Find out how to make a request to us under the Official Information Act (OIA) 1982 or the Privacy Act 2020.
You can request information held by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). This can be:
You can request government information (official information) and can expect it to be made available unless there is a good reason to withhold it. You can make a request under the Official Information Act 1982 (or OIA) to government agencies if you are a:
The Official Information Act 1982 – NZ Legislation
When making a request, make sure you include:
Send your request to info@mpi.govt.nz
We prefer email, but you can send your request by post to:
Official Information Act Team
Ministry for Primary Industries
PO Box 2526
Wellington 6140
New Zealand.
Make sure you include your contact details so we can reply to you.
We will tell you when we receive your request. We're required by law to give you our decision as soon as possible, and no later than 20 working days after we get your request.
If we need more time to make our decision, for example if you are requesting a lot of information, we will let you know and give you an idea of how long it will take.
We will find all the information you have asked for and review it carefully. We may need to consult others (for example, other agencies or people who might be affected by release of the information) to make our decision.
We will make the information you request available unless there is a reason why we are unable to do so. Reasons for withholding are specified in sections 6, 9, and 18 of the OIA.
When we withhold information, we will tell you which part of the OIA applies. You have the right to complain to the Office of the Ombudsman about our decision to withhold information.
Before requesting information, it is worth checking that we have not already published the information you are interested in.
Find published OIA responses by topic
If the information you are after is not available on our website, you can make a request to us. It will help us to respond as quickly as possible if your request is specific – if you clearly tell us what you are after and outline a time period you are interested in.
You may also want to tell us why you are seeking this information – you don't have to do this, but it may make it easier for us to identify all information relevant to your request.
You can contact us in the first instance to see if we can resolve the issue.
You can make a complaint to the Office of the Ombudsman if you:
These concerns can relate to the withholding of information, extending the timeframe to respond to you, any charges for providing the information you have requested, delays in providing you with a decision or the information, or your request being transferred.
The Office of the Ombudsman can investigate and review our decision and may make a recommendation to us if it is considered appropriate.
The Privacy Act 2020 helps people to access information about themselves.
Under the Act, you can ask any government department about the information it holds about you.
To make a request, email privacyrequests@mpi.govt.nz
Make sure you include:
We prefer email, but you can send your request by post to:
Chief Privacy Officer
Ministry for Primary Industries
PO Box 2526
Wellington 6140
New Zealand.
The Privacy Commissioner's website has information about who can make a request and the rules.
Personal information requests – Privacy Commissioner
Find out about the personal information we collect on the MPI website
The State Services Commission (SSC) and Office of the Ombudsman have a programme to improve transparency under the OIA. This includes reporting on the volume of:
The reports are published on their websites and include information about MPI.
SSC – Official Information Act statistics
Office of the Ombudsman – OIA complaints data
If you have questions about the information on this page, email info@mpi.govt.nz
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