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Chief Mediator Peter Boshier has asked the Auckland Council to apologize to Radio New Zealand for the manner in which the Council handled a request for official information.
"I believe that an apology is needed because I found the response of the Board"
RNZ complained of a delay of five months in obtaining a Council report under the Information Act and Local Government Meetings (LGOIMA) on the future of import trade in ports
RNZ claimed that internal emails sent between Council officials during this period raised questions as to whether the Council had deliberately delayed the publication of the report.
"My objective for this inquiry was administrative conduct, and I wondered specifically whether the Council had acted reasonably in dealing with RNZ's request for information. "
M. Boshier said senio The council officials, its subsidiary Auckland Council Investments and the mayor's office all played a role in the review of the application.
"Overall, there was a lack of coordination and monitoring; the staff was not aware of their role in the process, or who had to make the decision.
The Board's consultation with interested parties was misbehaved.
million. Boshier says Mayor Phil Goff did not make the decision of RNZ The senior political advisor was involved
"There was no indication that they acted inappropriately in this case." there was an undesirable lack of clarity about their role. "
" Senior officials of the Board also raised a number of irrelevant considerations in the decision-making process, which may not have been made. in the final decision, but they questioned the openness and transparency of the Council. "
" This resulted in delays in the processing of RNZ's request within the required 20 days by LGOIMA. "
M. Boshier says that the shortcomings noted in this survey are worrying, given that 30 years have passed since the entry into force of LGOIMA
"Auckland Council is the largest Council in the country. standard for 77 other local authorities in New Zealand. "
" The Board conducts its own internal review of its LGOIMA policies and procedures, which I intend to check to ensure that things work well. "
He also agreed to develop a clear protocol between the Council's organization and the elected members and their staff.
"I believe that all local authorities should develop a protocol clarifying the role of elected officials and Council staff in dealing with official information." I made this recommendation to central government agencies and to their ministers. "
M. Boshier also welcomes the Council's plan to publish responses of general interest and to increase the amount of information proactively disseminated on Council activities. "
" I will carefully monitor all these developments to ensure that they are bearing fruit. "
Final Opinion here: http://draft.ombudsman.parliament.nz/resources-and-publications/opinions/ombudsman-act-opinions
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