Justice Centre | 19 Aitken Street
DX SX10088 | Wel ington
T 04 918 8800 |
F 04 918 8820
[email address] | www.justice.govt.nz
3 October 2023
K Bradley
[FYI request #23800 email]
Our ref: OIA 107004
Tēnā koe K Bradley
Official Information Act request: Courts fines in the Trucking industry
Thank you for your email of 12 August 2023 to the Ministry of Transport requesting
information about fines in the Trucking industry. On 23 August 2023 your request was
partially transferred to the Ministry of Justice (the Ministry) and New Zealand Police.
Specifically, you requested:
- What is the yearly total of fines for the NZ trucking industry (general)
- What is the yearly total of fines for SMEs in the NZ trucking industry
- An overview of fines over the different trucking industries (eg Heavy Haulage,
Logging, Long Haul)
- The most common reasons for fines being issued to the NZ Trucking industry
- The ratio and cost to Drivers of being fined compared to their Companies
- Any reports that have been done on assessing how best to reduce the risk of
companies and drivers being fined (eg: adopting certain types of technology,
adopting new processes)
On 1 September 2023, the Ministry contacted you to clarify your request. On 5 September
2023, you confirmed that your request could be clarified to the following:
"Under section 15 of the Act, the Ministry is seeking to rescope your request on two
points. Firstly, you have given no time frame for the statistics you are seeking.
Could we suggest that your request be for the last five years?" - The last 5 years is
good, thank you.
"And secondly, do you want statistics on fines to be for all fines lodged with the court
regardless of their current status, or do you want us to exclude those that were
subsequently withdrawn. " - I would like statistics on both please.
"I should also note that as the Ministry does not hold any information on the last part
of your request because, apart from providing support to the courts, it plays no role in
management or oversight of the trucking industry." - Do you know who would?
On 8 September 2023, the Ministry confirmed that your request has now become a new
request for the purposes of the Act and the timeframe for response has been reset, the new
due date for response is 3 October 2023.
Your request has been referred to me for a response, as it falls within my responsibilities as
Group Manager for National Service Delivery and is being managed in accordance with the
provisions of the Of icial Information Act 1982 (the Act).
Unfortunately, we are unable to identify all offences specifically related to the trucking
industry. The Police create offence codes to charge people and organisations with offences,
and while the Ministry has the data for finalised charges on those offences, there is not a set
group of offences that solely relate to the trucking industry.
I am therefore refusing your request under section 18(e) of the Act on the grounds that the
information does not exist or cannot be found. However, if you can provide specific offence
codes that you would like the data for then that’s something the Ministry may be able to
provide. Al offence codes are available at: abs.gov.au/statistics/classifications/australian-
and-new-zealand-standard-offence-classification-anzsoc/latest-release
If you require any further information, please contact Media & Social Media Manager Joe
Locke at [email address].
If you are not satisfied with this response, you have the right to make a complaint to the
Ombudsman under section 28(3) of the Act. The Office of the Ombudsman may be
contacted by email to [email address] or by phone on 0800 802 602.
Nāku noa, nā
Tracey Baguley
Group Manager, National Service Delivery
