The question whether any official information is to be made available, where that question arises under this Act, shall be determined, except where this Act otherwise expressly requires, in accordance with the purposes of this Act and the principle that the information shall be made available unless there is good reason for withholding it.

Good reason for withholding official information exists, for the purpose of section 5 of this Act, if the making available of that information would be likely—

• (a) To prejudice the maintenance of the law, including the prevention, investigation, and detection of offences, and the right to a fair trial; or

• (b) To endanger the safety of any person.

(1) Where this section applies, good reason for withholding official information exists, for the purpose of section 5 of this Act, unless, in the circumstances of the particular case, the withholding of that information is outweighed by other considerations which render it desirable, in the public interest, to make that information available.

(2) Subject to sections 6, 8, and 17 of this Act, this section applies if, and only if, the withholding of the information is necessary to—

• (a) Protect the privacy of natural persons, including that of deceased natural persons; or

• (b) Protect information where the making available of the information—

  • (i) Would disclose a trade secret; or

  • (ii) Would be likely unreasonably to prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied or who is the subject of the information; or

• (ba) In the case only of an application for a resource consent, or water conservation order, or a requirement for a designation or heritage order, under the Resource Management Act 1991, to avoid serious offence to tikanga Maori, or to avoid the disclosure of the location of waahi tapu; or

• (c) Protect information which is subject to an obligation of confidence or which any person has been or could be compelled to provide under the authority of any enactment, where the making available of the information—

  • (i) Would be likely to prejudice the supply of similar information, or information from the same source, and it is in the public interest that such information should continue to be supplied; or

  • (ii) Would be likely otherwise to damage the public interest; or

• (d) Avoid prejudice to measures protecting the health or safety of members of the public; or

• (e) Avoid prejudice to measures that prevent or mitigate material loss to members of the public; or

• (f) Maintain the effective conduct of public affairs through—

  • (i) The free and frank expression of opinions by or between or to members or officers or employees of any local authority, or any persons to whom section 2(5) of this Act applies, in the course of their duty; or

  • (ii) The protection of such members, officers, employees, and persons from improper pressure or harassment; or

• (g) Maintain legal professional privilege; or

• (h) Enable any local authority holding the information to carry out, without prejudice or disadvantage, commercial activities; or

• (i) Enable any local authority holding the information to carry on, without prejudice or disadvantage, negotiations (including commercial and industrial negotiations); or

• (j) Prevent the disclosure or use of official information for improper gain or improper advantage.

Where a request under this Act relates to information to which section 6 or section 7(2)(b) of this Act applies, or would, if it existed, apply, the local authority dealing with the request may, if it is satisfied that the interest protected by section 6 or section 7(2)(b) of this Act would be likely to be prejudiced by the disclosure of the existence or non-existence of such information, give notice in writing to the applicant that it neither confirms nor denies the existence or non-existence of that information.

(1) Subject to subsection (2) of this section, the rule of law which authorises or requires the withholding of any document, or the refusal to answer any question, on the ground that the disclosure of the document or the answering of the question would be injurious to the public interest shall not apply in respect of—

• (a) An investigation by or proceedings before an Ombudsman in relation to any decision under this Act; or

• (b) Any application under section 4(1) of the Judicature Amendment Act 1972 for the review of any decision under this Act;—

but not so as to give any party any information that that party would not, apart from this section, be entitled to.

(2) Nothing in subsection (1) of this section affects—

• (a) Section 31 of this Act; or

• (b) Section 20(1) of the Ombudsmen Act 1975.

(1) Any person may request any local authority to make available to that person any specified official information.

(1A) Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section, a request made, on or after the date of commencement of this subsection, by or on behalf of a natural person for access to any personal information which is about that person shall be deemed to be a request made pursuant to subclause (1)(b) of principle 6 of the Privacy Act 1993, and shall be dealt with accordingly, and nothing in this Part or in Part 5 of this Act shall apply in relation to any such request.

(2) The official information requested shall be specified with due particularity in the request.

(3) If the person making the request asks that that request be treated as urgent, that person shall give that person's reasons for seeking the information urgently.

It is the duty of every local authority to give reasonable assistance to a person who—

• (a) Wishes to make a request in accordance with section 10 of this Act; or

• (b) In making a request under section 10 of this Act, has not made that request in accordance with that section; or

• (c) Has not made that person's request to the appropriate local authority or Department or Minister of the Crown or organisation,—

to make a request in a manner that is in accordance with that section or to direct that person's request to the appropriate local authority or Department or Minister of the Crown or organisation.

Where—

• (a) A request in accordance with section 10 of this Act is made to any local authority; and

• (b) The information to which the request relates—

  • (i) Is not held by that local authority but is believed by the person dealing with the request to be held by another local authority or a Department or Minister of the Crown or organisation; or

  • (ii) Is believed by the person dealing with the request to be more closely connected with the functions of another local authority or a Department or Minister of the Crown or organisation,—

the chief executive of the local authority to which the request is made, or an officer or employee authorised by that chief executive, shall promptly, and in no case later than 10 working days after the day on which the request is received, transfer the request to the other local authority, or the appropriate Department, Minister of the Crown, or organisation, and inform the person making the request accordingly.

(1) Subject to this Act, the local authority to which a request is made in accordance with section 10 of this Act, or is transferred in accordance with section 12 of this Act or section 14 of the Official Information Act 1982, shall, as soon as reasonably practicable, and in no case later than 20 working days after the day on which the request is received by that local authority,—

• (a) Decide whether the request is to be granted and, if it is to be granted, in what manner and for what charge (if any); and

• (b) Give or post to the person who made the request notice of the decision on the request.

(1A) Subject to section 23 of this Act, every local authority (including a local authority whose activities are funded in whole or in part by another person) may charge for the supply of official information under this Act.

(2) Any charge for the supply of official information under this Act shall not exceed the prescribed amount.

(3) Where no such amount is prescribed, any charge fixed shall be reasonable, and regard may be had to the cost of the labour and materials involved in making the information available and to any costs incurred pursuant to a request of the applicant to make the information available urgently.

(4) The local authority may require that the whole or part of any charge be paid in advance.

(5) Where a request in accordance with section 10 of this Act is made or transferred to a local authority, the decision on that request shall be made by the chief executive of that local authority or an officer or employee of that local authority authorised by that chief executive unless that request is transferred in accordance with section 12 of this Act to another local authority or to a Department, Minister of the Crown, or organisation.

