OIA Compliance Costs
Joshua Grainger made this Official Information request to AgResearch Limited
The request was successful.
From: Joshua Grainger
Dear AgResearch Limited,
In your submission to the Law Commission on the Official Information Act you mentioned AgResearch faced high compliance costs in relation to the Official Information Act. I would like to request some information under the Official Information Act about this:
1) How many FTE staff do you have dedicated to working on Official Information Act requests?
2) Any statistics related to the OIA requests and AgResearch. I don't except all such information to be available, but information I am interested in includes, for example:
a) the number of Official Information Act requests AgResearch has dealt with over the last year
b) the mean and median time for responding to requests
c) how different requests were dealt with, such as how many were successful, how many were transferred, and how many were withheld under withholding grounds
d) how many times did AgResearch impose charges in response to an OIA request, and of these, how many times did people pay the costs?
e) Who is making requests? Your submission mentions cases were OIA requests have been made for commercial ends; does AgResearch primarily get OIA requests from commercial entities, or private individuals?
f) The amount of staff time that is typically spent on an OIA request
Although not required under the OIA, I understand it it sometimes useful to spell out a reason why a request is made. The purpose for my request is to try to understand the costs that AgResearch faces in dealing with OIA requests, as I have a personal interest in the OIA and how different government agencies deal with it, and AgResearch explicitly complained about compliance costs. For example, in a recent request to an energy company SOE they revealed that they did not expect to save any costs when they were withdrawn from the scope of the OIA, as they did not budget any staff towards it; I would be interested if AgResearch is similar.
Yours faithfully,
Joshua Grainger
From: Scott, Peter
AgResearch Limited
Dear Mr Grainger,
Thank you for your OIA request dated 23^rd August 2012. We recognise that
the website used has the potential to be accessed by people outside the
scope of [1]Section 12 of the Act, and therefore we ask you to confirm
your status under this section of the Act.
Section 12 states that
(1) Any person, being—
(a) a New Zealand citizen; or
(b) a permanent resident of New Zealand; or
(c) a person who is in New Zealand; or
(d) a body corporate which is incorporated in New Zealand; or
(e) a body corporate which is incorporated outside New Zealand but which
has a place of business in New Zealand,—
may request a department or Minister of the Crown or organisation to make
available to him or it any specified official information.
Before we proceed with providing you the information under your request,
please could you provide us with confirmation, that you satisfy Section 12
of the Act? Suitable confirmation could include the provision of a New
Zealand physical address or copy of drivers licence etc. Any information
received will be treated as personal information under the Privacy Act
1993. Please contact the writer directly if you have any queries.
Yours sincerely,
Peter Scott
Interim Business Performance & Finance Director
T +64 7 834 6604
M +64 27 495 6638
F +64 7 834 6641
E [2][email address]
[3]http://www.agresearch.co.nz/images/agres...
Ruakura Research Centre
East Street, Private Bag 3123, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
T +64 7 856 2836 F +64 7 838 5012 [4]www.agresearch.co.nz
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Attention: The information contained in this message and/or attachments
from AgResearch Limited is intended only for the persons or entities
to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged
material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or
taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or
entities other than the intended recipients is prohibited by AgResearch
Limited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the
sender immediately.
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References
Visible links
1. http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/publi...
2. mailto:[email address]
4. http://www.agresearch.co.nz/
From: Joshua Grainger
Dear Scott, Peter,
My address is:
[personal information removed]
[personal information removed]
[personal information removed].
I should state however that I would prefer to receive an electronic reply over any reply sent via snail mail.
Yours sincerely,
Joshua Grainger
From: Godwin, David
AgResearch Limited
Dear Mr Grainger,
I am writing in response to your Official Information Act request dated
23^rd August 2012 for information related to OIAs received and managed by
AgResearch. I apologise for the delay in sending you this information – it
inadvertently got missed in my transition into this role over the past two
weeks.
Please find our response to your questions below:
1. How many FTE staff do you have dedicated to working on Official
Information Act requests?
AgResearch does not employ any FTEs specifically dedicated in working on
OIAs. The responsibility of managing AgResearch’s OIAs sits with the
Company Secretary, and is supported by others in the process of crafting a
reply, compiling the information for review and release.
2. a) What is the number of Official Information Act requests AgResearch
has dealt with over the last year?
Since August 2011, AgResearch has dealt with 11 OIAs.
b) What is the mean and median time for responding to requests?
Between August 2011 and August 2012, the average time taken for AgResearch
to respond to requests is 15 working days. The median time taken is 18
days.
c) How are different requests dealt with, such as how many were
successful, how many were transferred, and how many were withheld under
withholding grounds?
Between August 2011 and August 2012, no requests were transferred. One
request was partially answered by providing a summary rather than full
project details requested, under grounds that the information is
commercially sensitive to those contracting AgResearch to undertake the
research.
d) How many times did AgResearch impose charges in response to an OIA
request, and of these, how many times did people pay the costs?
Between August 2011 and August 2012, AgResearch has not quoted any charge
for the information it has released.
e) Who is making requests? Your submission to the Law Commission mentions
cases where OIA requests have been made for commercial ends; does
AgResearch primarily get OIA requests from commercial entities, or private
individuals?
Requests are usually made by individuals and it is only because of
indirect information such as e-mail addresses and the nature of the
information requested that it is apparent that a request is being made for
commercial ends. AgResearch will not be releasing the names of individuals
who have requested information in order to protect their privacy as
provided for in section 9(2)(a) of the Official Information Act.
We can advise that in the last year at least one request was, in our view,
made for commercial ends. There have also been three requests from
journalists.
f) What is the amount of staff time that is typically spent on an OIA
request?
AgResearch staff do not specifically record the time they spend on OIA
requests. Every OIA request involves at least three staff members, and can
extend upwards of 10 or more scientist staff on one request.
I am obliged to advise you of your right to complain to the Office of the
Ombudsmen if you are unhappy with any response by AgResearch to your OIA
request.
Yours sincerely,
David Godwin
Finance and Business Performance Director
T +64 7 834 6604
M +64 21 823 250
F +64 7 834 6640
E [email address]
[1]http://www.agresearch.co.nz/images/agres...
AgResearch Corporate Office
5th Floor Tower Block, Ruakura Research Centre, East Street, Private Bag
3115, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
T +64 7 834 6600 F +64 7 834 6640 [2]www.agresearch.co.nz
=======================================================================
Attention: The information contained in this message and/or attachments
from AgResearch Limited is intended only for the persons or entities
to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged
material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or
taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or
entities other than the intended recipients is prohibited by AgResearch
Limited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the
sender immediately.
=======================================================================
References
Visible links
2. http://www.agresearch.co.nz/
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