Official Information Requests (LGOIMA)
We are committed to promoting openness and transparency, and aim to offer a large amount of information on our website.
However, if you can’t find the information you want, you may need to submit a request for information under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA).
This can be done by:
- Emailing our Corporate Support Officer Taylah King at [email protected]
- Lodge a request via our website (link below)
- Posting your request to: The Chief Executive, Gore District Council, P O Box 8, Gore, Southland, 9740, NZ.
Please be as specific as you can be in making your request so we can find the information for you as quickly as possible.
Here's the link to our LGOIMA Response page, where you will find our response to LGOIMAs since 1 July 2023.
How long will it take to process my request?
We will acknowledge your request and you will receive the information within 20 working days. You can use the calculator from the Office of the Ombudsman to determine when the 20 working days expire.
However, we may have to extend the response time if:
- Your request is complex,
- Your request involves a large amount of research and collation,
- You request requires us to consult with other parties
We will let you know if there is a need to extend our response time before the 20-day limit expires.
If the information you want is held by another organisation covered by the Act, we may transfer your request to that agency. If we transfer your request, we will let you know within 10 working days of receiving your request.
Withholding information
We may withhold information for specific reasons. If we do, we will explain the reason why.
The specific reasons enabling us to withhold information are set out in sections six and seven of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act. The most common reasons to withhold information are to:
- protect peoples’ privacy
- maintain legal privilege
- enable the Council to carry on its commercial activities.
What will it cost?
Generally, there will be no charge for your request. However, if a request is for a significant amount of information, or requires substantial collation and research, we may charge you $80.00 per hour after the first hour.
LGOIMA fees can be found here.
If we are going to charge you, we will tell you the estimated cost of processing your request before we begin working on it. You can then decide if you want to continue, withdraw or refine your request. We will ask you to pay some or all of this cost in advance.
Review of decisions
If you are unhappy with a decision to withhold information, to charge a fee, to extend the time frame on a request or have concerns about how we have dealt with your request, you are able to have the decision reviewed by the Office of the Ombudsman.
If you're not happy with the information provided under the Privacy Act, you can contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner.
Need more information?
If you have any questions regarding official information requests, please email us at: [email protected].
