Response to a request for inquiry about heated tobacco products
8 November 2024: We have replied to Dr Verrall in response to her request that we inquire into the Government's decision to halve the excise tax on heated tobacco products.
Reading Cinema proposal
27 May 2024: We have replied to Councillor Ray Chung about his request that we investigate the proposed deal between Wellington City Council and Reading Cinemas.
Procurement of services by the University of Waikato
3 May 2024: We wrote to the University of Waikato about the procurement of services from Joyce Advisory Services in 2019.
Inquiry into Callaghan Innovation’s procurement process
7 December 2023: Concerns were raised with us that Callaghan Innovation had not properly managed a conflict of interest nor natural justice process, and inappropriately shared confidential information with others. We decided to carry out an inquiry into whether the actions and procurement processes for the Start-up programme met good practice expectations.
Letter in response to concerns about funding for the Port Nelson Slipway project
4 May 2023: A member of Parliament wrote to us with concerns about funding for the Port Nelson Slipway project. This is our letter in response.
Letter in response to concerns about allocating funding to Transport Choices projects
3 May 2023: A member of Parliament wrote to us with concerns about the way funding allocations were determined for the Transport Choices Package. This is our letter in response.
Inquiry into the Strategic Tourism Assets Protection Programme
31 March 2022: Concerns were raised in the media and our Office about how the Strategic Tourism Assets Protection Programme (STAPP) was managed. Because of these concerns, and the amount of public money involved, we carried out an inquiry into the STAPP eligibility criteria for funding and the process for assessing funding applications.
Inquiry into the Ministry of Social Development’s funding of private rental properties for emergency housing
December 2021: In 2020, issues were raised about the Ministry of Social Development's use of private rental properties as emergency housing. These included issues about the quality of some of the private rental properties, the amount that the Ministry paid for the rental properties, and the impact on the long-term rental market of using private rental properties as emergency housing. We carried out an inquiry into these matters.
Inquiry into management fees paid by South Auckland Middle School and Middle School West Auckland in 2018
November 2021: This report outlines our views about $450,000 in management fees the Combined Establishment Board of South Auckland Middle School and Middle School West Auckland paid to Villa Education Trust in 2018.
Inquiry into the University of Auckland’s decision to purchase a house in Parnell
November 2020: In November 2019, the University of Auckland purchased a house in Parnell for about $5 million. The University said the house would be used for accommodation, business-related operations, and functions. We have looked at how the University managed the purchase of the Parnell house from a sensitive expenditure perspective.
Inquiry into state schools requesting payments in connection with out-of-zone places – follow-up work
September 2020: In 2017, we published a report that looked at payments some state schools were requesting in connection with applications for out-of-zone places. We have carried out follow-up work to assess whether the schools had acted on our recommendations and whether the Ministry had taken action to provide clear and consistent advice to schools and families.
In the second of our blogs about our inquiry work, Inquiries Manager David Lemmon explains what people can expect from us when we carry out inquiry work and what we expect from those involved…
Inquiry into Alpine Energy Limited's decision to install solar equipment at a senior executive's house
December 2019: Concerns were raised with us about certain procurement practices carried out by Alpine Energy, including a decision to install solar energy equipment on an employee’s house as part of a solar energy trial. We were interested in this decision because it raised questions about sensitive expenditure. Sensitive expenditure is a particular risk in the public sector – if it is not recognised and properly managed, public trust and confidence can quickly be eroded, regardless of the amount of money spent.
Inquiry into Waikato District Health Board’s procurement of services from HealthTap
September 2019: This report outlines the findings of our inquiry into the decision of Waikato District Health Board, in 2015, to enter into a contract with the United States-based company HealthTap Inc to provide "virtual care" services through an online service.
