MEDIA RELEASE

PRIME MINISTER'S OIA ADMISSION DISTURBING

16 OCTOBER 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Taxpayers’ Union is calling for answers after it was revealed on Radio New Zealand’s Morning Report that the Prime Minister’s office routinely flouts its obligations under the Official Information Act. Taxpayers’ Union spokesman, Ben Craven says:

“It is not just the Opposition that hold the Government to account, but everyday members of the public.”

“The Prime Minister’s admission that his Government treats the law as optional may be brutally realistic. Journalists and lobby groups know unhappily that it reflects the actual practice of years and successive governments. But it shows time for serious change.”

"The greatest change should probably be in the Ombudsmen. They’ve allowed this to develop by not exercising their powers to make it costly for officials to prevaricate and ignore the law."

"The Ombudsmen have powers of inspection and powers to comment critically and bluntly, and to cause real embarrassment for a government, that would make it less problematic to comply, than to cover up by not complying. Simply, appalling as it is to hear the blunt truth from the Prime Minister that they regard compliance with the law as optional, the real conclusion is that the Ombudsmen have not been doing their job.

"A watchman institution is useless when the watchman’s watcher is too lily livered to cry out for a posse."

“The Office of the Ombudsman has the ability to enter the offices of public officials and ensure they are complying with the Official Information Act. Perhaps it is about time they started routine checks to ensure compliance.”

The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is an independent activist group, dedicated to being the voice for Kiwi taxpayers in the corridors of power. It’s here to fight government waste and make sure New Zealanders get value for money from their tax dollar.

ENDS

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