Ombudsman releases report on official information practice at the Treasury

Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier has completed his investigation into the way the Treasury works with Official Information Act requests.

Mr Boshier found there was a positive culture at the Treasury around the importance of the OIA and openness and transparency, consistent with the Treasury’s role as a provider of free and frank advice.

In particular, Mr Boshier noted the Treasury was ‘an exemplar’ for other agencies in its policy of releasing all substantive OIA responses on its website.

Mr Boshier made no formal recommendations, as he did not identify any conduct by the Treasury that was wrong, unreasonable, or contrary to law.

His report includes suggested actions for improvements to Treasury practice; mostly in the areas of training and guidance, gathering better information on the time involved in processing and responding to OIA enquiries, and clarifying some of the information on its OIA webpage.

"Treasury has accepted all my suggestions and intends to implement most of them over the coming year", Mr Boshier said. "Where process or resource means this may take a little longer, I’ll be staying in regular contact to monitor progress. My sincere thanks to Treasury for the open and positive way it engaged with my staff, and for its willingness to take on board my suggestions’.

OIA compliance and practice at the Treasury

ENDS

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