Public Address | Cafe | Legal Beagle: Adventures in the OIA or: Why Don Brash wanted to lead ACT https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/ en-us Copyright (c) 2026 Public Address Rowan Crawford https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211602#post211602 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211602#post211602 Been meaning to says thanks for your efforts on the OIA site Rowan. I'd dreamed of doing somethings similar years back , inspired back then by Alasdair Roberts and the Canadian CAIRS site, but never followed through with it.
Absolutely my pleasure.

If MySociety and WhatDoTheyKnow.com hadn't blazed the trail,…

]]> Tue, 03 May 2011 17:24:08 +1200 DaveClemens https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211272#post211272 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211272#post211272 Andrew, The Mexican Zoom search facility sounds rather interesting.
I wondered some years back how easy it might be to request OIA 'request logs' from NZ agencies, and perhaps then make that meta data searchable. Having surveyed over 50 agencies I came away convinced that this was unlikely to be…

]]> Sun, 01 May 2011 20:39:48 +1200 DaveClemens https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211270#post211270 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211270#post211270 Been meaning to says thanks for your efforts on the OIA site Rowan. I'd dreamed of doing somethings similar years back , inspired back then by Alasdair Roberts and the Canadian CAIRS site, but never followed through with it.

Kind of sad that the recent OIA review only received around…

]]> Sun, 01 May 2011 20:14:12 +1200 Andrew E https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211233#post211233 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211233#post211233 Sun, 01 May 2011 16:16:52 +1200 Graeme Edgeler https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211229#post211229 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211229#post211229 A shameless amateur speaking here, but I thought that radioactive material does not come under the HSNO Act.

Yellowcake is also toxic.

HSNO Act, s 2:

hazardous substance means, unless expressly provided otherwise by regulations, any substance—

(a) with 1 or more of the following intrinsic properties:
(i) explosiveness:
(ii)…

]]> Sun, 01 May 2011 13:19:32 +1200 David Hawke https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211226#post211226 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211226#post211226 Sun, 01 May 2011 12:25:32 +1200 izogi https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211222#post211222 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211222#post211222 But compliance? That’s more of a curate’s egg. Idiot/Savant’s done some excellent analysis, and I think a fair summary is that compliance continues to be, at best, patchy and too often downright Kalfka-esque.

Yes that's true and there's a hell of a lot of room for improvement, both for tracking…

]]> Sun, 01 May 2011 11:53:00 +1200 Rowan Crawford https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211176#post211176 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211176#post211176 Sat, 30 Apr 2011 14:00:55 +1200 Graeme Edgeler https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211171#post211171 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211171#post211171 I have only ever made two OIA requests.

I'm pretty sure that's not true. Ringing up some departmental office and asking what time they're open is an OIA request :-)

]]> Sat, 30 Apr 2011 13:04:28 +1200 Lara https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211168#post211168 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211168#post211168 This is a really interesting post, thank you.

I have only ever made two OIA requests. One response (from MFAT) didn't tell me anything that wasn't already in the public domain, and arrived exactly six weeks after I made the request. The second request was to the Department of Labour…

]]> Sat, 30 Apr 2011 11:51:53 +1200 Idiot Savant https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211165#post211165 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211165#post211165 That would be

http://fyi.org.nz/

Its a nice easy system for asking questions and publicising the result.

]]> Sat, 30 Apr 2011 11:30:09 +1200 Rowan Crawford https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211155#post211155 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211155#post211155 As a bit of shameless self-promotion, can I point anyone thinking of doing an OIA request at fyi.org.nz? It tries to help along people writing public OIA requests.

Also, any thoughts on improving the site would be gratefully accepted. Cheers!

]]> Sat, 30 Apr 2011 00:34:11 +1200 Paul Williams https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211154#post211154 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211154#post211154 I was shocked at how secretive everything is in Canadia.

Or in Australia – NSW at least. jus' sayin

]]> Sat, 30 Apr 2011 00:21:23 +1200 Biobbs https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211142#post211142 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211142#post211142 Thanks for that interesting piece, Graeme. I think the most positive aspects of the Official Information Act within New Zealand have been in the precedents that were set around interpreting it from the beginning. I read this Sydney Morning Herald article a few years back (I liked it enough to… ]]> Fri, 29 Apr 2011 19:49:29 +1200 Simon Johnson https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211137#post211137 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211137#post211137 About the 61 and the 48 unsuccessful privately-initiated prosecutions; do these include the prosecutions laid by the RSPCA?
I recall reading that the RSPCA had achieved several successful private prosecutions for animal cruelty offences. Perhaps the RSPCA cases were concluded after 2009?

]]> Fri, 29 Apr 2011 18:47:25 +1200 Graeme Edgeler https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211127#post211127 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211127#post211127 Point. And they’ll also likely post the submissions.

I'm not so sure. They didn't even put a media release telling people to apply.

]]> Fri, 29 Apr 2011 16:07:06 +1200 Idiot Savant https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211125#post211125 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211125#post211125 Simplest to wait for a couple of weeks. The Commission will make its interim allocation and will hopefully put that up on its website. Then it will be "official". You should get a news story or two to go along with it

Point. And they'll also likely post the submissions.