(6) Nothing in subsection (5) of this section prevents the chief executive of a local authority or any officer or employee of a local authority from consulting a local authority or any other person in relation to the decision that the chief executive or officer or employee proposes to make on any request made to the local authority in accordance with section 10 of this Act or transferred to the local authority in accordance with section 12 of this Act or section 14 of the Official Information Act 1982.

(1) Where a request in accordance with section 10 of this Act is made or transferred to a local authority, the chief executive of that local authority, or an officer or employee authorised by that chief executive, may extend the time limit set out in section 12 or section 13(1) of this Act in respect of the request if—

• (a) The request is for a large quantity of official information or necessitates a search through a large quantity of information and meeting the original time limit would unreasonably interfere with the operations of the local authority; or

• (b) Consultations necessary to make a decision on the request are such that a proper response to the request cannot reasonably be made within the original time limit.

(2) Any extension under subsection (1) of this section shall be for a reasonable period of time having regard to the circumstances.

(3) The extension shall be effected by giving or posting notice of the extension to the person who made the request within 20 working days after the day on which the request is received.

(4) The notice effecting the extension shall—

• (a) Specify the period of the extension; and

• (b) Give the reasons for the extension; and

• (c) State that the person who made the request for the official information has the right, under section 27(3) of this Act, to make a complaint to an Ombudsman about the extension; and

• (d) Contain such other information as is necessary.

(1) Where the information requested by any person is comprised in a document, that information may be made available in one or more of the following ways:

• (a) By giving the person a reasonable opportunity to inspect the document; or

• (b) By providing the person with a copy of the document; or

• (c) In the case of a document that is an article or thing from which sounds or visual images are capable of being reproduced, by making arrangements for the person to hear or view those sounds or visual images; or

• (d) In the case of a document by which words are recorded in a manner in which they are capable of being reproduced in the form of sound or in which words are contained in the form of shorthand writing or in codified form, by providing the person with a written transcript of the words recorded or contained in the document; or

• (e) By giving an excerpt or summary of the contents; or

• (f) By furnishing oral information about its contents.

(2) Subject to section 16 of this Act, the local authority shall make the information available in the way preferred by the person requesting it unless to do so would—

• (a) Impair efficient administration; or

• (b) Be contrary to any legal duty of any local authority in respect of the document; or

• (c) Prejudice the interests protected by section 6 or section 7 of this Act and (in the case of the interests protected by section 7 of this Act) there is no countervailing public interest.

(3) Where the information is not provided in the way preferred by the person requesting it, the local authority shall, subject to section 8 of this Act, give to that person—

• (a) The reason for not providing the information in that way; and

• (b) If that person so requests, the grounds in support of that reason, unless the giving of those grounds would itself prejudice the interests protected by section 6 or section 7 of this Act and (in the case of the interests protected by section 7 of this Act) there is no countervailing public interest.

(1) Where the information requested is comprised in a document and there is good reason for withholding some of the information contained in that document, the other information in that document may be made available by making a copy of that document available with such deletions or alterations as are necessary.

(2) Where a copy of a document is made available under subsection (1) of this section, the local authority shall, subject to section 8 of this Act, give to the applicant—

• (a) The reason for withholding the information; and

• (b) If the applicant so requests, the grounds in support of that reason, unless the giving of those grounds would itself prejudice the interests protected by section 6 or section 7 of this Act and (in the case of the interests protected by section 7 of this Act) there is no countervailing public interest.

A request made in accordance with section 10 of this Act may be refused only for one or more of the following reasons, namely:

• (a) That, by virtue of section 6 or section 7 of this Act, there is good reason for withholding the information:

• (b) That, by virtue of section 8 of this Act, the local authority does not confirm or deny the existence or non-existence of the information requested:

• (c) That the making available of the information requested would—

  • (i) Be contrary to the provisions of a specified enactment; or

  • (ii) Constitute contempt of Court or of the House of Representatives:

• (d) That the information requested is or will soon be publicly available:

• (da) that the request is made by a defendant or person acting on behalf of a defendant and is—

  • (i) for information that could be sought by the defendant under the Criminal Disclosure Act 2008; or

  • (ii) for information that could be sought by the defendant under that Act and that has been disclosed to, or withheld from, the defendant under that Act:

• (e) That the document alleged to contain the information requested does not exist or cannot be found:

• (f) That the information requested cannot be made available without substantial collation or research:

• (g) That the information requested is not held by the local authority and the person dealing with the request has no grounds for believing that the information is either—

  • (i) Held by another local authority or a Department or Minister of the Crown or organisation; or

  • (ii) Connected more closely with the functions of another local authority, or a Department or Minister of the Crown or organisation:

• (h) That the request is frivolous or vexatious or that the information requested is trivial.

(1) In deciding whether to refuse a request under section 17(f), the local authority must consider whether doing either or both of the following would enable the request to be granted:

• (a) fixing a charge under section 13:

• (b) extending the time limit under section 14.

(2) For the purposes of refusing a request under section 17(f), the local authority may treat as a single request 2 or more requests from the same person—

• (a) that are about the same subject matter or about similar subject matters; and

• (b) that are received simultaneously or in short succession.

If a request is likely to be refused under section 17(e) or (f), the local authority must, before that request is refused, consider whether consulting with the person who made the request would assist that person to make the request in a form that would remove the reason for the refusal.

Where a request made in accordance with section 10 of this Act is refused, the local authority shall—

• (a) Subject to section 8 of this Act, give to the applicant—

  • (i) The reason for its refusal; and

  • (ii) If the applicant so requests, the grounds in support of that reason, unless the giving of those grounds would itself prejudice the interests protected by section 6 or section 7 of this Act and (in the case of the interests protected by section 7 of this Act) there is no countervailing public interest; and

• (b) Give to the applicant information concerning the applicant's right, by way of complaint under section 27(3) of this Act to an Ombudsman, to seek an investigation and review of the refusal.

(1) Subject to sections 6, 7(2)(a), (b), (c), (h), and (i), 8, and 44 of this Act, every person has a right to and shall, on request made under this section, be given access to any document (including a manual) which is held by a local authority and which contains policies, principles, rules, or guidelines in accordance with which decisions or recommendations are made in respect of any person or body of persons in that person's or that body of persons' personal capacity.

(2) Sections 10(2) and (3), 11 to 14, and 18 of this Act shall apply, with all necessary modifications, to a request made under subsection (1) of this section.

