Chief Ombudsman has ‘significant concerns’ after education official’s leaked OIA comments

Dr Catherine Law was speaking at a meeting when she made the comments.

A top watchdog has “significant concerns” about allegations that the Official Information Act may be being circumvented at the Ministry of Education.

Herald reporting has revealed a senior education official told staff not to put information in writing.

Chief Ombudsman John Allen today asked to urgently meet Secretary of Education Ellen MacGregor-Reid to “discuss concerns he has about reports of attempts to circumvent the Official Information Act at the ministry”, a statement from his office says.

The Ombudsman considers and investigates complaints about official information requests as part of a public sector watchdog role.

It follows a leaked video, revealed yesterday by the Herald, showing Dr Catherine Law, programme lead for the secondary school curriculum refresh, telling workers not to put in writing that “stuff has gone backwards and forwards” with the minister’s office.