Official information law

The amount of information held by both public and private sector organisations can be daunting, and how you deal with much of this information is subject to statutory requirements.  The requirements often seem complex, but we can assist you to easily and efficiently comply with them.

When you deal with central or local government, having accurate information on their thinking is vital.  We have the expertise to help you make the most of your right to access information.

If you are in government, you will have to deal with requests for official and personal information.  We can help you navigate the statutory processes that you need to follow to respond to difficult requests.  We can also help you comply with record-keeping obligations and advise on when documents can be disposed.

We advise clients on handling Official Information Act requests and requests for personal information, and responding to investigations by the Ombudsmen or Privacy Commissioner.  We help clients make requests for official and personal information, and help clients take complaints to the Ombudsmen or Privacy Commissioner.

In addition, we advise both public and private sector clients on acting in accordance with the privacy principles in the Privacy Act, and we advise public sector clients on how to comply with the Public Records Act.

We draft and advise on official information and personal information manuals and guidelines, and provide training courses to assist our clients to understand and comply with their obligations under the relevant legislation.