(3) Where by virtue of any of the provisions of section 6 and section 7(2)(a), (b), (c), (h), and (i) of this Act, there is good reason for withholding some of the information contained in a document to which subsection (1) of this section relates, the local authority shall, unless it is impracticable to do so, either—

• (a) Make a copy of that document available with such deletions or alterations as are necessary; or

• (b) Provide another document stating the substance and effect of the document except as it relates to the information withheld.

(4) Where a document is made available under subsection (3) of this section, the local authority shall, subject to section 8 of this Act, give to the applicant—

• (a) The reason for withholding the information; and

• (b) If the applicant so requests, the grounds in support of that reason, unless the giving of those grounds would itself prejudice the interests protected by section 6 or section 7(2)(a) or (b) or (c) or (h) or (i) of this Act and (in the case of the interests protected by section 7(2)(a) or (b) or (c) or (h) or (i) of this Act) there is no countervailing public interest.

(1) Subject to sections 6, 7(2)(b), 8, and 44 of this Act, where a local authority makes, on or after the 1st day of March 1988, a decision or recommendation in respect of any person, being a decision or recommendation in respect of that person in that person's personal capacity, that person has the right to and shall, on request made within a reasonable time of the making of the decision or recommendation, be given a written statement of—

• (a) The findings on material issues of fact; and

• (b) Subject to subsection (1A) of this section, a reference to the information on which the findings were based; and

• (c) The reasons for the decision or recommendation.

(1A) A reference to the information on which any findings were based need not be given under subsection (1)(b) of this section if—

• (a) The disclosure of the information or of information identifying the person who supplied it, being evaluative material, would breach an express or implied promise—

  • (i) Which was made to the person who supplied the information; and

  • (ii) Which was to the effect that the information or the identity of the person who supplied it or both would be held in confidence; or

• (b) After consultation undertaken (where practicable) by or on behalf of the local authority with a natural person's medical practitioner, the local authority is satisfied that—

  • (i) The information relates to that person; and

  • (ii) The disclosure of the information (being information that relates to the physical or mental health of the person making the request under this section) would be likely to prejudice the physical or mental health of that person; or

• (c) In the case of a natural person under the age of 16, the disclosure of that information would be contrary to that person's interests; or

• (d) The disclosure of that information (being information in respect of a person who has been convicted of an offence or is or has been detained in custody) would be likely to prejudice the safe custody or the rehabilitation of that person.

(1B) For the purposes of subsection (1A) of this section, the term evaluative material means evaluative or opinion material compiled solely—

• (a) For the purpose of determining the suitability, eligibility, or qualifications of the person to whom the material relates—

  • (i) For employment or for appointment to office; or

  • (ii) For promotion in employment or office or for continuation in employment or office; or

  • (iii) For removal from employment or office; or

  • (iv) For the awarding of contracts, awards, scholarships, honours, or other benefits; or

• (b) For the purpose of determining whether any contract, award, scholarship, honour, or benefit should be continued, modified, or cancelled.

(2) Sections 10(3), 11 to 14, and 18 of this Act shall apply, with all necessary modifications, to a request made under subsection (1) of this section.

(3) In subsection (1A)(b), medical practitioner means a health practitioner who is, or is deemed to be, registered with the Medical Council of New Zealand continued by section 114(1)(a) of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 as a practitioner of the profession of medicine.

(1) Subject to this Part of this Act, and to sections 8 and 44 of this Act, every person has a right to and shall, on request, be given access to any personal information which—

• (a) Is about that person; and

• (b) Is held in such a way that it can readily be retrieved.

(1A) The right conferred by subsection (1) of this section may be exercised only by a person who is not a natural person.

(2) Sections 10(3), 11 to 16, and 18 of this Act shall apply, with all necessary modifications, to a request made under subsection (1) of this section.

(3) Where any person is given access to any personal information under this section, that person shall be advised of that person's right, under section 25 of this Act, to request the correction of that information.

(4) Nothing in this section requires, or imposes any responsibility on, any local authority to compile files or data banks of personal information.

Where a request is made under section 23(1) of this Act, the local authority—

• (a) Shall not give access to that information unless it is satisfied concerning the identity of the person making the request; and

• (b) Shall ensure, by the adoption of appropriate procedures, that any information intended for a person is received—

  • (i) Only by that person; or

  • (ii) Where the request is made by an agent of the person, only by that person or that person's agent; and

• (c) Shall ensure that, where the request is made by an agent of the person, the agent has the written authority of that person to obtain the information or is otherwise properly authorised by that person to obtain the information.

(1) Every person who is given access under section 23(1) of this Act to personal information may, by letter addressed to the local authority,—

• (a) Request correction of the personal information where the person believes that the information—

  • (i) Is inaccurate; or

  • (ii) Is incomplete and gives a misleading impression; and

• (b) Require that a notation be attached to the information indicating the nature of any correction requested but not made.

(2) Where a local authority receives a letter pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, it shall inform the person by whom or by which the letter was sent of the action taken by the local authority as a result of the letter.

(1) A local authority may refuse to disclose any personal information requested under section 23(1) of this Act, if, and only if,—

• (a) The disclosure of the information would be likely to prejudice any of the interests protected by section 6 or section 7(2)(b) of this Act and (in the case of the interests protected by section 7(2)(b) of this Act) there is no countervailing public interest; or

• (b) The disclosure of the information would involve the unwarranted disclosure of the affairs of another person or of a deceased person; or

• (c) The disclosure of the information or of information identifying the person who supplied it, being evaluative material, would breach an express or implied promise—

  • (i) Which was made to the person who supplied the information; and

  • (ii) Which was to the effect that the information or the identity of the person who supplied it or both would be held in confidence; or

• (d) [Repealed]

• (e) [Repealed]

• (f) [Repealed]

• (g) The disclosure of the information would breach legal professional privilege; or

• (h) The request is frivolous or vexatious, or the information requested is trivial.

(2) No reasons other than one or more of the reasons set out in subsection (1) of this section justifies a refusal to disclose any personal information requested under section 23(1) of this Act.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (1)(c) of this section, the term evaluative material means evaluative or opinion material compiled solely—

• (a) For the purpose of determining the suitability, eligibility, or qualifications of the person to whom the material relates for the awarding of contracts, awards, or other benefits; or

• (b) For the purpose of determining whether any contract, award, or benefit should be continued, modified, or cancelled.

