Official Information Act (Information held by Law Officers) Amendment Bill
Member's Bill
Explanatory Note
This bill amends the Official Information Act 1982 to cover information held by the Attorney-General and Solicitor-General as Law Officers of the Crown. Ombudsmen's Opinion Reference 335331 confirms that the Official Information Act, as presently in force, does not cover information held by the Solicitor-General as Law Officer of the Crown and Ombudsman Opinion 336060 that it does not cover the Attorney-General as Law Officer of the Crown. The Attorney-General and Solicitor-General exercise important executive powers as Law Officers of the Crown, but are not subject to transparency through the Official Information Act. This bill corrects this oversight by inserting a new paragraph (a)(iia) into the definition of official information. Reasons for withholding information subject to the public interest in release (including the right to withhold material protected by legal professional privilege) would remain unaltered.
Official Information Act (Information held by Law Officers) Amendment Bill
The Parliament of New Zealand enacts as follows:
1. Title
This Act is the Official Information Act (Information held by Law Officers) Amendment Act 2018.
2. Commencement
This Act comes into force on the day after the date on which it received the Royal Assent.
3. Principal Act Amended
This Act amends the Official Information Act 1982.
4. Section 2 Amended (Interpretation)
(2) In section 2, in the definition of official information:
(a) after paragraph (a)(ii) insert:
"(iia) the Attorney-General or Solicitor-General in their capacity as a Law Officer of the Crown; or"
