Act will give right to request information

Press, 10 February 1988, Page 6

Act will give right to request information

The public will have better access to information held by local authorities when the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act comes into force.

Local and regional authorities in New Zealand, including special purpose authorities, will be subject to some form of official information legislation from March 1.

This is when the act comes into force, combined with the amended Official Information Act. It will mean the public have better access to local body information and meetings will become more open. Local authorities covered by the scope of the two acts include city, borough, district, united

and regional counsils, catchment authorities, harbour, electric power, education, hospital and area health boards.

The legislation gave any person or group the right to request information, said the Secretary for Local Government, Mr Peter Boag. “A special effort is being made to inform ratepayers, the largest group of people affected by the legislation,” Mr Boag said. A limited publicity campaign would inform people of their rights, and an explanatory brochure on the provisons of the new legislation had been prepared by the Internal Affairs Department. Copies of the brochure are being sent to every territorial local authority

for distribution within their districts. It has been suggested to local authorities that they include the brochore with their next rating notice to ratepayers.

Mr Boag said this would demonstrate to the public the commitment of local government to make the legislation work. The brochure has been produced by the department in association with the Ombudsman’s Office. It covers in broad terms how to make requests for information, including personal information, costs, refusals of requests, attendance at meetings, and complaints concerning the legislation. It will also be available at public libraries, citizens’ advice bureaux, and local authority offices.