(1) It shall be a function of the Ombudsmen to investigate and review any decision by which a local authority—

• (a) Refuses to make official information available to any person in response to a request made by that person in accordance with section 10 of this Act; or

• (b) Decides, in accordance with section 15 or section 16 of this Act, in what manner or, in accordance with section 13 of this Act, for what charge a request made in accordance with section 10 of this Act is to be granted; or

• (c) Imposes conditions on the use, communication, or publication of information made available pursuant to a request made in accordance with section 10 of this Act; or

• (d) Gives a notice under section 8 of this Act.

(2) It shall be a function of the Ombudsmen to investigate and review any decision by which the chief executive of a local authority, or an officer or employee of a local authority authorised by its chief executive, extends any time limit under section 14 of this Act.

(3) An investigation and review under subsection (1) or subsection (2) may be made by an Ombudsman only on complaint being made to an Ombudsman in writing or orally.

(3A) A complaint made orally must be put in writing as soon as practicable.

(4) If, in relation to any request made in accordance with section 10 of this Act, any local authority fails within the time limit fixed by section 13(1) of this Act (or, where that time limit has been extended under this Act, within the time limit as so extended) to comply with paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) of section 13(1) of this Act, that failure shall be deemed, for the purposes of subsection (1) of this section, to be a refusal to make available the official information to which the request relates.

(5) Undue delay in making official information available in response to a request for that information shall be deemed, for the purposes of subsection (1) of this section, to be a refusal to make that information available.

(1) Except as otherwise provided by this Act, the provisions of the Ombudsmen Act 1975 shall apply in respect of investigations and other proceedings carried out under this Part of this Act in respect of decisions under Part 2 or section 8 of this Act as if they were investigations carried out under the Ombudsmen Act 1975.

(2) Nothing in sections 13, 14, and 25 of the Ombudsmen Act 1975 shall apply in relation to any function or power conferred on an Ombudsman by this Act or in relation to any proceeding, decision, recommendation, or act of an Ombudsman under this Act.

(1) Subject to this section, where, during the course of an investigation, under section 27 of this Act, of any decision of any local authority, an Ombudsman, pursuant to any power conferred on that Ombudsman by section 19 of the Ombudsmen Act 1975, requires that local authority to furnish or produce to that Ombudsman any information or document or paper or thing that relates to that investigation, that local authority shall, as soon as reasonably practicable, and in no case later than 20 working days after the day on which that requirement is received by that local authority, comply with that requirement.

(2) Where any requirement to which subsection (1) of this section applies is made to any local authority, the chief executive of that local authority or an officer or employee of that local authority authorised by that chief executive may extend the time limit set out in subsection (1) of this section in respect of that requirement if—

• (a) The requirement relates to, or necessitates a search through, a large quantity of information or a large number of documents or papers or things, and meeting the original time limit would unreasonably interfere with the operations of the local authority; or

• (b) Consultations necessary before the requirement can be complied with are such that the requirement cannot reasonably be complied with within the original time limit; or

• (c) The complexity of the issues raised by the requirement are such that that requirement cannot reasonably be complied with within the original time limit.

(3) Any extension under subsection (2) of this section shall be for a reasonable period of time having regard to the circumstances.

(4) The extension shall be effected by giving or posting notice of the extension to the Ombudsman within 20 working days after the day on which the requirement is received.

(5) The notice effecting the extension shall—

• (a) Specify the period of the extension; and

• (b) Give the reasons for the extension; and

• (c) Contain such other information as is necessary.

Where an Ombudsman investigates a complaint made under section 27 of this Act in relation to a refusal to make official information available in reliance on section 7(2)(a) of this Act, the Ombudsman shall, before forming a final opinion under section 30 of this Act in relation to the merits of refusing that request on that ground, consult with the Privacy Commissioner under the Privacy Act 1993.

(1) Where, after making an investigation of a complaint made under section 27 of this Act, an Ombudsman is of the opinion—

• (a) That the request made in accordance with section 10 of this Act should not have been refused; or

• (b) That the decision complained of is unreasonable or wrong or is otherwise a decision to which subsection (1) or subsection (2) of section 22 of the Ombudsmen Act 1975 applies,—

the Ombudsman shall, subject to subsection (2) of this section,—

• (c) Report that Ombudsman's opinion and that Ombudsman's reasons therefor to the appropriate local authority; and

• (d) Subject to section 31 of this Act, make such recommendations as that Ombudsman thinks fit; and

• (e) Give to the complainant—

  • (i) A copy of that Ombudsman's recommendations (if any); and

  • (ii) Such other information as that Ombudsman thinks proper.

(2) Notwithstanding anything in this section, an Ombudsman shall not, in any report made under this section, make any comment that is adverse to any person unless the person has been given an opportunity to be heard.

(3) Except as provided in subsection (1) of this section, nothing in section 22 of the Ombudsmen Act 1975 shall apply in respect of a decision that may be investigated and reviewed under section 27(1) or section 27(2) of this Act.

Where the Attorney-General certifies that the making available of any information would be likely to prejudice the prevention, investigation, or detection of offences, an Ombudsman shall not recommend that the information be made available, but may recommend that the making available of the information be given further consideration by the appropriate local authority.

(1) Where a recommendation is made under section 30(1) of this Act to a local authority, a public duty to observe that recommendation shall be imposed on that local authority on the commencement of the twenty-first working day after the day on which that recommendation is made to the local authority unless, before that day, the local authority, by resolution made at a meeting of that local authority, decides otherwise and records that decision in writing.

(2) The public duty imposed by subsection (1) of this section shall be imposed not only on the local authority itself but also on—

• (a) Every member, officer, and employee of that local authority to whom that recommendation is applicable; and

• (b) Every body within that local authority to whom that recommendation is applicable; and

• (c) Every statutory officer to whom that recommendation is applicable; and

• (d) Every person (being a person who holds information that is deemed, by virtue of section 2(5) or (6) of this Act, to be held by that local authority) to whom that recommendation is applicable.

(3) As soon as practicable after a decision is made under subsection (1) of this section, the local authority making that decision shall give a copy of the decision to the Ombudsman who made the recommendation, and to the person in respect of whose request that recommendation was made.

(4) Nothing in this section—

• (a) Limits section 8 of the Judicature Amendment Act 1972; or

• (b) Prevents effect being given to any interim order made under section 8 of the Judicature Amendment Act 1972 or to any declaration contained in any such interim order.

(1) Every decision made by a local authority under section 32(1) of this Act shall be published in the Gazette and publicly notified within the district of that local authority as soon as practicable after it is made.

(2) Every decision made under section 32(1) of this Act shall set out—

• (a) The reasons for the decision; and

• (b) The grounds in support of those reasons; and

• (c) The source and purport of any advice on which the decision is based.

(3) A decision made under section 32(1) of this Act in relation to a recommendation made under section 30(1) of this Act may be made for all or any of the reasons for the decision reviewed by the Ombudsman (being reasons that were before the Ombudsman when the recommendation was made) but for no other reasons.

(1) Where—

• (a) A recommendation is made under section 30(1) of this Act in respect of a request made under section 10 of this Act; and

• (b) A decision is made under section 32(1) of this Act in respect of that recommendation,—

the person who made that request may apply to the High Court for a review of that decision.

(2) An application under subsection (1) of this section may be made on the ground that the decision was beyond the powers conferred by sections 32 and 33 of this Act or was otherwise wrong in law.

(3) On an application under subsection (1) of this section, the High Court may—

• (a) Make an order confirming that the decision was validly made; or

• (b) Make an order declaring that the decision was beyond the powers conferred by sections 32 and 33 of this Act or was otherwise wrong in law.

(4) Unless the High Court is satisfied that an application brought under subsection (1) of this section has not been reasonably or properly brought, it shall, in determining the application and irrespective of the result of the application, order that the costs of the applicant on a solicitor and client basis shall be paid by the local authority that made the decision in respect of which the application is brought.

Any party to an application under section 34 of this Act who is dissatisfied with any final or interlocutory order in respect of an application may appeal to the Court of Appeal; and section 66 of the Judicature Act 1908 shall apply to any such appeal.

The Ombudsman who investigates a complaint made for the purposes of section 27(3) of this Act shall inform the complainant, in such manner and at such time as that Ombudsman thinks proper, of the result of the investigation.

Where any person makes a request under this Act that official information be made available to that person and a decision to which section 27(1) or section 27(2) of this Act applies is made in relation to that request, that person—

• (a) Shall not make an application under section 4(1) of the Judicature Amendment Act 1972 for the review of that decision; and

• (b) Shall not commence any proceedings in which that decision is sought to be challenged, quashed, or called in question in any Court,—

unless a complaint made by that person in respect of that decision has first been determined under this Part of this Act.

(1) It shall be a function of the Ombudsmen to investigate, pursuant to the Ombudsmen Act 1975, any decision made by a local authority under Part 3 or Part 4 of this Act, except a decision made under section 8 of this Act in relation to a request made under Part 3 or Part 4 of this Act.

(2) The provisions of section 29 of this Act, so far as they are applicable and with the necessary modifications, shall apply in respect of any requirement, made by any Ombudsman in the course of any investigation conducted pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, whereby that Ombudsman, pursuant to any power conferred on that Ombudsman by section 19 of the Ombudsmen Act 1975, requires any local authority to furnish or produce to that Ombudsman any information or document or paper or thing that relates to that investigation.

(3) Where the Ombudsman, after making an investigation, forms an opinion of the kind described in subsection (1) or subsection (2) or subsection (3) of section 22 of the Ombudsmen Act 1975, that Ombudsman shall, subject to subsection (6) of this section, report that Ombudsman's opinion to the appropriate local authority, and may make such recommendations as that Ombudsman thinks fit in accordance with section 22(3) of the Ombudsmen Act 1975.

(4) Where a report is made under subsection (3) of this section to a local authority, the Ombudsman shall request the local authority to notify the Ombudsman, within a specified time, of the steps (if any) that the local authority proposes to take to give effect to the Ombudsman's recommendations.

(5) If, within a reasonable time after the report is made under section 22(3) of the Ombudsmen Act 1975 (as applied by subsection (3) of this section), no action is taken which seems to an Ombudsman to be adequate and appropriate, the Ombudsman shall, after considering the comments (if any) made by or on behalf of any local authority affected, inform the complainant of the Ombudsman's recommendations and make such comments as the Ombudsman thinks fit in accordance with section 24 of the Ombudsmen Act 1975.

(6) Notwithstanding anything in this section, an Ombudsman shall not, in any report made under this section, make any comment that is adverse to any person unless the person has first been given an opportunity to be heard.

(7) If, in relation to any request for official information made under Part 3 or Part 4 of this Act, any local authority fails within the time limit fixed by section 13(1) of this Act (or, where that time limit has been extended under this Act, within that time limit as so extended) to comply with paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) of section 13(1) of this Act, that failure shall be deemed, for the purposes of subsection (1) of this section, to be a decision made under Part 3 or Part 4 of this Act.

(8) Undue delay in giving any person access to official information in response to a request under Part 3 or Part 4 of this Act for access to that information shall be deemed, for the purposes of subsection (1) of this section, to be a decision made under Part 3 or Part 4 of this Act.

(1) Where an Ombudsman has prepared a report under section 38(3) of this Act, the Ombudsman may prepare and send to the chief executive of the local authority concerned a written summary of the contents of that report and require that officer to make copies of that summary available during ordinary business hours for inspection by members of the public without charge. Any member of the public may make a copy of the whole or any part of the summary.

(2) Before forwarding any such written summary to the appropriate chief executive under subsection (1) of this section, the Ombudsman shall send a copy of it in draft form to the local authority concerned for perusal, and shall, as far as practicable, incorporate in the summary any comments made to the Ombudsman by the local authority.

(3) Within one week after the report is received by the local authority, the chief executive of that local authority shall, at the expense of the local authority, give public notice in such form and in such newspapers as the Ombudsman shall require of the availability of the report for inspection and of the places where it may be inspected.

(4) Every such report shall be made available for a period of 4 weeks from the date of the first publication of the public notice.

Except as expressly provided in this Act, nothing in this Act shall derogate from or limit the functions of the Ombudsmen under the Ombudsmen Act 1975.

(1) Where any official information is made available in good faith pursuant to Part 2 or Part 3 or Part 4 of this Act by any local authority,—

• (a) No proceedings, civil or criminal, shall lie against the local authority or any other person in respect of the making available of that information, or for any consequences that flow from the making available of that information; and

• (b) No proceedings, civil or criminal, in respect of any publication involved in, or resulting from, the making available of that information shall lie against the author of the information or any other person by reason of that author or other person having supplied the information to a local authority.

(2) The making available of, or the giving of access to, any official information in consequence of a request made under Part 2 or Part 3 or Part 4 of this Act shall not be taken, for the purposes of the law relating to defamation or breach of confidence or infringement of copyright, to constitute an authorisation or approval of the publication of the document or of its contents by the person to whom the information is made available or the access is given.

