Dear Bethlehem College,

According to Radio New Zealand, your school has launched an inquiry into the recent bus crash in Kenya ("Driver's legal status to be considered in Kenya crash", RNZ, 3/2/13). According to the news report, the school has told the media that the membership of the board of inquiry will remain secret. I would therefore like to request the following information under the Official Information Act 1982:

* the membership of the inquiry board;
* whatever information (if any) that was given to the Board of Trustees about them when they made the appointments.

In anticipation of your stated desire to withhold this information, there is a very low privacy interest in the identity of the board members. They're effectively public officials performing a public function. There is also a high public interest in making the information available, in that transparency will lend credibility to the inquiry and prevent any suggestion of a further cover-up.

If you are unclear on your obligations under the law, the Ombudsman's Office has a guide here:

http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/syste...

And there is specific guidance on the privacy withholding ground here:

http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/syste...

I expect a response within 20 working days. I am quite happy to take this to the Ombudsman should you attempt to withhold the requested information without making a strong case.

I would prefer to receive an electronic response. Queries about this request will be automatically forwarded to me by the fyi.org.nz website.

With regards to s12 of the OIA, I am an NZ citizen and in NZ.

Yours faithfully,

Alex Harris