Ombudsman says Auckland Council must apologise over gaming of official information

Stuff reports:

The Chief Ombudsman has found Auckland Council’s delay in releasing a requested report was partly unlawful, and unreasonable.

In a 22-page finding released on Wednesday, Peter Boshier asked the council to apologise for its handling over five months of a request by RNZ for a report looking at the future of the imported vehicle trade in the city’s port.

So who was responsible for this flouting of the law?

The findings include that while the Mayor Phil Goff was not involved, his Principal Advisor took part in discussion over the report’s release.

And I am sure he never ever talks to his Principal Advisor.

Boshier said the deficiencies found during the investigation were worrying, given it was now 30 years since the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act, governing local bodies’ handling of information requests, came into force.

“Auckland Council is the largest council in the country. It should set the standard for the other 77 local authorities in New Zealand.”

It should.