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Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987

Right of access to personal information

23: Right of access to personal information

You could also call this:

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

Illustration for Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987

You have the right to see personal information about yourself. This information must be about you and easy to find. You can ask to see this information, but some rules apply, like those in sections 8 and 44.

When you ask to see your personal information, you will be told about your right to correct it, as stated in section 25.

Local authorities do not have to keep all personal information in one place, just because you can ask to see it. If you want to see your personal information, some other rules will apply, like those in sections 10(3), 11 to 16, and 18.

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This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM123023.

Topics:
Government and voting > Local councilsRights and equality > Privacy
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22: Right of access by person to reasons for decisions affecting that person, or

"Know why a local authority made a decision about you"

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24: Precautions, or

"Keeping your personal information safe when you ask for it"

Part 4Right of access to personal information

23Right of access to personal information

  1. Subject to this Part, and to sections 8 and 44, every person has a right to and shall, on request, be given access to any personal information which—

  2. is about that person; and
    1. is held in such a way that it can readily be retrieved.

      1. The right conferred by subsection (1) may be exercised only by a person who is not a natural person.

      2. Sections 10(3), 11 to 16, and 18 shall apply, with all necessary modifications, to a request made under subsection (1).

      3. Where any person is given access to any personal information under this section, that person shall be advised of that person's right, under section 25, to request the correction of that information.

      4. Nothing in this section requires, or imposes any responsibility on, any local authority to compile files or data banks of personal information.

      Compare
      Notes
      • Section 23(1): amended, on , by section 5(1) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Amendment Act 1993 (1993 No 37).
      • Section 23(1A): inserted, on , by section 5(2) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Amendment Act 1993 (1993 No 37).