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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.
26 Resources Show all
Request for information about volunteer rural constabulary programme
Case notesSection 9(2)(f)(iv) OIA applied to briefing from New Zealand Police to Minister—negotiations between coalition partners were still required, and disclosure would have prejudiced the orderly and effective conduct of the Government’s decision making proceDecision to implement locked cell policy
Case notesComplaint about the negative effects of implementing a locked cell policy in the Kaaka North and South pods at Northland Region Corrections Facility – Chief Ombudsman found that the implementation was unreasonable – the significant consequences (lack ofRequest for information about death in custody
Case notesRequest for all correspondence about death in custody—unreasonable to rely on sections 9(2)(a) and 9(2)(ba)(i) without compiling and reviewing the information—subsequent reliance on section 18(f) (substantial collation or research) also unjustified—Request for draft ‘Alternatives Paper’ prepared by consultants on CBD rail link
Case notesRelease would inhibit exchange of drafts and views between staff and consultants, which would undermine the drafting process—s 7(2)(f)(i) applied—public interest met by the release of the final report and the peer reviews by relevant agenciesRequest for literature review on youth desistance
Case notesDraft review provided to successful tenderer as starting point for an external research project— information not in the nature of free and frank opinions—disclosure would not undermine interest in s 9(2)(g)(i)—release accompanied by contextual statementRequest for minutes of Council workshops
Case notesRequest for minutes of Unitary Plan Political Working Party—minutes related to Council ‘workshops’—s 7(2)(f)(i) applied in part—minutes could be disclosed in part without inhibiting people from contributing to workshops in futureRequest for draft report on NZX compliance with general obligations
Case notesRelease would inhibit the free and frank expression of opinions by officials during the drafting process, and the exchange of opinions between the NZX and FMA—it is in the interests of the ‘effective conduct of public affairs’ for the review process to be robust and conducted in a manner that supported the FMA’s main objective of promoting and facilitating the development of fair, efficient and transparent markets—s 9(2)(g)(i) appliedRequest for handwritten notes of discussions between MFAT Chief Executive and Minister of Foreign Affairs
Case notesRequest for handwritten notes of Chief Executive’s discussions with Minister—confidentiality is necessary to protect the ongoing effectiveness and conduct of the relationship—public interest in disclosure not sufficient to outweigh s 9(2)(g)(i) interestRequest for email communications between councillors relating to industrial dispute
Case notesDisclosure of informal emails between councillors in highly sensitive context would inhibit future expression of free and frank opinions—s 7(2)(f)(i) provides good reason to withholdRequest for draft report to Ombudsman
Case notesRelease of draft report to Ombudsman would inhibit the free and frank expression of opinions—s 9(2)(g)(i) appliesRequest for information about assessment of community organisation as approved community service
Case notesSection 9(2)(a) OIA did not apply to correspondence from the chair of the community organisation—the fact that a person signed a letter does not necessarily make that letter personal information about them—signatory was acting in his professional capaciInvestigation of the Department of Corrections in relation to the provision, access and availability of prisoner health services
Systemic investigationsThis own motion report, unlike others we have undertaken, did not arise from specific incidents within the prison system, nor from the number of complaints we receive from prisoners. Our investigation has identified that prisoners have reasonable access to Health Services and generally they receive healthcare equivalent to members of the wider community. However, the service is not without its problems and in the future, it may not be able to meet the healthcare needs of such a diverse population effectively.Submission of the Ombudsmen - Corrections Amendment Bill
SubmissionsWe had a limited opportunity to comment on the draft Corrections Amendment Bill (the Bill) and some amendments were made as a consequence of our submissions. However, there remain other matters which concern us.Request for communications strategy relating to legal aid reform
Case notesRequest for information about a communications strategy—s 9(2)(g)(i) provides good reason to withhold two sentencesRequest for comments generated during OIA decision making process
Case notesDisclosure would inhibit advisors or officials from expressing or recording free and frank advice on OIA requests in the future—good reason to withhold under s 9(2)(g)(i)Request for draft press releases
Case notesRelease would impact on the effectiveness of the process of drafting press releases in future, because officials would be reluctant to be candid or to openly express their initial thoughts in writing—s 9(2)(g)(i) appliesRequest for draft ministerial inquiry report
Case notesRelease of early and annotated draft would inhibit ministerial appointees from expressing free and frank opinions in future and sharing drafts with the Ministry of Justice—public interest met by availability of final report—s 9(2)(g)(i) appliesMeridian Energy’s process for purchasing property not unreasonable
Case notesComplaint about price Meridian Energy paid for a property—Ombudsman found the process had been reasonableRequest for staff named in emails about genetically modified corn
Case notesSection 6(d) OIA did not apply—no real and objective risk of danger to safety—s 9(2)(g)(ii) OIA did not apply—many of the names were already publicly available in connection with this issue and no harm had ensued—section 9(2)(g)(i) OIA did not apply—infRequest for public submissions on draft standard
Case notesMembers of the public with a vested interest in developing standards would not be deterred from expressing their opinions in futureRequest for report on DHB governance issues
Case notesDisclosure of report at time of request would have inhibited expression of free and frank opinions by officials—but passage of time and change in circumstances had diminished the likelihood of such prejudice—senior public servants would not be inhibited from expressing free and frank opinions in futureActions of Office of Treaty Settlements reasonable in relation to a claim settlement process
Case notesOffice of Treaty Settlements—reasonable for OTS to rely on the findings of the Waitangi Tribunal that the South Island Landless Natives Act 1906 (SILNA) represented an inadequate response to the Ngāi Tahu landlessness and to regard any grievances that members of Ngāi Tahu might have with the adequacy of land granted under SILNA as a matter appropriately addressed during the Ngāi Tahu settlement process rather than remaining outside itEnergy Safety Service remedied initial inadequate investigation of accident
Case notesManner in which Energy Safety Service carried out investigation inadequate—however further inquiries made later—Ombudsman satisfied with later inquiries and concluded the decision not to prosecute not unreasonable in the circumstancesDepartment of Internal Affairs not unreasonable to cancel passport
Case notesDepartment of Internal Affairs—decision to recall and cancel complainant’s NZ passport – position determined by terms of legislationRequest for details of risk management processes
Case notesRequest 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 PolicyDepartment of Conservation resolves impasse concerning ivory-key piano held by New Zealand Customs
Case notesRefusal 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