Official Information Act

Find out about the Official Information Act and how you can make a request for information from Te Aho o Te Kahu.

What is the Official Information Act?

The Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) helps New Zealand Citizens, permanent residents and anyone in New Zealand access information held by Government organisations and Ministers. This promotes openness and transparency and enables greater public participation in government.

Before you make a request

We encourage you to check the sources of information below, as you may find the information you need is already publicly available on the Te Aho o Te Kahu website:

The information you want may be held by the Ministry of Health. If you are uncertain whether your OIA request is for Te Aho o Te Kahu or the Ministry of Health please email us at info@teaho.govt.nz for guidance.

How to make a request

Requests should include your name, your preferred postal or email address, and specific details of the information you want.

Email requests can be sent to: info@teaho.govt.nz

Requests can also be sent via post to: OIA Requests, Te Aho o Te Kahu, PO Box 5013, Wellington 6140.

How long will it take?

We will respond to your request no later than 20 working days after we receive it. For large requests or those requiring consultation, we may extend the time limit under Section 14 of the Official Information Act. If this happens, we will let you know and give you the reason and a specific due date.

If we believe another agency holds the information you have requested, we will transfer your request to them and let you know no later than 10 working days after receiving the request.

Complaints

If you believe the Agency has not followed the Official Information Act correctly, or you are unsatisfied with how we have responded to your request for another reason, you can:

  • Contact us and let us know so we can try to resolve the issue immediately.
  • Submit a complaint to The Office of the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman will decide whether to investigate and review our decision and may make a recommendation to us.

More information