Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987

Introduction

You could also call this:

"Getting Access to Information from Local Authorities"

Illustration for Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987

This law is about making information held by local authorities easier for you to get. It wants to help you access information about yourself that local authorities have. The law also aims to let the public attend meetings of local authorities. The law tries to balance giving you access to information with protecting sensitive information and personal privacy. It does this to keep the public interest and privacy safe. You can get information from local authorities, and they must follow rules to make this happen. The law sets up steps for local authorities to follow when giving out information. This helps you get the information you need while keeping sensitive information safe. You have the right to know what information local authorities have about you, and this law helps make that happen.

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This page was last updated on 28 October 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM122241.

Highlights from this law

22: Right of access by person to reasons for decisions affecting that person

Know why a local authority made a decision about you

23: Right of access to personal information

You can ask to see and correct information about yourself that others have recorded.

34: Right of review

You can ask a court to check if a decision about your information request was fair and correct.

46: Meetings of local authorities to be publicly notified

Local authorities must publicly announce their meeting dates and times so you can attend if you want to.

47: Admission of public to meetings of local authorities

Going to local council meetings: you're usually allowed to attend

51: Right of public to inspect or receive copies of minutes of meeting

See or get a copy of meeting notes from your local council

5: Principle of availability

Councils must give you information unless they have a good reason not to.

Topics:

Government and voting > Local councilsRights and equality > Privacy

1: Short Title and commencement, or

"What the law is called and when it started"

Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987

Reprint as at:: 2025-10-22
Assent:: 1987-07-17
Commencement:: see section 1(2)

The Parliamentary Counsel Office has made editorial and format changes to this version using the powers under subpart 2 of Part 3 of the Legislation Act 2019.

Note 4 at the end of this version provides a list of the amendments included in it.

This Act is administered by the Department of Internal Affairs.

An Act to make official information held by local authorities more freely available, to provide for proper access by each person to official information relating to that person which is held by local authorities, to provide for the admission of the public to meetings of local authorities, to protect official information held by local authorities and the deliberations of local authorities to the extent consistent with the public interest and the preservation of personal privacy, and to establish procedures for the achievement of those purposes