Office of the Ombudsman - Latest News [Page 3]
Contrasting Results For Two Mental Health Units Operating Side By Side
Thursday, 5 August 2021, 2:00 pm | Office of the Ombudsman
Two mental health inpatient facilities have yielded very different inspection results despite being run by the same District Health Board and being within metres of each other on the same hospital grounds, Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier says. Stanford ... More >>
Failings In Ministry Stewardship Of High And Complex Framework
Wednesday, 28 July 2021, 11:22 am | Office of the Ombudsman
The Ministry of Health needs to urgently improve its oversight of services for people with an intellectual disability and high and complex needs, says Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier. Mr Boshier today released Oversight , his investigation report into ... More >>
Ombudsman COVID-19 Report Highlights Safe Practices But Some Concerns Remain
Wednesday, 30 June 2021, 1:59 pm | Office of the Ombudsman
An inspection by the Chief Ombudsman of six secure aged care facilities during COVID-19 Alert Levels 1 and 2 last year has found they were safe and hygienic but a lack of staff was having an impact on services. Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier today published ... More >>
Mental Health Facility Inspections Highlight Stark Differences
Tuesday, 8 June 2021, 2:08 pm | Office of the Ombudsman
The Chief Ombudsman says two of three acute care mental health inpatient facilities inspected last year are not fit for purpose and one urgently needs to be upgraded. However, a third, newly rebuilt unit is a fine example of a modern and therapeutic ... More >>
Chief Ombudsman Investigating Department Of Corrections
Tuesday, 18 May 2021, 5:07 am | Office of the Ombudsman
The Chief Ombudsman has begun an investigation into how the Department of Corrections has responded to repeated calls for reforms aimed at improving conditions for prisoners. "In many areas, I have not seen significant and sustained improvements to prisoners’ ... More >>
Ombudsman Releases Latest LGOIMA Reports
Wednesday, 3 February 2021, 11:00 am | Office of the Ombudsman
Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier today published his latest four reports into Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA) practice and compliance at local authorities. "This latest batch of investigations confirms that in ... More >>
Chief Ombudsman Welcomes Top Transparency Rating
Thursday, 28 January 2021, 6:01 pm | Office of the Ombudsman
New Zealand is again ranked first equal with Denmark in the Transparency International annual index of perceived levels of public sector corruption. Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier has welcomed New Zealand’s position in the 2020 index. He says New Zealand’s ... More >>
Disability Rights Report Highlights Challenges Under Lockdown
Wednesday, 20 January 2021, 2:02 pm | Office of the Ombudsman
A new report from New Zealand’s Independent Monitoring Mechanism (IMM) highlights the realities and challenges disabled people faced during the COVID-19 emergency. The report, Making Disability Rights Real in a Pandemic, Te Whakatinana i ngā Tika ... More >>
Rehabilitation Opportunities Must Be Increased To Avoid The Risk Of Breaching International Obligations, Says Ombudsman
Friday, 18 December 2020, 10:25 am | Office of the Ombudsman
The Chief Ombudsman is calling on the Department of Corrections to urgently introduce more rehabilitation opportunities for people held under Public Protection Orders (PPOs) to avoid the risk of breaching international human rights obligations. Peter ... More >>
Annual Report - A Strong Year In A Time Of Crisis
Thursday, 17 December 2020, 2:35 pm | Office of the Ombudsman
Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier says holding government to account is never more important than in a time of crisis. Mr Boshier says the highlight of the year ending 30 June 2020 was managing a busy, and expanding, programme of work, while providing independent ... More >>
Chief Ombudsman Says Auckland Prison Has To Change
Monday, 14 December 2020, 3:24 pm | Office of the Ombudsman
The Chief Ombudsman says Auckland Prison’s culture remains one of containment rather than rehabilitation despite promised changes. Peter Boshier today released the report of his first unannounced inspection of New Zealand’s only maximum security ... More >>
Mental Health Units Not To Be Used For Long Term Accommodation, Says Ombudsman
Monday, 23 November 2020, 3:09 pm | Office of the Ombudsman
The Chief Ombudsman today released a report identifying another mental health unit in the Auckland region in which people are staying longer than clinically needed. A lack of suitable accommodation meant that 13 people were staying longer than they ... More >>
Ombudsman Releases Access To Government Information Survey
Monday, 28 September 2020, 2:49 pm | Office of the Ombudsman
The Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier says too many New Zealanders are still unaware of their rights to request information from Ministers, government agencies, and councils despite a growing thirst for information by the public. The release of the data coincides ... More >>
Latest OIA, LGOIMA Data Released
Tuesday, 8 September 2020, 11:02 am | Office of the Ombudsman
Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier has released the latest Official Information Act (OIA) and Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMA) data[1]. The number of complaints about delayed OIA responses dropped slightly in the six months ... More >>
Newborn Removal Without Notice ‘more By Routine Than Exception’
Thursday, 6 August 2020, 2:38 pm | Office of the Ombudsman
Oranga Tamariki-Ministry for Children has been using its powers to remove newborn pēpi from their parents under a without notice Court order more by routine than exception, says Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier. Mr Boshier today released He Take ... More >>
Newborn Removal Without Notice ‘more By Routine Than Exception’ - Chief Ombudsman
Thursday, 6 August 2020, 2:04 pm | Office of the Ombudsman
Oranga Tamariki-Ministry for Children has been using its powers to remove newborn pēpi from their parents under a without notice Court order more by routine than exception, says Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier. Mr Boshier today released He Take ... More >>
Ombudsman Finds Significant Gaps In MoH Data
Thursday, 9 July 2020, 2:03 pm | Office of the Ombudsman
The Chief Ombudsman has identified significant gaps in the Ministry of Health’s collection and use of information about the deaths of people with intellectual disabilities receiving full-time residential support. The report Off the record examines the data ... More >>
Disability Rights Report Highlights Systemic Inequities And Opportunities For Real Change
Tuesday, 30 June 2020, 4:35 pm | Office of the Ombudsman
The launch will be livestreamed from 4.30pm 30 June 2020 and available after broadcast A report released today by the New Zealand Independent Monitoring Mechanism (IMM) highlights the need for decisive government action, including stronger laws to protect ... More >>
Ombudsman Says Positive Steps By Prisons To Keep Out COVID Contravenes Some Prisoners’ Rights
Monday, 22 June 2020, 2:31 pm | Office of the Ombudsman
The Chief Ombudsman says overall prisons are taking positive steps to keep coronavirus out but this has come at the expense of some prisoners’ rights. More >>
Mental Health Services Inspected Generally Got It Right Over ‘lockdown’
Monday, 15 June 2020, 2:11 pm | Office of the Ombudsman
The Chief Ombudsman says his inspections of mental health facilities during the lockdown shows a good balance is possible between protecting people from COVID 19 and preserving human rights. Peter Boshier has released a report summarising his ... More >>