arbitration
Case notesSection 7(2)(c)(ii) LGOIMA applied—obligation of confidence under Arbitration Act 1996—release would be likely to damage the public interest in maintaining the integrity of the arbitral process, and reduce the effectiveness of arbitration as a means forRequest for criteria used by Council to determine whether or not to waive parking tickets
Case notesParking enforcement is a law enforcement activity not a commercial one—s 7(2)(h) does not applyRequest for policy advice behind merger of Archives and National Library
Case notesRelease of formal advice to Ministers about abandoned options after decisions had been made would not inhibit the free and frank expression of opinions by officials—s 9(2)(g)(i) does not applyInvestigation of the Department of Corrections in relation to an incident of self-harm at Christchurch Women’s Prison and the issuing of strip gowns to prisoners at risk of self harm
Systemic investigationsIn July 2009, in accordance with the Protocol made pursuant to section 160 of the Corrections Act, I received notification from the Department of Corrections of an incident of prisoner self-harm that had occurred in the At-Risk Unit (ARU) of Christchurch Women’s Prison (CHWO).Investigation of the Department of Corrections in relation to an incident of self-harm at New Plymouth Prison and the Department’s disposable safety razor policy
Systemic investigationsOn 11 May 2009, the Department of Corrections instituted a new national policy on razor blades for prisoners. The purpose of the policy was to reduce the number of incidents involving razor blades. It applied to those prisoners accommodated in High Security, Remand and Youth Units. These prisoners would no longer be allowed to stockpile or keep issue razor blades. The aim of the policy was interpreted as intending to limit the opportunity for self-harm by misuse of razor blades.Request for complaint against a health provider
Case notesPrivacy interest balanced against public interest in ensuring natural justice—public interest met by release of summary informationRequest for tender submission pricing schedule
Case notesSection 9(2)(b)(ii) applies to detailed pricing schedule but not total price—strong public interest in disclosure of total priceRequest for information about initiatives to end whaling in the Southern Ocean
Case notesRelease would jeopardise relations with other parties to IWC negotiations and prejudice their willingness to share information—s 9(2)(j) appliesRequest for Cabinet paper relating to review of Overseas Investment Act
Case notesDisclosure would prejudice orderly and effective conduct of ongoing advisory and decision making processesDepartment of Corrections made errors in documentation but parole hearing set correctly
Case notesWhether Department of Corrections staff failed complainant with respect to a Parole Board hearing—Ombudsman found errors in documentation but complainant not disadvantagedDepartment of Corrections unreasonable to place prisoner with mental illness in mainstream unit
Case notesWhether the Department of Corrections was unreasonable to place prisoner in mainstream unit given specific medical condition of mental illness—Ombudsman upheld complaintStatement of Intent 2010/13
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.Requests by lawyer for information about client
Case notesA proportion of the large volume of information at issue could fairly be characterised as ‘trivial’, bearing in mind the purpose of the request—this included auto replies, read receipts, undeliverable messages, emails arranging meetings and information generated to facilitate the proper processing of the requester’s OIA and Privacy Act requestsRequest for reasons about unsuccessful reappointment
Case notesExtent of detail required in response to s 23 request depends on circumstances of particular case – a requester may still have questions after they receive statement of reasons but that does not mean statement is inadequate – s 23(2A) only protects evaluative material that has been ‘supplied’ by someone elseCharge for supply of information about self-reported convictions of teachers
Case notesCharge reduced on review—decision to charge news media requester not unreasonableRequest for information relating to Whānau Ora
Case notesDisclosure while policy advice still under consideration by Ministers would prejudice ongoing decision making process—disclosure of inter-agency consultation would inhibit future expression of free and frank opinions by officialsRequest for Police prosecution file
Case notesSection 9(2)(a) OIA applied—low privacy interest in information that was either known to the requester or publicly available was outweighed by the public interest in the requester knowing the full details of the accident that led to her mother’s death—rImmigration New Zealand unreasonable to stamp person's passport when visa application declined
Case notesWhether Immigration New Zealand (INZ) was reasonable to stamp words in a person’s passport when that person had been declined a residence visa application—Ombudsman concluded the stamp had no legal authority and the practice was unreasonableRequest for audit information regarding JobPlus scheme
Case notesDraft audit report was identical to final audit report—no good reason to withhold the final audit report so no good reason to withhold the draft—good reason to withhold auditor’s informal and early working papers under s 9(2)(g)(i)—disclosure of the working papers would make auditors more circumspect in what they record, and when and how they record itRequest for Minister/Chief Executive discussions
Case notesDisclosure of full record of recollection of discussion between Minister and Chief Executive would inhibit future expression of free and frank opinions—summary of recollection releasedRequest for taser camera footage (subject gave no consent to release)
OpinionsIn this opinion, the subject of the taser footage did not give explicit consent to release the footage.Request for all information about an audit
Case notesSection 9(2)(ba)(i) OIA applied to staff interview records—implied obligation of confidence—release would be likely to prejudice the future supply of information to auditors—it is in the public interest for staff members to cooperate with audits—s 9(2)(Local Authority unreasonably applied incorrect rates remission policy to sports club
Case notesLocal Authority - incorrect application of rates remission policy—sports club application for partial remission declined on wrong basis—Ombudsman sustains complaintCivil Aviation Authority changes its investigation practices following Ombudsman’s findings
Case notesComplaint about investigation by Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of a light aircraft crash—criticism of way CAA conducted investigation into the crash which resulted in 2 deaths—after O’s investigation, CAA accepted a likely cause was from a crack in a conrod (engine part) which appeared shortly after the engine had been reconditioned—O considered CAA should not have asked the reconditioning company for assessment and that CAA was unreasonable not to interview engineers during its investigationRequest for auditor’s working papers
Case notesDisclosure of auditor’s scoping discussions and working papers would make auditors more circumspect in what they record, and when and how they record it—good reason to withhold under s 9(2)(g)(i)