Government ministers and public agencies are being warned to get their Official Information Act responses right as scrutiny ramps up ahead of the general election.
Chief Ombudsman John Allen is increasing oversight of OIA practices during the three-month pre-election period, when voters, journalists and organisations are expected to seek information that could influence decisions at the ballot box.
Allen says speed and accuracy will become increasingly important, with delays potentially making information irrelevant by the time it is released.
The Ombudsman’s office is contacting the Prime Minister and Public Service Commissioner directly, urging the Government and agencies to prepare for increased demand and ensure requests are handled correctly.
Ministers and agencies will also be encouraged to proactively publish information when they notice repeated requests about the same issue, making material available to everyone while reducing pressure on staff processing individual OIAs.
The public is also being encouraged to make reasonable and clearly defined requests so agencies can identify and release relevant information more efficiently.
The Ombudsman says access to reliable information is particularly important during an election campaign as more people turn to social media for political news, where incomplete or misleading information can quickly shape public opinion.
His office plans to release regular guidance for ministers, agencies and the public throughout the election period, including advice around the use of artificial intelligence when dealing with official information.
In another transparency move, the Ombudsman will publish weekly figures showing how many complaints have been received about ministers’ handling of OIA requests, what those complaints concern and how they are being addressed.
The watchdog says complaints connected with election-period information requests will be treated urgently as voters prepare to decide who will govern Aotearoa for the next three years.
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