In what circumstances would it be appropriate to charge for replying to Official Information Act requests made to their office, or agencies for which the Minister is responsible?

Answer

Section 18 of the OIA requires agencies consider charging for requests for substantial amounts of information, where a refusal would otherwise be applied. Section 15 (2) of the OIA states government agencies can charge a "reasonable" amount for supplying information, covering staff time (labour) and materials. Charges must follow Ombudsman New Zealand guidelines, and requesters can complain to the Ombudsman if they believe a charge is unreasonable.