Education and Resources
We will help provide:-
We are in the starting process with our group and are working through what resources will be useful to people in our community. We will keep updating these resources so you can connect with the right people and agencies depending on what your situation is and what you want more information on.
Question - If I am not happy with the outcome of a complaints process I have been through with council; if I feel they haven’t given my complaint due diligence, is there any further help available?
Yes there is. However, before contacting any of these agencies, it is recommended to first try and resolve the problem directly with the council’s internal complaints process. It is recommended to have exhausted all avenues of the council’s internal complaints process retaining appropriate documentation, recordings, etc.
The Primary Agencies for general public complaints are as follows:-
Ombudsman New Zealand
The Ombudsman is an independent officer of Parliament who investigates complaints about the administrative decisions and conduct of central, regional and local government agencies
The Ombudsman can look into whether a council's process or decision was unreasonable, unjust, oppressive, or wrong. They investigate complaints about the actions of council staff and committees, but not the decisions of the full council itself.
As part of the process, the Ombudsman first expects you to try resolving the issue with the council directly. If that fails, they can investigate and make recommendations, which are usually followed by agencies, though not legally binding.
The cost of this service is free.
Office of the Auditor-General
This office ensures that public organisations, including local council’s, are operating appropriately and using public money correctly.
They can investigate how councils spend money and their governance or management processes, especially for systemic or significant concerns.They do not question the merits of a council’s policy or resolve individual complaints in the same way as the Ombudsman.
Agencies for Specific Types of Disputes are as follows:-
Outdoor Access Commission (Herenga a Nuku Aotearoa)
This agency helps resolve disputes related to public access to the outdoors, including issues involving private land owners or local councils regarding unformed legal roads or rights of way.
Human Rights Commission
This commission can investigate complaints of unlawful discrimination or harassment by a council based on grounds such as race, age, or disability.
Office of the Privacy Commissioner
This office investigates complaints if a council has breached the Privacy Act in how it collected or managed your personal information.
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE)
MBIE makes legally binding determinations under the Building Act 2004 regarding disputes about building work.
Disputes Tribunal
For minor civil claims (up to $30,000), the Disputes Tribunal offers a quick and inexpensive way to settle the problems, including some non-technical issues involving councils, without lawyers.
Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment
This Commissioner can investigate and report on concerns about how a council is managing environmental issues or their planning processes under the Resource Management Act (RMA)
Environment Court
This court handles disputes related to the Resource Management Act (RMA). Mediators affiliated with the Arbitrators’ and Mediators’ Institute of New Zealand (AMINZ) or Resolution Institute can help to resolve cases before they go to court.
