Last updated:
Tuesday, 22 October 2024
As a Crown Entity, the New Zealand Film Commission is committed to transparency of government and the principles of freedom and availability of information under the Official Information Act (OIA) 1982.
Accessing Official Information
The OIA allows New Zealanders to access official information to enable more effective participation in the administration of laws and policies, and to promote the accountability of Ministers of the Crown and their officials. The NZFC is committed to upholding the principle of availability under Section 5 of the Official Information Act, which states that official information shall be made available unless there is good reason for withholding it (see sections 6, 9 and 18 of the OIA). If we do withhold any information, we will note the grounds under the OIA on which we are relying.
How to make an OIA request
If you wish to make an OIA request to the NZFC, you can get in touch with us:
- by email at info@nzfilm.co.nz with a subject title clearly identifying that it is an OIA request. This is our preferred method of communication.
- by post at PO Box 11 546, Manners Street, Wellington 6142; or
- by calling us on +64 4 382 7680, or freephone 0800 659 754 within New Zealand.
If you need help to make a request, the Office of the Ombudsman has a useful guide called “Making official information requests – a guide for requesters” which can be found on their website here. If you are unsure what information you are seeking, please get in touch with us before you make your request, and we can help determine the best way to ensure your request will suit your needs.
How we deal with OIA requests
Once we have received your request we will notify you that it is being processed and advise the approximate timeframe for our response. The OIA requires us to respond within 20 working days of receiving a request, with provision for extensions in certain cases. Should we require an extension, we will get in touch and advise you of an updated response timeframe.
Charging for OIA requests
Requesting official information is free, though the NZFC can charge a reasonable amount if it will take a lot of work to supply the information requested. There is no charge for the first hour spent on your request or for the first 20 pages of photocopying. Agencies must adhere to the guidelines set out by the Ministry of Justice regarding charging for OIA requests, and for further information see the Ombudsman’s 2017 Guide on Charging. The NZFC may not apply a charge in certain circumstances, including where there is a compelling public interest in making the information available. If you are not happy about the decision to charge you can complain to the Office of the Ombudsman.
Check before making a request
In some cases we receive requests for information that is already publicly available. Before you make an OIA request, it may be worth checking our website in case the information you require can already be found. Some useful links for information can be found below:
- For information regarding past funding decisions by the NZFC, you can access the database here.
- For information about films we have funded over the years, you can access our Film Library here.
- For regular publications such as our Annual Report, Statement of Intent, Statement of Performance Expectations and Chief Executive expense declarations, these can be found here.
- For reports and research conducted by the New Zealand Film Commission including gender statistics, you can find these here.
Information for funding applicants
Any information you provide to the NZFC is subject to the OIA. You should work on the assumption that any information provided to us may be released to whoever requests it. If we receive a request for information that relates to you or your project we will advise you and seek your feedback. However, the NZFC has the final decision on any information released under the OIA.
OIA statistics
|
Reporting period: |
No. of OIA requests completed: |
No. of OIA requests unable to be completed withinthe legislated timeframe (including extensions): |
No. of responses to OIA requests published on our website: |
Number of Ombudsman complaints notified to us: |
Number of OIA final views formed by the Ombudsman against the NZFC. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 July 2016 – 30 June 2017 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
1 July 2017 – 30 June 2018 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 1 July 2018 – 30 June 2019 |
18 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 1 July 2019 - 30 June 2020 |
12 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
| 1 July 2020 – 30 June 2021 |
14 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| 1 July 2021 - 30 June 2022 |
34 |
0 |
13 |
0 |
0 |
| 1 July 2022 – 30 June 2023 |
18 |
0 |
10 |
0 |
0 |
Publishing responses to Official Information Act Requests
The NZFC publishes some responses to OIA requests where they release information that is of public interest. This is part of the NZFC’s commitment to transparency and accountability. Responses are published soon after the NZFC has sent the response to the requestor. The response letter from the NZFC details the information being released and explains what information, if any, has been withheld and under which grounds of the OIA. For privacy reasons, the requestor’s name and address have been removed. Documents are available in Adobe PDF format only. We will keep responses on this page for 12 months after release and then remove them.