What is the Official Information Act and is it working?

Last week, the Herald’s Jamie Ensor obtained a leaked video showing Dr Catherine Law, programme lead for the secondary school curriculum refresh, addressing staff about feedback from the education minister’s office on draft curriculum material. She warns them the material is “OIA-able” and asks them not to respond with anything referencing the minister’s office.

Labour's education spokesperson Ginny Andersen said the incident spoke to "a culture of cover-ups not only within the Ministry of Education but wider in government as well."

In response, minister of education Erica Stanford told the Herald that neither she nor anyone in her office had “never ever said to anybody to subvert the course of the OIA.”

A formal investigation into the incident has been launched by New Zealand's chief ombudsmen and is still ongoing.

Directed, filmed and edited by Isaiah Tour.
Written and presented by Robbie Nicol.
Made with the support of NZ On Air.