Request for Information Relating to the Policing Amendment Bill (No. 268-1)

Lance D. Lavery made this Official Information request to New Zealand Police

Response to this request is long overdue. By law New Zealand Police should have responded by now (details and exceptions). The requester can complain to the Ombudsman.

From: Lance D. Lavery

Dear New Zealand Police,

I request the following information under the Official Information Act 1982.

Request 1. All Cabinet papers, policy advice, and ministerial briefings relating to the Policing Amendment Bill (No. 268-1), including any analysis of alternatives to legislation.

Request 2. All correspondence between New Zealand Police and the Privacy Commissioner regarding the decision in Tamiefuna v R [2025] NZSC 40 and the proposed Policing Amendment Bill.

Request 3. Data on the number of photographs taken by Police for intelligence purposes (not connected to a specific investigation) in the 12 months prior to, and the 12 months following, the judgment in Tamiefuna v R [2025] NZSC 40.

Request 4. All internal policy documents, general instructions, or standard operating procedures issued to Police employees regarding photography and recording of members of the public following the judgment in Tamiefuna v R [2025] NZSC 40.

Request 5. Any risk assessments or human rights impact assessments prepared in connection with the Policing Amendment Bill (No. 268-1).

Request 6. Data on the use of temporary road closure powers under section 35 of the Policing Act 2008 for each of the last five years, including: number of closures, grounds relied on, duration, and any complaints or referrals to the Independent Police Conduct Authority.

I request that this information be provided in electronic form where possible.

If you intend to refuse any part of this request, please identify the specific grounds under the Official Information Act 1982 and consider whether the public interest in disclosure outweighs the reasons for withholding, given that the Policing Amendment Bill is currently before the Justice Committee and public submissions are open.

I look forward to your response within 20 working days, as required by section 15 of the Act.

Yours faithfully,

Lance D. Lavery

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From: Ministerial Services
New Zealand Police

Tēnā koe Lance

I acknowledge receipt of your Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) request below.

Your reference number is IR-01-26-10805.

You can expect a response to your request on or before 24 April 2026 unless an extension is needed.

Ngā mihi, Michelle
Advisor - Police National Headquarters

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From: Ministerial Services
New Zealand Police

Kia ora Lance

I refer to your request below. I have been asked to advise you that Police require an extension of time in which to respond to your request, pursuant to section 15A(1) of the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). Specifically, section 15A(1)(a), the request is for a large quantity of official information or necessitates a search through a large quantity of information and meeting the original time limit would unreasonably interfere with the operations of the organisation, and section 15A(1)(b), 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.

Police requires until 14 May 2026 to provide a substantive response to your request, however we are endeavouring to provide this to you as soon as possible.

You have the right, under section 28(3) of the OIA, to make a complaint to an Ombudsman about this extension. Information about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.

I also confirm that Request 2 from yourself has been incorporated to this existing request.

Kind regards, Michelle
Advisor – Police National Headquarters

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Lance D. Lavery left an annotation ()

Police require an extension of time until the 14th of May, 2026.

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