Resources and publications
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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.
75 Resources Show all
Investigation of DOC renewal of Routeburn Track concession
OpinionsSummary In my opinion the decision in 2013 of a Department of Conservation delegate of the Minister of Conservation – to grant a new concession to Routeburn Walks Ltd, on terms permitting the concessionaire to increase from 24 to 40 the numberInvestigation of decision to expel a high school student with Aspergers
OpinionsIn August 2009, following an incident where a year 11 student with Aspergers threatened to assault a teacher in the staff room, the Board of Trustees of the College concerned expelled the student for “gross misconduct” that wasRequest for information concerning transport rate estimates in Wellington Regional Council’s Draft 2011/2012 Annual Plan
OpinionsThe complainant requested the Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) to provide him with “a copy of all the background calculations used to create the estimates for the transport rate tables for the Draft 2011/2012 Annual Plan”.Request for information redacted from Ministerial briefings and Cabinet papers on telecommunications and ultra-fast broadband
Case notesWhile some decisions had been made, others were still required, and disclosure would prejudice the orderly and effective conduct of ongoing advisory and decision making processesRequest for advice to Local Government Commission
Case notesNo ministerial or executive government decision making process would be undermined by release—draft and final versions of the advice were substantially similar and the advice was in the nature of a careful and considered critique—no good reason to withholdRequest 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 information concerning a general surgeon
OpinionsFairfax Media made a request to the Tairawhiti District Health Board (the DHB) for information regarding one of its general surgeons, including information about a complaint and his surgery statistics.Local Authority’s dog ownership forms deficient and actions relating to processing forms were unreasonable
Case notesWhether Local Authority had reasonable practices regarding dog ownership forms in situation where dog ownership disputed by parties—Chief Ombudsman concluded forms were deficientComplaint about Council's investigation into a councillor's alleged code of conduct breaches
OpinionsSummary The complainant, Ms Anne Hunt, was a Horowhenua District Councillor.Request for information concerning Police decision not to lay charge of manslaughter following death from careless discharge of firearm
OpinionsOn 7 April 2012 Christopher Dummer was hunting in the Aorangi Forest Park, South Wairarapa, when he fatally shot Alexander Cameron McDonald.Request for information relating to Whanganui River Iwi Treaty of Waitangi negotiations
OpinionsMr Michael Fennessy of Innes Dean Tararua Law Ltd, on behalf of his client, Mr Mike Plowman, requested copies of certain documents relating to the Crown’s negotiations with Whanganui Iwi regarding “water co-management or proposals forAnnual Report 2013/2014 - at a glance
Annual reportsThis document shows our Annual Report for 2013/2014 at a glance.Annual Report 2013/2014 - full report
Annual reportsThis year we have begun to reap the benefits of the additional resources granted to us by Parliament for the 2013/14 year onwards, which has enabled us to appoint additional staff to progress the amount of work we are receiving.OPCAT Annual Report 2013/2014
OPCAT reportsThis is the seventh annual report of New Zealand’s National Preventive Mechanism (NPM), a monitoring mechanism established under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or PunishmentRequest for the New Zealand Localities dataset
OpinionsKoordinates Limited (Koordinates) made a request to the New Zealand Fire Service Commission (NZFSC) for a copy of a computer dataset known as NZ Localities, which describes the location of boundaries between different areas of the country.Request 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 information about tangata whenua rights
Case notesRequester seeking official statement from Minister—information not held—explanation would need to be createdRequest for list of buildings requiring structural review
OpinionsFollowing the Canterbury earthquake tragedy, and noting the ongoing work of the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission (the Royal Commission), the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment (the Ministry) decided to carry out aRequest for transcripts of post-Cabinet press conferences
Case notesPrime Minister’s office wanted to compare draft transcript with audio recording to check for errors—‘substantial collation or research’ does not encompass a quality assurance check of that nature—10 hours work did not amount to ‘substantial collation or research’Request for legal advice concerning outsourcing contact with taxpayers
OpinionsThe complainant asked the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) to provide him with copies of its legal advice relating to outsourcing contact with taxpayers about overdue tax debt, overdue tax returns and other matters.Request 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 futureStatement of Intent 2014/18
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.Request for information about employment investigation involving officer’s behaviour at a Police event
Case notesSections 9(2)(a) and 9(2)(ba)(i) OIA applied to information about and supplied by witnesses—implied obligation of confidence—release would be likely to prejudice the future supply of information from witnesses to alleged staff misconduct—it is in the puRequest 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 information about an employment investigation (demotion)
Case notesPrivacy and confidentiality grounds apply—need for accountability when things go wrong— nature and seriousness of the wrongdoing—seniority of the individual involved—release of summary information to satisfy public interestRequest for project and hazard management plans relating to Mount Victoria tunnel refurbishment
Case notesSection 9(2)(b)(ii) applies to genuinely innovative methods that competitors could copy or adapt in future tenders, but not to the plans in their entirety—strong public interest in disclosure to promote accountability for adherence to the plans and effective participation in the consultation processMaking disability rights real 2012/2013
Reports, Disability rights reportsThis is the second report of the Independent Monitoring Mechanism of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Available in full and summary form.Request for cost of building naming rights
Case notesRelease of total cost would not unreasonably prejudice third party’s commercial position—public interest in accountability for spending public moneyRequest for engineering reports regarding earthquake-prone buildings
Case notesSection 7(2)(c)(i) applied—public interest in transparency for health and safety required the disclosure of four reports containing adverse findingsSubmission of the Ombudsman - Building (Earthquake-prone Buildings) Amendment Bill
SubmissionsThis submission relates to the information management requirements of clause 275B of the Building (Earthquake-prone Buildings) Amendment Bill.Submission of the Ombudsman - Environmental Reporting Bill
SubmissionsIt is in the interests of all New Zealanders to have comprehensive and reliable information available regularly on environmental issues that affect all of us. I do however have significant concerns with one aspect of the bill, namely clause 16, under which the Secretary for the Environment (MFE) and the Government Statistician can veto release of information to be used in an environmental report.Names of senior and principal historian involved in writing treaty settlement memo
Case notesSections 9(2)(a) and 9(2)(g)(ii) OIA did not apply—information publicly available—seniority—degree of responsibility—no material supporting likelihood of pressure or harassment