(1) A local authority may from time to time, either generally or particularly, delegate to any officer or employee of the local authority all or any of the powers of the local authority under Parts 2 to 5 of this Act, except any powers specified in section 32 of this Act.

(2) Subject to any general or special directions given or conditions attached by the local authority, the officer or employee to whom any powers are delegated under this section may exercise those powers in the same manner and with the same effect as if they had been conferred on that officer or employee directly by this section and not by delegation.

(3) Until a delegation made under this section is revoked, it shall continue in force according to its tenor.

(4) Where a person purports to act pursuant to a delegation made under this section, that person shall be presumed to be acting in accordance with the terms of the delegation in the absence of proof to the contrary.

(5) Any delegation under this section may be made to a specified officer or employee, or may be made to the holder for the time being of a specified office.

(6) Every delegation made under this section shall be revocable at will, and no such delegation shall prevent the exercise of any power by the local authority.

(1) Any officer or employee of a local authority may from time to time, by writing under that officer's or employee's hand, either generally or particularly, delegate to any other officer or employee of the local authority all or any of the powers exercisable by the first-mentioned officer or employee under Parts 2 to 5 or section 46A of this Act, except—

• (a) The power to delegate under this section; and

• (b) Any power delegated to that officer or employee by a local authority pursuant to section 42 of this Act, unless that delegation authorises that officer or employee to delegate that power to other officers or employees pursuant to this section.

(2) Subject to any general or special directions given or conditions attached by the officer or employee making the delegation, the officer or employee to whom any powers are delegated under this section may exercise those powers in the same manner and with the same effect as if they had been conferred on that officer or employee directly by this section and not by delegation.

(3) Until a delegation made under this section is revoked, it shall continue in force according to its tenor; and, in the event of the officer or employee by whom any such delegation has been made ceasing to hold office, the delegation shall continue to have effect as if made by the person for the time being holding the office of the officer or employee making the delegation.

(4) Any delegation under this section may be made to a specified officer or employee, or may be made to the holder for the time being of any specified office.

(5) Where any officer or employee purports to act pursuant to a delegation made under this section, that officer or employee shall be presumed to be acting in accordance with the terms of the delegation in the absence of proof to the contrary.

(6) Every delegation made under this section shall be revocable at will and no such delegation shall prevent the exercise of any power by the officer or employee making the delegation.

(1) Nothing in Parts 1 to 5 of this Act authorises or permits the making available of any official information if the making available of that information would constitute contempt of Court or of the House of Representatives.

(2) Nothing in Parts 1 to 5 of this Act derogates from—

• (a) Any provision which is contained in any other enactment and which authorises or requires official information to be made available; or

• (b) Any provision which is contained in any other Act of Parliament or in any regulations within the meaning of the Regulations Act 1936 (made by Order in Council and in force immediately before the 1st day of March 1988) and which—

  • (i) Imposes a prohibition or restriction in relation to the availability of official information; or

  • (ii) Regulates the manner in which official information may be obtained or made available.

(1) A person may apply to a territorial authority for the issue, within 10 working days, of a land information memorandum in relation to matters affecting any land in the district of the authority.

(2) The matters which shall be included in that memorandum are—

• (a) Information identifying each (if any) special feature or characteristic of the land concerned, including but not limited to potential erosion, avulsion, falling debris, subsidence, slippage, alluvion, or inundation, or likely presence of hazardous contaminants, being a feature or characteristic that—

  • (i) Is known to the territorial authority; but

  • (ii) Is not apparent from the district scheme under the Town and Country Planning Act 1977 or a district plan under the Resource Management Act 1991:

• (b) Information on private and public stormwater and sewerage drains as shown in the territorial authority's records:

• (ba) any information that has been notified to the territorial authority by a drinking-water supplier under section 69ZH of the Health Act 1956:

• (bb) information on—

  • (i) whether the land is supplied with drinking water and if so, whether the supplier is the owner of the land or a networked supplier:

  • (ii) if the land is supplied with drinking water by a networked supplier, any conditions that are applicable to that supply:

  • (iii) if the land is supplied with water by the owner of the land, any information the territorial authority has about the supply:

• (c) Information relating to any rates owing in relation to the land:

• (d) Information concerning any consent, certificate, notice, order, or requisition affecting the land or any building on the land previously issued by the territorial authority (whether under the Building Act 1991, the Building Act 2004, or any other Act):

• (e) Information concerning any certificate issued by a building certifier pursuant to the Building Act 1991 or the Building Act 2004:

• (ea) information notified to the territorial authority under section 124 of the Weathertight Homes Resolution Services Act 2006:

• (f) Information relating to the use to which that land may be put and conditions attached to that use:

• (g) Information which, in terms of any other Act, has been notified to the territorial authority by any statutory organisation having the power to classify land or buildings for any purpose:

• (h) Any information which has been notified to the territorial authority by any network utility operator pursuant to the Building Act 1991 or the Building Act 2004.

(3) In addition to the information provided for under subsection (2) of this section, a territorial authority may provide in the memorandum such other information concerning the land as the authority considers, at its discretion, to be relevant.

(4) An application for a land information memorandum shall be in writing and shall be accompanied by any charge fixed by the territorial authority in relation thereto.

(5) In the absence of proof to the contrary, a land information memorandum shall be sufficient evidence of the correctness, as at the date of its issue, of any information included in it pursuant to subsection (2) of this section.

(6) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Act, there shall be no grounds for the territorial authority to withhold information specified in terms of subsection (2) of this section or to refuse to provide a land information memorandum where this has been requested.

(1) In this Part of this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—

(2) For the avoidance of doubt, it is hereby declared that any meeting of a local authority or of any committee or subcommittee of a local authority, at which no resolutions or decisions are made is not a meeting for the purposes of this Part of this Act.

(1) Subject to subsection (2) of this section, every local authority shall, not more than 14 days and not less than 5 days before the end of every month, cause to be publicly notified a list of all meetings of that local authority scheduled to be held in the following month, together with the dates on which, and the times and places at which, those meetings are to be held.

(2) Where any meeting of a local authority is to be held on or after the 21st day of any month, the local authority may, instead of causing that meeting to be publicly notified in accordance with subsection (1) of this section, cause that meeting to be publicly notified not more than 10 nor less than 5 working days before the day on which the meeting is to be held.

(3) Where any extraordinary meeting of a local authority is called and notice of that meeting cannot be given in the manner required or permitted by this section, the local authority shall cause that meeting and the general nature of business to be transacted at that meeting to be publicly notified or otherwise advertised as soon as practicable before the meeting is to be held.

