Today, I made my first complaint to the Ombudsmen regarding an OIA request. Surprisingly, it wasn't in response to the glib bullshit I recently received from the police in response to a question about the costs of prosecuting Tim Selwyn for sedition (they got a nice letter asking them how much it cost the police, and noting that they seem to have no trouble producing such costings when it is convenient to them); rather, it was over a request I made several months ago to the Minister of Defence. The request echoed this one from 2005, on whether New Zealand troops stationed in Afghanistan had had to shoot at anyone, and was made back in early march. Despite an acknowledgement, a 10-day extention, and two games of phone tag, I'm still waiting for a response - 105 working days later. Under s28(5) of the Act, undue delay is treated as effective refusal, so I've asked the Ombudsmen to look into it and see what can be done.
It will be interesting to see how this goes, and I'll keep you posted on the results.
6 comments:
maybe it's a moving target?
Posted by Anonymous : 8/15/2006 09:47:00 PM
The NZ SAS is on Active Service. There have been bravery awards (US President ). One can assume there has been "contact".
The response will be held up by the fact that the PM is responsible for their lives and may consider any information can put them (the SAS) in jeopardy.
That's the clean version. The fact is the NZ SAS has been on active service for the US since WW2. That is our contribution and why we are considered, "good friends".
The PM can deploy and keep it secret and attest we have no involvement under the guise of Commander in Chief (or equivalent thereof) protecting the safety of NZ servicemen.
I support our SAS, they do a thankless job for us, it's a shame this will never be recognised by our Govt.
Posted by Anonymous : 8/16/2006 04:38:00 PM
Oh, and there have been SAS casualties.
Posted by Anonymous : 8/16/2006 04:39:00 PM
Anon: the response to the last request was limited to the PRT and excluded information on the SAS, and I expected this one to as well.
But yes, the secrecy bugs me too.
Posted by Idiot/Savant : 8/16/2006 04:55:00 PM
Ah, I was being circumspect. There is no differenece in my mind between NZ Forces and NZ SAS. The SAS go in first, sometimes regulars may go in soon after, if you catch my drift.
Helen can blanket all requests for information regarding NZ Forces under cover of the no tell rule, regarding the SAS, who serve under US Command?
The PM's office will say that we have engineers and so forth doing PR work, but the reality is that a deployment is a deployment and everyone is aware of everyone else. If a shot has been fired by regular forces (and there are NZ Navy stationed there as well, a first)a report must be made, but I doubt whether the PM see's the need to release this information.
This is the duality of modern warfare. Private versus State armies.
Posted by Anonymous : 8/17/2006 09:26:00 AM
For your information the cost of the prosecution through the Courts, not including administration costs, was $12,700. That's according to the Crown Law Office.
Posted by Randominanity : 8/29/2006 07:48:00 PM
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