So in 2012 I made an OIA request for all reports received as Minister Responsible for the Crown Law Office. This was declined, on a similar basis that they weren't OIAable.

Went to the Ombudsman, and got a decision in my favour: the AG is OIAable for his Ministerial functions (including on the financials of Crown Solicitors). I ultimately received this response.

What I note is that there are several titles revealing that in 2012 the AG as Minister Responsible for Crown Law received several papers relating to the financials of Crown Solicitors. Maybe worth another Ombudsman complaint in a similar vein?

You say that because of the influx of mainlanders and thus the dilution of the Hong Konger identity that many Hong Kongers are moving overseas. Surely that's a little bit hypocritical: aren't Hong Kongers moving, to say, Auckalnd, the same as mainlanders moving to Hong Kong? The concern about the shops of the old Hong Kong disappearing in favour of those that appeal to mainlanders seems to be reminiscent of Winston Peters old concern about corner stores disappearing and being replaced with Cantonese restaurants, TCM providers, and Asian supermarkets.

Victoria has a police check system that’s used for mildly-sensitive roles, called the “working with children check” (http://www.justice.vic.gov.au/workingwithchildren/ ). It covers more than you’d expect, specifically anyone who volunteers at an event where school kids go as part of their school activities (ScienceWorks, for example). So there have been times when I have refused to volunteer because I object to that system – paying the police for a half-arsed check, so I can volunteer for an afternoon? Shove that.

A late reply, but I'd just like to point out that we have a similar system in New Zealand, simply called Police Vetting. The Police have a practice of 'red-stamping' any person that is recommended to not work with children. The concerns with this system is that it goes into a lot more than simply convictions, and can include allegations. Files returned from vetting can also include information not when the person concerned was alleged to be an offender, but also when they were a victim.

In response to the sex-offender register, my understanding is that there is nothing formal, but there exists an MOU between Corrections and Police governing information sharing around sex offenders, so that they can be monitored upon release. If I recall correctly, Anne Tolley is also doing some work on a registration system based off the system in the UK, triggered by the reports of the sex-offender who stole a teachers identity and offended against children.

Interesting. I don't suppose a judgement is available for the Christchurch Central recount?