Chief Ombudsman | OIA review

“The effective operation of the OIA is crucial to our system of open and democratic government, and this review will scrutinise how things are currently operating and set out a framework for systemic improvement where deficiencies are identified.” –Beverley Wakem, Chief Ombudsman

### NZ Herald Online 2:11 PM Tuesday Dec 16, 2014
Government offices selected for OIA review
By Isaac Davison – NZ Herald political reporter
The Chief Ombudsman says a major review of the Official Information Act will scrutinise all 27 government ministers’ offices.
Dame Beverley Wakem today began her review of the way the public sector used the OIA, which she first announced in August.
Twelve government agencies have been selected for formal review, based on their size, number of OIA requests, complaints, and other criteria.
A further 63 agencies and all ministers’ offices have been asked to complete a detailed survey. At least one agency cited for good OIA practice would be included in the review.
The Ombudsman’s office would also seek input from past and present public servants, Opposition parties, journalists, academics and others.
Dame Beverley said the goal was to assess the quality and integrity of OIA practice in the public sector and to address any issues that were found.
Read more

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█ For more, enter terms such as *corruption*, *fraud*, *whistleblowers*, *dia*, *department of internal affairs*, *stadium*, *gambling*, *auditor general*, *oag*, *audit nz*, *orfu*, *nzru*, *sfo*, *pokies*, *ttcf*, *racing* or *rugby* in the search box at right.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

John Oliver on Eminem vs National #LastWeekTonight

█ Watch at YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e25YmpQiEEY

Last Week Tonight at Facebook

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### tvnz.co.nz Published: 7:34AM Tuesday September 23, 2014
US show mocks NZ over accent and National’s Eminem stoush
Source: ONE News
A British comedian has taken aim at an issue the National Party faced during its political campaign. In a clip posted on YouTube, John Oliver, who hosts the US show The Last Week Tonight, says New Zealand has re-elected Prime Minister John Key on Saturday, “despite a turbulent campaign with a major scandal that engulfed him earlier this week”. He then plays a ONE News clip, in which Wendy Petrie says: “Rap superstar Eminem’s become the latest to take pot shots at our Government.”
Read more

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● 16.9.14 Eminem sues National Party
15.9.14 The Moment of Truth

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Election Night

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█ Key says he will lead a government that governs for all New Zealanders

Prime Minister John Key’s National Party has won a third term with an unprecedented govern-alone victory in the general election.

National won 48 percent of the party vote, giving it 62 seats in the 121-member parliament.

It’s the first time since MMP was introduced in 1996 that any party has held a majority without needing coalition partners.

█ Key: The issues that matter

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Kim Choe (@kimchoe) tweeted at 10:56 PM on Sat, Sep 20, 2014:
Kim Dotcom blames himself: “I’m sorry to say this, but we lost because of me”. Read more: http://t.co/JHw6TkMNgG #decision14
(https://twitter.com/kimchoe/status/513280476547543040)

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Images: Jared Savage (@jaredsavageNZH) at Twitter [screenshot]; mediaworks.co.nz – (TV3) Decision 14 – Live Stream, John Campbell and John Key PM [screenshot]; Internet Party (@InternetPartyNZ) at Twitter [screenshot]

Chief Ombudsman Beverley Wakem to launch post-election inquiry

█ What today’s ODT editorial doesn’t tell you, story sunk not headlining…..

“We may as well kiss democracy goodbye” –The Standard
By NATWATCH, published at 8:13 am, September 19th, 2014
The words of the title of this post are those of Ombudsman Dame Beverley Wakem …. Yet another typical scandal from the dirtiest government ever seen in NZ. Read more + Comments

Chief Ombudsman Dame Beverley Wakem to launch wide-ranging inquiry after election in respect of OIA practices

### NZ Herald Online 5:30 AM Friday Sep 19, 2014
Ombudsman ‘appalled’ by ex-Customs lawyer’s OIA allegations
By David Fisher
A former Customs lawyer claim that he was told to bury bad news matches similar stories which have sparked a wide-ranging inquiry by Chief Ombudsman Dame Beverley Wakem. She said she was “appalled” by Curtis Gregorash’s claim. “Having said that one of the reasons I am undertaking of selected agencies in respect of their OIA practices is that anecdotally a number of people have told me similar stories,” she said. She said a planned inquiry to be launched after the election could see the Ombudsman’s office using its Commission of Inquiry powers to compel evidence to be given under oath were there signs information was being hidden. “Ministerial offices will be figuring in our inquiry and that is all I will say.”
Read more

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Whistleblower Curtis Gregorash said he was subjected to an internal investigation after releasing information about Dotcom sought by the NZ Herald through the Official Information Act. The information released saw Customs staff discuss earning “brownie points” by passing on Dotcom information to the FBI.

### NZ Herald Online 5:30 AM Friday Sep 19, 2014
Ex-Customs lawyer claims he was told to bury info that could embarrass the Government
By David Fisher
A former high-ranking Customs lawyer says he resigned from his job after allegedly being told to bury information that could embarrass the Government.
Curtis Gregorash said he was told by senior Customs executives to refuse Official Information Act and Privacy Act requests, which he believed was at the direction of former Customs Minister Maurice Williamson. It comes at a time the Prime Minister’s office is under inquiry over the release of intelligence material through the OIA and accusations that former Justice Minister Judith Collins was manipulating OIA responses for political purposes. [Mr] Gregorash quit his role as Customs’ chief legal counsel in March this year after more than a decade as a government lawyer.

The lawyer turned whistleblower said: “I’ve sat on it for a long time. But the story itself is so awful it needs to be told. I think people really need to see what ministers and some senior executives do.