(4) Where any extraordinary meeting of a local authority is called and notice of that meeting cannot be given in the manner required or permitted by subsection (3), the local authority or person calling the meeting must cause to be given such public notice of the meeting and the business to be transacted at the meeting as is reasonable in the circumstances.

(5) No meeting of any local authority shall be invalid merely because that meeting was not publicly notified in accordance with this section.

(6) Where a local authority becomes aware that any meeting of that local authority has not been publicly notified in accordance with this section, that local authority shall, as soon as practicable, give public notice that that meeting was not so notified, and shall, in that notice,—

• (a) State the general nature of the business transacted at that meeting; and

• (b) Give the reasons why that meeting was not so notified.

(7) Nothing in subsections (1) to (6) of this section applies to a Board of Trustees constituted under Part 9 of the Education Act 1989; but every such Board shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that parents (within the meaning of that Part of that Act) of students enrolled at schools that the Board administers can readily find out, within a reasonable time before those meetings, where and when meetings of the Board are to be held.

(8) Nothing in this section applies to—

• (a) The New Zealand Conservation Authority established under section 6A of the Conservation Act 1987:

• (b) [Repealed]

• (c) Provincial Patriotic Councils:

• (d) The National Animal Ethics Advisory Committee established by section 62 of the Animal Welfare Act 1999:

• (e) The National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee established by section 56 of the Animal Welfare Act 1999.

(1) Subject to subsections (6) to (10) of this section, any member of the public may, without payment of a fee, inspect, during normal office hours, within a period of at least two working days before every meeting, all agendas and associated reports circulated to members of the local authority and relating to that meeting.

(2) Subject to subsections (6) to (10) of this section, the agendas—

• (a) Shall be available for inspection under subsection (1) of this section at the public offices of the local authority (including service delivery centres) and the public libraries under the authority's control; and

• (b) Shall be accompanied by either—

  • (i) The associated reports; or

  • (ii) A notice specifying the places at which the associated reports may be inspected under subsection (1) of this section.

(3) Subject to subsections (6) to (10) of this section, the associated reports shall be available for inspection under subsection (1) of this section at the public offices of the local authority.

(4) Any member of the public may take notes from any agenda or report inspected by that member of the public under subsection (1) of this section.

(5) Every member of the public who inspects an agenda or report made available under subsection (1) of this section and who requests a copy of any part of any such agenda or report and tenders the prescribed amount (if any) shall be given such a copy as soon as practicable.

(6) Where a meeting is an extraordinary meeting called pursuant to a resolution of the local authority, the local authority must cause the agenda and any associated reports to be made available as soon as is reasonable in the circumstances.

(7) An item that is not on the agenda for a meeting may be dealt with at the meeting if—

• (a) The local authority by resolution so decides; and

• (b) The presiding member explains at the meeting at a time when it is open to the public,—

  • (i) The reason why the item is not on the agenda; and

  • (ii) The reason why the discussion of the item cannot be delayed until a subsequent meeting.

(7A) Where an item is not on the agenda for a meeting,—

• (a) That item may be discussed at that meeting if—

  • (i) That item is a minor matter relating to the general business of the local authority; and

  • (ii) The presiding member explains at the beginning of the meeting, at a time when it is open to the public, that the item will be discussed at the meeting; but

• (b) No resolution, decision, or recommendation may be made in respect of that item except to refer that item to a subsequent meeting of the local authority for further discussion.

(8) The chief executive may exclude from the reports made available under subsection (1) of this section, reports or items from reports that he or she reasonably expects the meeting to discuss with the public excluded.

(9) The chief executive shall indicate on each agenda the items that he or she reasonably expects the meeting to discuss with the public excluded.

(10) Where agendas and associated reports are for meetings of community boards, it shall be sufficient for the purposes of this section that they be available for public viewing at the main office of the local authority and those service delivery centres and public libraries, if any, under the control of the local authority situated within the community.

Except as otherwise provided by this Part of this Act, every meeting of a local authority shall be open to the public.

(1) Subject to subsection (3) of this section, a local authority may by resolution exclude the public from the whole or any part of the proceedings of any meeting only on one or more of the following grounds:

• (a) That the public conduct of the whole or the relevant part of the proceedings of the meeting would be likely to result in the disclosure of information for which good reason for withholding would exist,—

  • (i) Where the local authority is named or specified in Schedule 1 to this Act, under section 6 or section 7 (except section 7(2)(f)(i)) of this Act:

  • (ii) Where the local authority is named or specified in Schedule 2 to this Act, under section 6 or section 7 or section 9 (except section 9(2)(g)(i)) of the Official Information Act 1982:

• (b) That the public conduct of the whole or the relevant part of the proceedings of the meeting would be likely to result in the disclosure of information the public disclosure of which would—

  • (i) Be contrary to the provisions of a specified enactment; or

  • (ii) Constitute contempt of Court or of the House of Representatives:

• (c) That the purpose of the whole or the relevant part of the proceedings of the meeting is to consider a recommendation made to that local authority by an Ombudsman under section 30(1) or section 38(3) of this Act (in the case of a local authority named or specified in Schedule 1 to this Act) or under section 30(1) or section 35(2) of the Official Information Act 1982 (in the case of a local authority named or specified in Schedule 2 to this Act):

• (d) That the exclusion of the public from the whole or the relevant part of the proceedings of the meeting is necessary to enable the local authority to deliberate in private on its decision or recommendation in any proceedings to which this paragraph applies.

(2) Paragraph (d) of subsection (1) of this section applies to—

• (a) Any proceedings before a local authority where—

  • (i) A right of appeal lies to any Court or tribunal against the final decision of the local authority in those proceedings; or

  • (ii) The local authority is required, by any enactment, to make a recommendation in respect of the matter that is the subject of those proceedings; and

• (b) [Repealed]

• (c) Any proceedings of a local authority in relation to any application or objection under the Marine Farming Act 1971.

(3) Every resolution excluding the public from any meeting shall be in the form set out in Schedule 2A to this Act and shall state—

• (a) The general subject of each matter to be considered while the public is excluded; and

• (b) The reason for the passing of that resolution in relation to that matter, including, where that resolution is passed in reliance on subsection (1)(a) of this section, the particular interest or interests protected by section 6 or section 7 of this Act, or section 6 or section 7 or section 9 of the Official Information Act 1982, as the case may require, which would be prejudiced by the holding of the whole or the relevant part of the proceedings in public; and

• (c) The grounds on which that resolution is based (being one or more of the grounds set out in subsection (1) of this section).

(4) Every resolution to exclude the public shall be put at a time when the meeting is open to the public, and the text of that resolution (or copies thereof)—

• (a) Shall be available to any member of the public who is present; and

• (b) Shall form part of the minutes of the local authority.

(5) A resolution pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, may also provide for one or more specified persons to remain after the public has been excluded if that person, or persons, has or have, in the opinion of the local authority, knowledge that will assist the authority.

(6) Where a local authority resolves that one or more persons may remain after the public has been excluded, the resolution must state the knowledge possessed by that person or those persons which will be of assistance in relation to the matter to be discussed and how it is relevant to that matter.

Where a meeting of a local authority is required by this Part of this Act to be open to the public during the proceedings or any part of them, the following provisions shall apply:

• (a) For the purposes of this Part of this Act, bona fide members of the news media shall be deemed to be members of the public, and shall be entitled to attend any meeting or any part of a meeting for the purpose of reporting the proceedings for any news media:

• (b) Where copies of the agenda for any meeting are reproduced by any means for use by members of a local authority, that local authority shall cause such additional copies of the agenda to be reproduced as may in its opinion be necessary to ensure an adequate supply for persons requesting copies pursuant to paragraph (c) of this section:

• (c) Where any member of the public who attends a meeting of a local authority requests a copy of the agenda and tenders the prescribed amount (if any), that person shall be given a copy of every agenda reproduced for use by members of the local authority at that meeting of which there is a spare copy, and may take each away with that person:

• (d) Copies of the agenda supplied for members of the public as provided in paragraph (b) of this section shall include such further statements or particulars, if any, as are necessary to indicate the nature of any items included in the agenda unless that item refers to any matter to be considered by the local authority when the meeting is not likely to be open to the public.

(1) The person presiding at any meeting of any local authority may, if that person believes, on reasonable grounds, that the behaviour of any member of the public attending that meeting is likely to prejudice or to continue to prejudice the orderly conduct of that meeting if that member of the public is permitted to remain in that meeting, require that member of the public to leave the meeting.

(2) If any member of the public who is required, pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, to leave a meeting of a local authority—

• (a) Refuses or fails to leave the meeting; or

• (b) Having left the meeting, attempts to re-enter the meeting without the permission of the person presiding at the meeting,—

any constable, or any officer or employee of the local authority, may, at the request of the person presiding at the meeting, remove or, as the case may require, exclude that member of the public from the meeting.

(1) Any member of the public may, without payment of fee, at the local authority's office and during normal office hours, inspect the minutes of any meeting or part of any meeting of the local authority (not being a meeting or part of a meeting from which the public was excluded) and may take notes therefrom.

(2) Every member of the public so inspecting any such minutes who requests a copy of any part thereof and tenders the prescribed amount (if any) shall be given such a copy.

(3) Where any person requests a copy of the minutes of any meeting or part of a meeting from which the public was excluded pursuant to this Part of this Act, the request shall,—

• (a) Where the local authority concerned is named or specified in Schedule 1 to this Act, be deemed to be a request for access to official information made under this Act; and

• (b) Where the local authority concerned is named or specified in Schedule 2 to this Act, be deemed to be a request for access to official information made under the Official Information Act 1982,—

and shall be dealt with by that local authority accordingly.

(1) A local authority must, as soon as practicable, publicly notify any resolution passed at an extraordinary meeting of the local authority unless—

• (a) the resolution was passed at a meeting or part of a meeting from which the public was excluded; or

• (b) the extraordinary meeting was publicly notified at least 5 working days before the day on which the meeting was held.

(2) For the purposes of this section, resolution means the resolution on the matter or matters for which the extraordinary meeting was held.

Where a meeting of any local authority is open to the public during the proceedings or any part thereof, and—

• (a) There is supplied to a member of the public a copy of the agenda for the meeting with or without further statements or particulars for the purpose of indicating the nature of any item included in the agenda; or

• (b) The minutes of that meeting or part are produced for inspection by any member of the public or a copy thereof is given to any member of the public,—

the publication thereby of any defamatory matter included in the agenda or in the further statements or particulars or in the minutes shall be privileged unless, in any proceedings for defamation in respect of that publication, the plaintiff proves that, in publishing the matter, the defendant was predominantly motivated by ill will towards the plaintiff, or otherwise took improper advantage of the occasion of publication.

(1) Any oral statement made at any meeting of a local authority in accordance with the rules that have been adopted by that local authority for the guidance and order of its proceedings shall be privileged, unless, in any proceedings for defamation in respect of the statement, the plaintiff proves that, in making the statement, the defendant was predominantly motivated by ill will towards the plaintiff, or otherwise took improper advantage of the occasion of publication.

(2) The privilege conferred by subsection (1) of this section is in addition to and not in substitution for or derogation of any other privilege, whether absolute or qualified, that applies, by virtue of any other enactment or rule of law, to the proceedings of any local authority.

Any provisions in any enactment in relation to attendance by the public at any meeting of any local authority or at any meeting of any committee or subcommittee of any local authority, or in relation to inspection of the minutes of any such meeting, shall be read subject to the provisions of this Part of this Act.

The Governor-General may from time to time, by Order in Council, make regulations for all or any of the following purposes:

• (a) Prescribing forms of applications and other documents required for the purposes of this Act, or authorising any person to prescribe or approve such forms:

• (b) Prescribing reasonable charges or scales of reasonable charges for the purposes of this Act:

• (c) Providing for such matters as are contemplated by or necessary for giving full effect to this Act and for its due administration.

(1) Where any class of local authority named in Schedule 1 or Schedule 2 to this Act is abolished, or its name is altered, or any specified local authority named in Schedule 1 or Schedule 2 to this Act is abolished, or its name is altered, the Governor-General may, by Order in Council, make such amendments to those Schedules as may be necessary to give effect to the abolition or alteration.

(2) Every Order in Council made under subsection (1) of this section shall be deemed to be a regulation for the purposes of the Regulations Act 1936.

(1) The enactments specified in Schedule 3 to this Act are hereby amended in the manner indicated in that Schedule.

(2) Section 7(1) of the Official Information Amendment Act 1987 is hereby consequentially repealed.

(1) The enactments specified in Schedule 4 to this Act are hereby repealed.

(2) The Orders in Council specified in Schedule 5 to this Act are hereby revoked.