]]> Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:52:06 +1200 Graeme Edgeler https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211124#post211124 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211124#post211124 Which is to say they could tell the ombudsmen to eff off, but in practice they don’t

The NZDF can't tell the Ombudsman to eff off. As they're a government department, it would be up to Cabinet.

]]> Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:50:44 +1200 Graeme Edgeler https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211123#post211123 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211123#post211123 Can you scan that and put it up please? There are some new unregistered parties crying out for wikipages, but need independent sources.

I was wondering when you'd turn up, I/S.

I'm not sure an email from the EC counts as an independent source ... original research, maybe?

Simplest to…

]]> Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:48:22 +1200 Eddie Clark https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211121#post211121 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211121#post211121 On Media7 last night, Jon Stephenson said it took Jerry Mateparae six months to deign to even respond to his last OIA request, and it was basically (I'm paraphrasing) a long "fuck off, I'm not telling you shit." That's blatantly flouting the law, but unless the Ombudmen get real enforcement… ]]> Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:40:24 +1200 Idiot Savant https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211120#post211120 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211120#post211120 And on 17 March this year, just before the 5pm deadline, I asked the Electoral Commission who had applied.

Can you scan that and put it up please? There are some new unregistered parties crying out for wikipages, but need independent sources.

]]> Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:34:47 +1200 Idiot Savant https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211117#post211117 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211117#post211117 The Electoral Commission is hearing submissions from the parties today and tomorrow on the proper Based on past numbers

Something seems to be missing there.

]]> Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:25:23 +1200 Idiot Savant https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211116#post211116 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211116#post211116 On Media7 last night, Jon Stephenson said it took Jerry Mateparae six months to deign to even respond to his last OIA request, and it was basically (I'm paraphrasing) a long "fuck off, I'm not telling you shit." That's blatantly flouting the law, but unless the Ombudmen get real enforcement… ]]> Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:18:32 +1200 Graeme Edgeler https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211095#post211095 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211095#post211095 It doesn’t distinguish enriched and natural uranium, so it would be legal for a secondary school to acquire a pound (454g) of 95% enriched uranium.

As I point out, compliance with one law isn't enough. You have to comply with every law.

You may be right that importation of a…

]]> Fri, 29 Apr 2011 13:03:30 +1200 Sacha https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211063#post211063 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211063#post211063 Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:52:39 +1200 Rich of Observationz https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211041#post211041 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211041#post211041 The Atomic Energy Act is an interesting curiosity.

It doesn't distinguish enriched and natural uranium, so it would be legal for a secondary school to acquire a pound (454g) of 95% enriched uranium. Get a few schools together (something over a hundred) and they could jointly make a bomb.

They'd…

]]> Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:09:23 +1200 Craig Ranapia https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211031#post211031 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211031#post211031 In Australia, the precedents seem to have been for government officials to go to whatever lengths they could find to avoid releasing things. Not sure if that’s just a biased journalists’ view.

@IZOGI: The Official Information and Local Government Official Information and Meetings Acts are pretty good (though a good…

]]> Fri, 29 Apr 2011 10:52:04 +1200 Graeme Edgeler https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211025#post211025 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=211025#post211025 rather surprised at the number of private prosecutions l had imagined it to be a very small number mostly becuase so few are reported to get to trial

Few of the other 350k prosecutions are reported either. I should note for completely, that the number of proceedings is around half…

]]> Fri, 29 Apr 2011 10:35:13 +1200 Raymond A Francis https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=210979#post210979 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=210979#post210979 Interesting stuff Graeme, rather surprised at the number of private prosecutions l had imagined it to be a very small number mostly becuase so few are reported to get to trial
Good that you ask the questions so we may know

]]> Thu, 28 Apr 2011 21:00:25 +1200 izogi https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=210974#post210974 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=210974#post210974 The Official Information Act replaced the Official Secrets Act (Muldoon did something right!) and ushered in a more open system, which I suspect has had an important impact on public decision-making and accountability (mostly for good, some for ill).

Thanks for that interesting piece, Graeme. I think the most positive…

]]> Thu, 28 Apr 2011 20:25:11 +1200 Graeme Edgeler https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=210970#post210970 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=210970#post210970 I guess the situation with yellowcake depends on whether the meaning of "imported" includes goods on a ship that aren't being unloaded in New Zealand.

Precisely. It certainly does for a lot of purposes: including things like drug importation. Other statutory schemes use similar but distinct concepts. e.g. biosecurity uses…

]]> Thu, 28 Apr 2011 20:03:57 +1200 Rich of Observationz https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=210962#post210962 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=210962#post210962 I guess the situation with yellowcake depends on whether the meaning of "imported" includes goods on a ship that aren't being unloaded in New Zealand. Such goods aren't subject to GST and duties, for instance.

You also have the situation where aircraft land in NZ with depleted uranium balance weights.…

]]> Thu, 28 Apr 2011 19:43:07 +1200 Graeme Edgeler https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=210958#post210958 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=210958#post210958 Thu, 28 Apr 2011 18:58:50 +1200 Public Address https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=210957#post210957 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/legal-beagle-adventures-in-the-oia-or-why/?p=210957#post210957 Discussion from blog post.

]]> Thu, 28 Apr 2011 18:58:50 +1200