Passed in 1982, the Official Information Act marked an important change in the accountability and transparency of New Zealand's government. No more would government information default to being kept secret, now the expectation was that it would be released to anyone in the country who asked for it (there are grounds for refusing - see the act for details).

We recently held our AGM and I'm proud to have been elected as the new Chairperson for the NZ Council for Civil Liberties.

Civil liberties matter to me. I believe that a freedom and rights-based democracy is the best way to build a society that gives everyone the chance to be the best they can be. Furthermore I believe that New Zealand can be that society.