Taxpayers’ Union Backs Labour Call for OIA Investigation

The Taxpayers’ Union is backing Labour’s call for a Public Service Commission investigation into allegations that Ministry of Education staff were told to avoid putting information in writing because it could be requested under the Official Information Act.

Taxpayers’ Union Investigative Lead, Rhys Hurley, said:

“Labour is bang on to demand an investigation into the Ministry of Education. If officials are being told to keep things out of writing because they could be released under the OIA, taxpayers deserve to know how far that practice goes.

“But this investigation cannot begin and end at the Ministry of Education. The Public Service Commission must establish whether this is happening across the entire public service.”

“The former Chief Ombudsman warned last year that suggestions officials and ministers keep things off the written record to avoid accountability were ‘deeply troubling’."

“Labour has identified a serious issue. Now the Commission needs to establish whether this is an isolated incident is a part of a wider culture that strikes at the heart of open government.”