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.
17 Resources Show all
The LGOIMA for local government agencies: A guide to processing requests and conducting meetings
Official informationThe purpose of this guide is to assist local government agencies in recognising and responding to requests for official information under the LGOIMA.Office of Privacy Commissioner not unreasonable to decline to investigate complaint against Police
Case notesOffice of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC)—decision not to investigate a complaint against the New Zealand PoliceState Services Commission’s consideration of complaint about Treasury policy paper was not unreasonable
Case notesWhether the State Services Commission’s consideration of a complaint made by the New Zealand Post Primary Teachers’ Association about a Treasury policy paper, was reasonable—Ombudsman concluded SSC did not act unreasonably when it considered that complaintMeridian Energy’s process for purchasing property not unreasonable
Case notesComplaint about price Meridian Energy paid for a property—Ombudsman found the process had been reasonableSecurities Commission did not unreasonably apply conflict of interest policy and procedure
Case notesWhether the Securities Commission’s policy and procedures relating to the management of conflicts of interest were applied appropriately in this case—Chief Ombudsman concluded the Commission did not act unreasonablyCivil Aviation Authority changes its investigation practices following Ombudsman’s findings
Case notesComplaint about investigation by Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of a light aircraft crash—criticism of way CAA conducted investigation into the crash which resulted in 2 deaths—after O’s investigation, CAA accepted a likely cause was from a crack in a conrod (engine part) which appeared shortly after the engine had been reconditioned—O considered CAA should not have asked the reconditioning company for assessment and that CAA was unreasonable not to interview engineers during its investigationActions 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 circumstancesOverseas Investment Office approach to request for information in accordance with OIA guidelines
Case notesComplaint concerning Overseas Investment Office allegedly acting unlawfully in deciding to release a copy of a letter authored by complainant, in response to an OIA request—Ombudsman disagrees and considers complainant cannot ‘veto’ the release of the letterComplaint that notice of meeting did not comply with LGOIMA provisions and meeting minutes were not a true and correct record
Case notesMember of public concerned that notice of meeting did not comply with relevant LGOIMA provisions and minutes of meeting were not a true and correct record—Ombudsman satisfied that meeting notified correctly—Ombudsman formed view that allowing one member of public to address subcommittee did not amount to a public forum and printing resolution on agenda was not sufficient to meet requirements of s 48(4)(a)—Council agreed to amend minutes and take steps to ensure staff aware of legal requirementsRequest for tape recording of Council Committee deliberations
Case notesProperty owner sought tape recording of Council Committee deliberations (public excluded) on his application for a resource consent—withheld under s 7(2)(f)(i)—basis for public exclusion invalid but withholding grounds still available to Council—information on tape recording consisted of free and frank expression of opinions which, if released, would harm ‘the effective conduct of public affairs’ by hampering, delaying or preventing future resource consent processes—no countervailing public interest considerations favouring release that would outweigh the need to protect informationDecision of University Council Committee to impose conditions on use of information
Case notesDecision of University Council Committee to place an ‘embargo’ on the release of information considered by the Committee—embargo prevented any independent report on the information considered by the Committee until the next meeting of the Council of the University—meeting open to public—requester entitled to a copy of the agenda, subject only to the payment of the prescribed amountInappropriate public exclusion by local authority
Case notesDecision of local authority’s Environmental and Planning Committee to exclude the public from part of a meeting at which a draft regional policy statement was considered—inappropriate use of s 48(1)(d)Request for polytechnic financial report
Case notesFinancial report not free and frank expression of opinion—linkage between information and expression of opinion—what constitutes improper pressure or harassment—section 9(2)(g)(i) not a ground for exclusion of public from meetingNew Zealand Qualifications Authority and remarked paper with miscalculated mark
Case notesCorrection of arithmetical error in raw marks—remarking reduced mark—no effect on final scaled markPower Board decision to disconnect power unreasonable in the circumstances
Case notesElectric Power Board decision to disconnect power to a consumer’s home unreasonableNew Zealand Treasury found to have fettered discretion over bona vacantia decision
Case notesBona vacantia–Crown’s discretion to provide for persons for whom deceased might reasonably have expected to make provision—unreasonable and oppressive exercise of discretion s.77(1)(e) Administration Act 1969