OIA

August 30, 2024

Submission: Land Transport (Drug Driving) Amendment Bill

The Council opposes the Land Transport (Drug Driving) Amendment Bill as an unwarranted intrusion on our civil liberties to implement a regime that fails in its stated purpose. Keep reading

Submissions

May 13, 2024

Privacy Commission Biometrics Consultation

The Council believes that biometric processing is a significant threat to our liberties and our democracy. The Council re-iterates our call for a ban on Remote Biometric Identification (RBI). The Council recommends that a biometrics code under the Privacy Act should not be adopted. Keep reading

Submissions

April 19, 2024

Submission: Fast-track Approvals Bill

The Fast-track Approvals Bill does not just remove our rights to participate in environmental decision-making, it removes our right to information under the OIA, taking us back to the dark days of Muldoon and the Official Secrets Act. Keep reading

Submissions

April 10, 2024

Secrecy clauses that override the Official Information Act

The Council responded to a Ministry of Justice consultation on secrecy clauses that override the Official Information Act. We concluded the consultation was wholly unfit. It will not lead to stronger testing of claims for secrecy, as it sets out no standards. Keep reading

Articles

March 24, 2024

What the Royal Commission on Lessons from COVID-19 should consider

The Council has summarised its thoughts on civil liberties and the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. There are various lessons to be learned that are key to retaining public trust and confidence in times of crisis. Keep reading

News

February 28, 2024

Media release: Bizarre Government secrecy keeps public in the dark about law changes affecting the OIA

The Council is disturbed by the Ministry of Justice's secretive consultation on guidance about proposed laws that oust the Official Information Act. Keep reading

Submissions

April 27, 2023

Submission: Resale Right for Visual Artists Bill

The bill requires the Minister to appoint a 'collection agency' to collect and distribute royalties on the re-sale of visual works of art. But the bill does not make this body subject to the OIA, Ombudsmen Act, Public Audit Act or Public Records Act. We recommend this is fixed. Keep reading

Submissions

February 5, 2023

Submission: Local Government Official Information and Meetings (Amendment) Bill

The full text of our submission to the Governance and Administration Select Committee, opposing the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Bill unless amended. Keep reading

Submissions

February 4, 2023

Submission: Inspector-General of Defence Bill

The full text of our submission to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee recommending substantial amendments to the Inspector-General of Defence Bill. Keep reading

Articles

August 28, 2022

Apology from DPMC for OIA mismanagement

On August 26, 2022, the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) apologized for their mismanagement of our 10 September 2021 request under the Official Information Act (OIA) about contact tracing. Keep reading

Blog Posts / News

June 23, 2022

The Ombudsman’s reply

Yesterday, the Council wrote to the Ombudsman, Peter Boshier, to complain about the decision made in his name to close our complaint against the former Minister for Covid-19 Response. The Ombudsman has replied to the Council, apologising for the management of our complaint, re-opening the matter, and undertaking to conduct an investigation. The text of the Ombudsman’s reply is below. Keep reading

Blog Posts / News

June 22, 2022

Failure to investigate an OIA complaint. Can complaints survive a reshuffle?

The Ombudsman sat on our OIA complaint for 7 months before dropping it because Chris Hipkins wasn't the Covid-19 Minister any more. Our response to the Ombudsman, asking him to reconsider and finally investigate the refusal. Keep reading

Submission: Land Transport (Drug Driving) Amendment Bill

Privacy Commission Biometrics Consultation

Submission: Fast-track Approvals Bill

Secrecy clauses that override the Official Information Act

What the Royal Commission on Lessons from COVID-19 should consider

Media release: Bizarre Government secrecy keeps public in the dark about law changes affecting the OIA

Submission: Resale Right for Visual Artists Bill

Submission: Local Government Official Information and Meetings (Amendment) Bill

Submission: Inspector-General of Defence Bill

Apology from DPMC for OIA mismanagement

The Ombudsman’s reply

Failure to investigate an OIA complaint. Can complaints survive a reshuffle?

Meeting dates for 2024

Submissions

Articles

Blog Posts

News

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