He had decided to speak because he believed the alleged instruction “was unlawful”, undermined the way the public service was meant to operate and was given for what was ultimately political reasons. “The direction came down (from the minister) through the CEO (Carolyn Tremain) and group manager (of legal services) Peter Taylor to me saying ‘you don’t release anything – I don’t care what the OIA says, I’d rather fight it in the courts’.”
Mr Gregorash said the alleged instruction came during a briefing from Mr Taylor to the legal team in which he referred to Ms Tremain and meeting with Mr Williamson. “I resigned over it. I couldn’t stare my staff in the face and say this is actually serious conduct that’s being presented to you in a lawful way.”
Mr Gregorash said the alleged instruction to withhold information was general – but became specific in relation to “sensitive” issues, including entrepreneur Kim Dotcom, wanted for copyright violation in the United States. “Mr Taylor directed me to withhold all information and pass the same direction on to my team.”
Read more

● In the public interest, lengthy citation of articles by David Fisher at New Zealand Herald (APNZ).

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Related Post:
21.3.13 Public service causing “paralysis of democracy” with OIA requests

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

John Key PM —real or fake? and one email

Retracing rubber …. ohh the worry lines!

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### 3news.co.nz Monday 15 Sep 2014 2:51 p.m.
Dotcom’s bombshell revealed – reports
By Simon Wong, Online Reporter
The New Zealand Herald reports Dotcom’s bombshell evidence is an email from October 27, 2010 and is alleged to be from Warner Brothers chairman and chief executive Kevin Tsujihara to Michael Ellis, a senior executive at the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) which lobbies for Hollywood studios. The email reads:

“We had a really good meeting with the Prime Minister. He’s a fan and we’re getting what we came for. Your groundwork in New Zealand is paying off. I see strong support for our anti-piracy effort. John Key told me in private that they are granting Dotcom residency despite pushback from officials about his criminal past. His AG will do everything in his power to assist us with our case. VIP treatment and then a one-way ticket to Virginia.
This is a game changer. The DOJ is against the Hong Kong option. No confidence in the Chinese. Great job.”

However, Warner Brothers says the email is fake. Studio senior vice president for worldwide communications Paul McGuire said Mr Tsujihara didn’t write or send the alleged email.
Read more

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█ Video http://www.3news.co.nz/tvshows/campbelllive/former-gcsb-boss-denies-snowdens-claims-2014091520?ref=video

TV3 Campbell Live (15.9.14) – Former GCSB boss denies Snowden’s claims
[screenshots]

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

The Moment of Truth

On the National-led Government of New Zealand: “You’re dealing with a government that has systemic issues of political corruption.” –Bob Amsterdam, Dotcom’s lawyer (TV1’s Q+A)

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Streamed live on Sep 15, 2014 (2:06:07)

This is the backup stream URL if needed: http://new.livestream.com/accounts/1473236/events/3389825/player?width=640&height=360&autoPlay=true&mute=false

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Updated post 16.9.14 at 1:10 p.m.

Jim Hubbard 13.4.12 at Stuff

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

GCSB: National Party websites hacked

Anon NZ | Published on 28 Jul 2013

Websites down:
johnkey.co.nz | billenglish.co.nz | gerrybrownlee.com | michaelwoodhouse.co.nz | bluegreens.co.nz | judithcollins.co.nz | bluelibs.org.nz | nikkikaye.co.nz | bluegreens.org.nz | simonbridges.co.nz | maggiebarry.co.nz | national.org.nz | davidcarter.co.nz | nickywagner.co.nz
and many more

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### stuff.co.nz Last updated 10:31 30/07/2013:
Dotcom tells hackers of National sites to stop
“It has come to our attention that the thousands that have marched against this bill has still not been enough to send John Key and Peter Dunne a message.” –Anon NZ

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### ODT Online Tue, 30 Jul 2013 APNZ
Doctom tells National Party hackers to back off
Hackers claimed to have taken down more than a dozen National Party websites overnight – but their actions have drawn the ire of internet entrepreneur Kim Dotcom. The group calling itself Anonymous New Zealand said in a video it had taken “direct action” against the GCSB spy bill.
The video said the websites would remain down until their servers were patched or the bill was withdrawn and Prime Minister John Key has apologised to all New Zealanders and internet entrepreneur Kim Dotcom.
The video was posted to YouTube on Sunday, the same day thousands of protesters marched against the GCSB bill. Among the sites that remained down this morning were Mr Key’s site, johnkey.co.nz, and Deputy Prime Minister Bill English’s site, billenglish.co.nz as well as a handful of sites belonging to other Cabinet ministers. However, the National Party website, which the group claims to have taken down, was live this morning at national.org.nz. APNZ
Read more

The global Anonymous group is best known for takedowns of US government and corporation websites, with its members recognised for wearing Guy Fawkes masks.

### nzherald.co.nz 09:09 Tue Jul 30 2013
National trying to restore websites
IT experts are trying to restore National Party websites after an attack by activist group Anonymous over the controversial Government Communications Security Bureau Bill.
In a video message posted online, Anonymous NZ calls the legislation – which will make it legal for the GCSB to spy on New Zealanders on behalf of other agencies – “despicable”.
The group has taken more than a dozen National websites offline, including those of Prime Minister John Key and Speaker David Carter, and a number of other MPs, but the main National Party website “survived” the attack.
Anonymous says the sites will stay offline until National patches its servers, or apologises to internet piracy accused Kim Dotcom – who was illegally spied on by the GCSB – and all New Zealanders. AAP
Read more

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7.6.13 Peter Dunne, undone

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr