How to use the Directory

The Directory has individual entries for the Government departments, Crown entities, State-owned enterprises and other organisations which, at the date of publication, are subject to the Official Information Act 1982. Where appropriate, organisations have included the names of any statutory or advisory committees that they administer.

Each entry was contributed by, and is the responsibility of, the organisation concerned. The spelling of Māori language words reflects regional variation in spelling and in the use of macrons, as preferred by the organisations concerned; similar accommodation has been made for corporate preferences in some of the English-language submissions. Entries are correct as at December 2011, but information should not be treated as definitive because changes occur continuously.

Entries

Each entry follows the same format. The information is arranged under the following headings, as applicable:

  • Acts Administered or Relevant Acts
  • Functions and Responsibilities
  • Structure
  • Records
  • Documents relating to Decision-Making Processes
  • Publications
  • Future Changes
  • Contact, including a list of addresses, telephone and fax numbers and electronic information.

Ministerial portfolios

A rank order list of the Ministerial portfolios of Government is included.

Charging Guidelines

The Official Information Act states that an agency may charge for making official information available, but it requires that “any charge fixed must be reasonable and regard may be had to the cost of labour and materials involved”. The Ministry of Justice issues, with the approval of Cabinet, charging guidelines that represent what the Government regards as reasonable charges for the purposes of the Act. The current guidelines, approved by Cabinet in March 2002, are included in this directory.

While agencies are required to follow the guidelines in all cases unless good reason exists for not doing so, the decision about whether to actually charge a requester, and in what circumstances, is discretionary and must be reasonable. If a requester thinks the charge is unfair he or she may complain to the Office of the Ombudsman.

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