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Public Records Act 2005

Recordkeeping requirements - Standards, inspection, reporting, and audit

29: Inspection powers

You could also call this:

"The Chief Archivist can check public records to ensure they are stored correctly."

Illustration for Public Records Act 2005

The Chief Archivist can inspect public records or local authority records and archives. You will get reasonable notice before the inspection. The Chief Archivist can view the systems and processes used to create and store records. The Chief Archivist can look at how records are created and stored. They can also check the conditions for storing records. But they cannot inspect records with security classifications without consent. Security classifications are assigned by the Government's Security in Government Sector manual. This manual is issued from time to time by the Government. The Chief Archivist must follow these rules when inspecting records.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM345749.

Topics:
Government and voting > Government departments
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28: Application and content of standards, or

"Rules for Keeping Public Records"

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30: Exemptions, or

"When You Don't Have to Follow Recordkeeping Rules"

Part 2Recordkeeping requirements
Standards, inspection, reporting, and audit

29Inspection powers

  1. The Chief Archivist may, after giving reasonable notice to a public office or local authority, inspect the public records or local authority records and local authority archives, as the case may be, that are in the possession or under the control of that public office or local authority.

  2. Subsection (1)—

  3. permits the Chief Archivist to view the systems and processes of a public office or a local authority for maintaining its public records or local authority records and local authority archives (as the case may be), including its systems, processes, and conditions for—
    1. creating and maintaining the records or archives; and
      1. storing the records or archives; but
      2. does not permit the Chief Archivist to inspect public records or local authority records and local authority archives that carry security classifications or are restricted by other legislation without the consent of the administrative head of the controlling public office or controlling local authority, as the case may be.

        1. In this section, security classifications means the classifications assigned in accordance with the Security in Government Sector manual issued from time to time by the Government.

        Notes
        • Section 29(2)(a): replaced, on , by section 33 of the Responding to Abuse in Care Legislation Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 57).