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Ngā rauemi me ngā tānga

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28 Resources Show all

  • Report on an unannounced follow-up inspection of Arohata Prison

    OPCAT reports
    In 2007, the Ombudsmen were designated one of the National Preventive Mechanisms (NPMs) under the Crimes of Torture Act (COTA), with responsibility for examining and monitoring the general conditions and treatment of detainees in New Zealand prisons.

  • Report on an unannounced follow-up inspection of Manawatu Prison

    OPCAT reports
    In 2007, the Ombudsmen were designated one of the National Preventive Mechanisms (NPMs) under the Crimes of Torture Act (COTA), with responsibility for examining and monitoring the general conditions and treatment of detainees in New Zealand prisons.

  • Report on an unannounced follow-up inspection of Rolleston Prison

    OPCAT reports
    In 2007, the Ombudsmen were designated one of the National Preventive Mechanisms (NPMs) under the Crimes of Torture Act (COTA), with responsibility for examining and monitoring the general conditions and treatment of detainees in New Zealand prisons.

  • Report on an unannounced inspection of Christchurch Men's Prison

    OPCAT reports
    Christchurch Prison is one of New Zealand’s larger prisons, and the largest in the South Island.

  • Request for cost of recruiting Vice-Chancellor

    Case notes
    Release of total cost would not unreasonably prejudice third party’s commercial position—no specific negotiations—release of total costs would not deter businesses from treating with government—public interest in accountability for spending public money

  • Request for names of staff involved in sending email to parents about Pink Shirt Day

    Case notes
    Section 9(2)(a) OIA applied—correspondence with the requester and information supplied by the New Zealand Police suggested the requester would approach the staff outside of the official complaints process, and may have behaved in an abusive and threaten

  • Report on an unannounced inspection of Spring Hill Corrections Facility

    OPCAT reports
    Spring Hill Corrections Facility (the Prison) opened in 2007. The Prison accommodates male prisoners with security classifications ranging from minimum to high, as well as a growing remand population. Currently, it has an operating capacity of 1038.

  • Report on an unannounced inspection of Hawke's Bay Regional Prison

    OPCAT reports
    Hawke’s Bay Regional Prison was opened in 1989. The Prison accommodates male prisoners with security classifications ranging from minimum to high, as well as a growing remand population.

  • Request for names of guests invited to Mayor’s Christmas function

    Case notes
    Section 7(2)(a) LGOIMA applied—low privacy interest in the names of the guests—as guests were representatives of local businesses or other organisations the information was more about their public lives than their private ones—the function was a public

  • Request for information associated with PHARMAC’s 2016/17 budget bid

    Case notes
    PHARMAC did not have a commercial position and was not engaged in commercial activities—s 9(2)(j) applies to information about PHARMAC’s willingness to pay for pharmaceuticals but not to PHARMAC’s indicative budget in out-years

  • Request for information about decision to grant diversion

    Case notes
    Section 9(2)(a) OIA applied—withholding necessary to protect highly private details of alleged offender’s personal life—public interest in accountability for the Police decision to grant diversion in contentious circumstances required disclosure of summ

  • Request for approved codes of ethical conduct for animal testing

    Case notes
    Section 9(2)(ba)(i) OIA did not apply—25 of 26 code holders had voluntarily released their codes—no obligation of confidence—release of ‘benign’ information would not be likely to prejudice the future supply of similar information—information released

  • Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority not unreasonable in tender process

    Case notes
    Complaint about tender process when tenderer found its partner had also bid individually but was not informed by EECA—Ombudsman concluded the process followed was not unreasonable and had already been reviewed by independent reviewer

  • Department of Corrections unreasonably declines computer access to inmate

    Case notes
    Access to computer suite in prison denied—Ombudsman found this unreasonable—Corrections agreed to reconsider the inmate’s request and to review criteria for use—also that computer facilities at prison be reviewed to ensure availability to prisoners who meet criteria for assistance with litigation

  • Department of Corrections not unreasonable to decline face to face interview between prisoner and journalist in particular case

    Case notes
    Prisoner requested face to face interview with journalist—request declined—Ombudsman noted journalist had offered to conduct interview by AVL, notwithstanding preference for face to face—Ombudsman concluded that on this basis Department had not acted unreasonably in this instance

  • Request for information about earthquake-prone building survey

    Case notes
    Request for information about an earthquake-prone building survey—survey findings challenged—information withheld to avoid prejudice to the commercial interests of the owners of those buildings whose status was unresolved pending outcome of challenge

  • Request for ocean manifests filed with Customs

    Case notes
    Request by solicitors on behalf of a shipping company for ocean manifests filed with the New Zealand Customs Service for vessels berthing at a container terminal on a certain day—information withheld to protect commercial interests—no countervailing public interest

  • 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 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 information held by Radio New Zealand relating to political coverage in lead up to General Election

    Case notes
    Request declined on grounds of commercial prejudice—commercial prejudice not made out—discussions with requester led to satisfactory solution—requester allowed to inspect information

  • 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 draft business plan

    Case notes
    Request to Minister for State Owned Enterprises for Timberlands West Coast Ltd draft Business Plan for 1997/98—information withheld on commercial grounds—some information released—detailed financial, business strategy, economic and marketing information withheld—State Owned Enterprises Act 1986

  • Request for documents relating to footwear manufacturing operation at Prison

    Case notes
    Footwear manufacturing operation at Wanganui Prison was a commercial activity—s 9(2)(i) applied

  • 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