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  • Request for policy advice behind merger of Archives and National Library

    Case notes
    Release 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 apply
  • Request for Cabinet paper relating to review of Overseas Investment Act

    Case notes
    Disclosure would prejudice orderly and effective conduct of ongoing advisory and decision making processes
  • Request for information relating to Whānau Ora

    Case notes
    Disclosure 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 officials
  • Immigration New Zealand unreasonable to stamp person's passport when visa application declined

    Case notes
    Whether 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 unreasonable
  • Request for audit information regarding JobPlus scheme

    Case notes
    Draft 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 it
  • Request for Minister/Chief Executive discussions

    Case notes
    Disclosure of full record of recollection of discussion between Minister and Chief Executive would inhibit future expression of free and frank opinions—summary of recollection released
  • Request for all information about an audit

    Case notes
    Section 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)(
  • Request for auditor’s working papers

    Case notes
    Disclosure 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)
  • Request for draft answer to parliamentary question tendered by HNZ staff

    Case notes
    Request to Housing New Zealand Limited for alternative Parliamentary answers prepared for Minister of Housing—request refused under s 9(2)(g)(i)—ss 9(2)(f)(iv) and 9(2)(ba)(ii) discussed—meaning of ‘officials’—obligation of confidence applied—s 9(2)(ba)
  • Request to the Treasury for information relating to work on social assistance policy

    Case notes
    Request to the Treasury for information relating to work on social assistance policy—information withheld under s 9(2)(f)(iv)—information directly connected to advice to be ‘tendered’ to Ministers—release would disrupt the ability of the Minister to consider Ministry’s advice—public interest did not outweigh need to withhold
  • Immigration Service fails to provide adequate information about nature of its investigation

    Case notes
    Immigration New Zealand allegedly unfair processing of refugee quota cases—INZ initially did not uphold complaint following own departmental investigation—complainant not satisfied his concerns were seriously investigated—Ombudsman found complainant should have been more fully informed of nature and extent of inquiries made
  • Immigration Service allows visa extension applicant to approach Minister where original visa granted as Special Direction

    Case notes
    Holder of eight week visitor’s permit applied for further visitor’s permit—application declined—original permit issued pursuant to special direction by Minister—NZIS had no discretion to grant further permit—applicant denied opportunity to approach Minister for further permit—NZIS agreed to allow applicant time to do so before instituting removal procedures
  • Immigration Service delay to seek refugee status information was reasonable

    Case notes
    Length of time taken to complete inquiries in relation to refugee status of complainant—NZIS had not caused significant delays—difficulties in obtaining crucial information—NZIS did not act unfairly or unreasonably
  • Department of Internal Affairs reviews requirement for ‘country of birth’ statement in passports

    Case notes
    Request that country of birth not be recorded on passport—format of passports determined by internationally agreed standards of International Civil Aviation Organisation—no capacity at present to produce non-standard passports—design of passports to be reviewed
  • Request for details of risk management processes

    Case notes
    Request for details of risk management processes—relevant documents provided apart from the ‘risk register’—register consisted of free and frank expressions of opinion—release might undermine risk management strategy—public interest met by release of Risk Management Policy
  • Request for information about governmental lending programme

    Case notes
    Request for information about Low Deposit Rural Lending Programme—request refused—factual information released—some information withheld to protect orderly process of government and commercial interests
  • Request for report on conservation values of West Coast forests

    Case notes
    Request for report on conservation values of West Coast forests managed by Timberlands West Coast Ltd—request refused—factual information released—balance struck between public interest in withholding advice to Minister and countervailing public interest in public being adequately informed of issues
  • Request for advice on bulk funding of schools

    Case notes
    Request to Minister of Education for advice on bulk funding of schools—information withheld on grounds of confidentiality of advice, free and frank opinions, and prejudice to negotiations—release of information likely to create uncertainty and affect adversely subsequent public debate on options
  • Request for information relating to industrial relations section of coalition agreement

    Case notes
    Request for information relating to the implementation of clauses in the industrial relations section of the coalition agreement—information withheld to protect confidentiality of advice and free and frank opinion—account taken of changed political environment with the advent of MMP and formation of coalition—release of early papers prior to consultation with coalition partner could undermine constitutional convention
  • Department of Conservation resolves impasse concerning ivory-key piano held by New Zealand Customs

    Case notes
    Refusal to release piano imported from United Kingdom—family heirloom from 1920s—need for approval of Department of Conservation under CITES because of ivory content—conflict between New Zealand legislation implementing CITES and European Community Regulations—impasse resolved by acceptance of statutory declaration by family—conflict to be raised with CITES Secretariat
  • Immigration Service reviews returning residents visa policy following complaint

    Case notes
    Refusal of application for returning resident’s visa—failure of New Zealand Immigration Service to advise applicant of discretion to make exception to policy—applicant incurred additional costs in changing travel plans—NZIS accepted responsibility for omission and reimbursed additional costs—policy on returning resident’s visa reviewed and amended