Inquiry into state schools requesting payments in connection with out-of-zone places
May 2017: Our inquiry looked into the practice of five Auckland state schools that asked for payments in connection with out-of-zone enrolment applications for the 2016 and 2017 school years. We found one school asking for this kind of fee and have recommended that it cease doing so. In the schools we visited that asked for donations, we found that the donations were voluntary and that a child’s chance of gaining an out-of-zone place was not affected by their family’s decision about whether to pay the donation. However, we also found that some of the schools’ enrolment material should have been clearer that the donations were voluntary and not required for applications to be processed. We also found that the Ministry needs to improve its guidance to schools and ensure that schools are given coherent and consistent advice on payments in connection with out-of-zone places.
AgResearch Future Footprint Project: our targeted review of the updated business case
March 2017: As a follow-up to our 2015 letter, which included the results of our review of the AgResearch Future Footprint Project business case, we have now reviewed the updated business case. The five matters we raised in our initial review of the Future Footprint Project business case have been addressed, to varying degrees, in the updated business case. Overall, we are satisfied that the matters raised in our earlier review have been adequately addressed.
Inquiry into aspects of Auckland Council’s Westgate/Massey North town centre project
January 2017: We looked into specific aspects of Auckland Council’s project to develop a new town centre in Massey North. One of the concerns raised with us was about the lack of transparency, in particular being unable to access information about the project. In our view, Auckland Council could have made more information about this development available. It is important that local authorities strike the right balance between balancing commercial sensitivity, maintaining legal privilege as appropriate and being open with ratepayers and elected officials. Such openness allows public discussion and debate, and is essential to supporting public sector accountability. This exercise has highlighted once again the importance not just of making good decisions but also of being able to show that good decisions have been made.
Inquiry into the Saudi Arabia Food Security Partnership
October 2016: We reviewed the history of why payments were made, the actions of New Zealand ministers and officials, the arrangements that the payments related to, and what has been achieved.
Response to request for inquiry into awarding a management contract for a hotel in Niue
7 September 2016
Defence Force personnel involvement with a commercial entity - Miltech
19 February 2016
Inquiry into Health Benefits Limited
October 2015: We looked at the costs and benefits of HBL’s work in the health sector and identified 11 lessons that might benefit HBL’s successors and other shared services programmes. HBL's difficulties included an ambitious and complex programme, inadequate communication with DHBs, a lack of timely and accurate information for HBL’s board, and no overall project management. Some DHBs’ commitment to change appears to have been limited. From early 2014, HBL's board improved relationships with the health sector and the governance and management of change programmes...
Request for inquiry into the regulation of the ancient swamp kauri industry
10 September 2015
Response to queries about recovery from the Canterbury earthquakes
10 July 2015
Auditor-General’s findings about AgResearch’s Future Footprint project
17 March 2015
Decision on request to inquire into Health Benefits Limited
15 August 2014
Inquiry into the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Board: Follow-up report
May 2014: In this report, we look at the Board’s progress in responding to our recommendations. The Board has taken our recommendations seriously and has worked hard to address them. The action that it has taken has moved it onto a more sure administrative and legal footing. Overall, we saw much less to concern us during our follow-up work than we did in the period preceding our 2010 report...
Inquiry into property investments by Delta Utility Services Limited at Luggate and Jacks Point
March 2014: Delta lost about $5.9 million on the Luggate investment and has projected a loss of about $2.8 million for Jacks Point. The report identifies that there was too much focus on the likely profits and not enough consideration of risks of the market slowing or an exit strategy if things went wrong. It also suggests that Delta should have got independent advice before investing.
Inquiry into the Mangawhai community wastewater scheme
November 2013: This report describes how Kaipara District Council managed the Mangawhai community wastewater scheme between 1996 and 2012, as well as the role played by other agencies. The matters this report covers are long and often complex, but overall it is a woeful saga...
Summary: Inquiry into the Mangawhai community wastewater scheme
November 2013: This is a summary of our 420-page inquiry report. We describe how Kaipara District Council managed the Mangawhai community wastewater scheme between 1996 and 2012, as well as the role played by other agencies. The matters this report covers are long and often complex, but overall it is a woeful saga...
Inquiry into Mayor Aldo Miccio's management of his role as mayor and his private business interests
26 June 2013
