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 Te Aho o Te Kahu website:
- State of Cancer Report 2025
- Reports and Numbers webpage
- the Cancer Care Data Explorer which is an interactive tool for exploring the quality of care and outcomes for people diagnosed with cancer in New Zealand and provides baseline data for ongoing quality improvement.
- The Route to Diagnosis dashboard where you can explore data on cancers diagnosed within 30-days of emergency or acute (unplanned) hospital admission.
The information you want may be held by the Ministry of Health Manatū Hauora or Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora. If you are uncertain whether your OIA request is for Te Aho o Te Kahu, the Ministry of Health or Health New Zealand please email us at queries@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: queries@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 through The Office of the Ombudsman website. The Ombudsman will decide whether to investigate and review our decision and may make a recommendation to us.
Websites with more information
- Official Information Act 1982 on the New Zealand Legislation website.
- On the Ministry of Justice website you can find:
- the Directory of Official Information which contains contact details for all government organisations covered by the Official Information Act.
- Charging guidelines for Official Information Act requests
- Ombudsman's Official Information Act Guides - guidance documents relating to the OIA process.