iSAYSO
Official Information Act Request — OIA Complaint Backlog Statistics
New Zealand deserves better transparency
And many of us are starting to notice.
Over the past year, more and more New Zealanders have been telling me the same thing:
“My OIA complaint has been sitting with the Ombudsman for months… sometimes over a year… and nothing happens.”
“My OIA complaint has been sitting with the Ombudsman for months… sometimes over a year… and nothing happens.”
This isn’t a left/right issue.
This isn’t a political football.
This is about whether the public can access the truth in a timely way.
This isn’t a political football.
This is about whether the public can access the truth in a timely way.
So today I lodged an Official Information Act request directly with the Ombudsman asking for the actual numbers behind the backlog — because sunlight is healthy for democracy.
Here’s the request I’ve sent:
Official Information Act Request — OIA Complaint Backlog Statistics
I am requesting the following information under the Official Information Act 1982:
Context:
I wish to note, respectfully, that I and many other New Zealanders are increasingly concerned about the length of time OIA complaints are taking to be investigated. Extended delays have real consequences for public trust, transparency, and the overall wellbeing of New Zealand’s democratic system. When oversight mechanisms become slow or inaccessible, it affects the ability of citizens to participate meaningfully in public life and to hold agencies accountable.
I wish to note, respectfully, that I and many other New Zealanders are increasingly concerned about the length of time OIA complaints are taking to be investigated. Extended delays have real consequences for public trust, transparency, and the overall wellbeing of New Zealand’s democratic system. When oversight mechanisms become slow or inaccessible, it affects the ability of citizens to participate meaningfully in public life and to hold agencies accountable.
This request is made in good faith and in the public interest, with the intention of better understanding the scale of the backlog and its impact on the effectiveness of the OIA framework.
I request the information in electronic form.
Kind regards,
[Name]
[Name]
Why I’m sharing this publicly
Because transparency shouldn’t require a fight.
Because oversight shouldn’t take a year.
Because New Zealand works best when the public can see what’s going on.
Because oversight shouldn’t take a year.
Because New Zealand works best when the public can see what’s going on.
If you’ve had long delays with your own OIA complaints, feel free to comment below.
The more voices we gather, the clearer the picture becomes.
The more voices we gather, the clearer the picture becomes.
