19 May 2025
C196342
TeAtawhai Young
[FYI request #30777 email]
Tēnā koe TeAtawhai
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) request of 20 April 2025 to the
Department of Corrections – Ara Poutama Aotearoa, requesting the following information:
1. What specific information is shared through the Victim Notification Register (VNR)
in relation to a person?
2. Are family members or partners of the name individual person notified if their
information is collected, used, or disclosed through VNR-related procedures? If not,
please explain why not — and if so, what is shared?
3. Are individuals outside the VNR ever notified (or given the right to be notified)
when their personal details may be referred to, mentioned, or included as part of
VNR-related updates or assessments? (e.g. names of whānau, addresses, contact
details, known associations or relationships.)
4. What protections exist for family/whānau of a remand or pre-conviction prisoner
to ensure that their personal information is not shared via the VNR without their
knowledge or consent? Please explain how Corrections ensures compliance with the
Privacy Act in these scenarios.
5. Who is VNR-related information allowed to be shared with, and what
accountability is in place if this information is disclosed to unauthorised parties? Is
there any legal framework or official policy that justifies the disclosure of this
information outside of the direct involvement with the VNR?
6.What is the threshold Corrections requires to allow a named and authorised person
to access another individual’s file — when written authority has been granted?
Please explain what internal process is fol owed once an "Authority to Act" is
received, and on what legal or policy basis access may stil be denied.
7. If Corrections staff are stating that they are “unaware” of the Authority to
Advocate Complaint form — when this form is publicly available on the Corrections
website. Is staff training provided on this process, and if so, how is this monitored for
consistency across regions and facilities?
Corrections needs to extend the timeframe of our response to your request by 20 working
days, pursuant to section 15A(1)(b) of the OIA, as consultations necessary to make a
decision on the request are such that a proper response to the request cannot reasonably
be made within the original time limit. Therefore, you can expect to receive a response to
NATIONAL OFFICE, WELLINGTON
Mayfair House, 44 – 52 The Terrace, Wellington, 6011, Private Box 1206, Wellington 6140,
Phone +64 4 460 3000
www.corrections.govt.nz
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your request by 18 June 2025. If you no longer require this information, please let us know
as soon as possible.
I hope this information is helpful. Please be advised that should you have any concerns
regarding this response you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to investigate our
decision to extend the timeframe. Contact details are: Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box
10152, Wel ington 6143.
Ngā mihi
Jeremy Lythgoe
Manager Ministerial Services
People and Capability
