LGOIMA

Sunshine Score

Agenda & Notice Requirements

Online posting: Required

Public notice of every ordinary meeting must be given no less than 5 working days before the meeting (s. 46(1)). Working days exclude weekends, public holidays, and the period 20 December to 10 January (end-of-year holiday period, effective 21 March 2019). For extraordinary meetings, notice must be given as soon as practicable. The agenda must be available to the public before the meeting (s. 46A).

Agenda changes at meeting: Allowed

Public Participation

LGOIMA Part 7 establishes public access rights but does not create a statutory right for members of the public to speak at local authority meetings. Public participation arrangements are governed by each local authority's standing orders.

Virtual Meetings

Remote participation for members may be addressed in each local authority's standing orders. The Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Act 2019 amended meeting provisions but the extent of permanent remote attendance rights requires verification against the current Local Government Act 2002.

Closed Sessions

Closed (executive) sessions: Allowed under specific circumstances

Permitted Categories

• Breach Of Specified Enactments If Disclosed
• Privacy Of Natural Persons (S. 7(2)(A) Lgoima)
• Commercial Information Where Disclosure Would Unreasonably Prejudice Commercial Position (S. 7(2)(B))
• Information Protected By Legal Professional Privilege (S. 7(2)(G))
• Information That Would Prejudice Negotiations (S. 7(2)(I))
• Confidentiality Obligations (S. 7(2)(C))
• Protection Of Health, Safety, Or Security Of Any Person (S. 7(2)(D))
• Prejudice To Law Enforcement (S. 7(2)(E))
• Protection Of Information Under The Privacy Act
• Protection Of Significant Sites Of Cultural, Historic, Or Natural Significance (S. 7(2)(H))
• Deliberations Of Body Excluding The Public In Private (S. 48(1)(A))
• Ombudsman Recommendation That A Meeting Be Held With Public Excluded (S. 48(1)(C))

Meeting Minutes

Online posting: Required

Content requirements: Minutes of the open parts of meetings must be available for public inspection and copying under s. 51. Minutes must be formally confirmed before the s. 51 inspection right applies — unconfirmed minutes are not legally required to be disclosed.

Recording & Broadcast

Enforcement

Accessibility & Language Access

Language access: Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu and the Maori Language Act 2016 may require te reo Maori provisions in some local authority contexts.

Sources & References

• Full text of law →
• The LGOIMA for local government agencies — Ombudsman New Zealand guide →
• Local Government Official Information and Meetings Amendment Act 2023 →