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  • Request for deceased relative’s medical file

    Case notes
    Section 9(2)(a) OIA did not apply—no meaningful privacy interest in information about an individual deceased for nearly 90 years—information released
  • Request for Information relating to appointment of an honorary consul in Monaco

    Case notes
    Confidentiality can diminish over time—s 9(2)(f)(iv) does not apply
  • Request for documentation about ‘Ageing in Place’ contract

    Case notes
    Release of detailed proposals and component prices would have an adverse effect on tenderers’ responses to future tenders issued by the DHB, which would damage the public interest—s 9(2)(ba)(ii) OIA applies—release would have an inhibiting effect in future on the quality of the documentation associated with the DHB’s contract negotiations and tender evaluation, which would be prejudicial to the future conduct of such tenders—s 9(2)(g)(i) applies
  • Request for identities of contractors

    Case notes
    Privacy interest outweighed by overriding public interest in promoting accountability, transparency and public confidence and trust in the integrity of the public sector
  • Request for advice on electoral finance, after the introduction of the Electoral Finance Bill

    Case notes
    Introduction of Bill constituted discrete end-point in the policy development process—disclosure would not prejudice ability of Ministers to consider advice eventually tendered by officials—s 9(2)(f)(iv) does not apply
  • Request for information about severance payment

    Case notes
    Section 9(2)(a) OIA applied—withholding necessary to protect strong privacy interests—significant impact of further media scrutiny on personal privacy—s 9(2)(ba)(ii) applied— settlement agreement contained express obligation of confidence—release would
  • Request for options and analysis in review of NZ Superannuation Portability

    Case notes
    Cabinet had agreed to package of proposals but agreement was subject to funding in Budget— Budget secrecy only applies if decision has been made to include proposals in Budget—analysis protected by s 9(2)(f)iv) but not bare options—advice two years old and no advice issued about which options were under consideration—strong public interest in release of bare options
  • Request for discussions between Ministers on business before Cabinet

    Case notes
    Discussions between Ministers on business before Cabinet imbued with a presumption of confidentiality—s 9(2)(g)(i) provides good reason to withhold undocumented discussions
  • Request for information about funding of Resource Teachers

    Case notes
    Advice provided in context of Budget but bid unsuccessful—Minister asked for bid to be resubmitted in next Budget—9(2)(f)(iv) applied to much of the information at issue, but not all of it—Minister released some general information but continued to withhold detailed analysis—overall public interest not served by the disclosure of advice that may undermine the effective preparation of next Budget
  • Request for information concerning South Auckland primary teacher supply

    Case notes
    Decisions had been made—disclosure of abandoned options posed no risk—s 9(2)(f)(iv) does not apply
  • Request for draft public discussion document regarding auditor regulation

    Case notes
    Close-to-final draft containing limited evidence of opinion material—risk of public misunderstanding of the status of this draft document did not justify withholding and could be addressed by disclosure of contextual information—strong public interest in transparency of the policy development process given full-scale public consultation no longer intended
  • Request for names of teaching staff at Massey University

    Case notes
    Section 9(2)(a) OIA did not apply—names already in the public domain and known to students—public-facing nature of the role means that University teaching staff would not ordinarily expect their names to remain private—risk of spam email was not a reaso
  • 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 a letter of resignation of senior manager

    Case notes
    Request for letter of resignation of senior manager—information withheld to protect privacy—public interest considerations
  • 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 by non-custodial parent for child’s prize-giving result

    Case notes
    Request by non-custodial parent for child’s prize-giving result—child requested results be withheld because of use made by parent of other information—meaning of ‘endanger the safety’ of a person—discussion of ‘necessary’ test—no grounds to withhold
  • Request for a staff member’s salary from educational institution

    Case notes
    Request to University for information as to whether staff member was in receipt of a salary and if so the nature of her duties—information withheld to protect privacy—public interest considerations
  • 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 information about appointments to Fire Service Commission

    Case notes
    Request for information about appointments to the Fire Service Commission—two letters withheld—contents raised privacy and confidentiality issues—good reason to withhold
  • Request by son for access to mother’s child welfare file

    Case notes
    Request by adult son for access to natural mother’s child welfare file—son placed for adoption—natural mother now deceased—information withheld to protect privacy—relevance of requester’s relationship to subject of information considered in determining strength of privacy interest—information about mother made available in summary form
  • Request for deceased birth mother’s medical records

    Case notes
    Request by adult adopted woman for copy of late birth mother’s medical records—information withheld to protect privacy—requester in contact with birth mother prior to her death—birth mother left no will, did not name executor of her estate—no other surviving relatives—information relevant to requester’s own health—conditional release of information—Health Information Privacy Code
  • Request for documents relating to a party’s tender for land offered by Council

    Case notes
    Request for documents relating to tender submitted by another party (X) for land being offered for sale by Council—negotiations subject of legal proceedings—name suppression sought by X—Council refused to confirm or deny existence of information—information normally publicly available—information provided to requester subject to minor deletions to protect privacy
  • 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
  • Request for information about adoption

    Case notes
    Request for information about requester’s adoption—requester unaware she had been adopted until recently—birth mother now deceased—information withheld to protect privacy—relevance of family relationship and age of information considered in determining strength of privacy interest—file made available to requester in its entirety
  • 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