Right to Information

The Right to Information Act 2009 (RTI Act) and the Information Privacy Act 2009 (IP Act):

• make information held by the government available
• provide access to it across all sectors of the community
• provide appropriate protection for individuals' privacy.

Search for information

You can search online for:

• routinely released information, organised into categories (publication scheme)
• information previously released through RTI applications (disclosure log)
• released Cabinet documents by date or topic.

If you cannot find what you are looking for, contact the relevant agency's RTI officer who will advise if the information is accessible through an administrative release process, or if you need to make an RTI or IP application to access it.

Publication schemes—Routinely released information

Agencies publish routinely released information through what is called a publication scheme. Information is organised for each agency into categories.

You can check for the information you are looking for on the relevant agency’s website.

Disclosure logs—RTI released information

Information released in response to RTI applications is also made available by agencies through disclosure logs. Disclosure logs publish information to a wider public audience after it has been accessed under the RTI Act, subject to certain restrictions. For example, documents containing an applicant's personal information will not be published.

You can check for the information you are looking for on the relevant agency’s website.

Where information isn't already available through a publication scheme, on a disclosure log or otherwise, you may decide to apply to access information through RTI Act or IP Act applications. You may also apply to amend your personal information under the IP Act.

Apply for information

You can make an RTI application for information in any documents we hold. You can only make an IP application for a document that has your own personal information in it.

You can’t use the RTI Act or the IP Act process to ask for general information or for answers to your questions.

You can apply for documents:

• online
• by post, email, fax, or in person after you download an application.

If applying by fax, post, email or in person, use the relevant agency’s contact details.

You will need to pay an application fee when you make an RTI application.

Our fees and charges increase on 1 July each year. On 1 July 2023 our fees and charges were increased by 3.4% in line with government’s indexation policy. Please contact the relevant agency to find out their preferred payment method.

There is no application fee for making an IP application, however you will need to give the agency evidence of your identity (e.g. a certified copy of your driver licence).

The agency may not be able to give you access to all the documents you request, as some documents are exempt from release. If an agency refuses access to the documents you’ve asked for, you may be able to dispute its decision. Visit the Office of the Information Commissioner website for details.

Amend personal information

You may apply to amend documents containing your personal information if you believe they are inaccurate, misleading, out of date or incomplete. You need to have seen or accessed the documents before you can apply to have them amended.

To apply to amend your personal information, download and complete the application form and submit it to the relevant agency by post, fax, email, or in person. There is no application fee but you will need to give the department evidence of your identity (e.g. a certified copy of your driver licence).