Sometimes a simple question is enough.
You email your local council, ask about something you’ve noticed—spraying in a park, maintenance in a public space, a decision that doesn’t quite make sense—and you get a clear answer back.
But sometimes it doesn’t work like that.
The reply is vague. Or partial. Or it doesn’t arrive at all. And you’re left with the sense that the information exists somewhere… you just haven’t been given it.
That’s where LGOIMA comes in.
Not as a complaint. Not as a confrontation. Just as a more formal way of asking for information.
What Is LGOIMA in New Zealand?
LGOIMA stands for the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act.
In plain English, it’s a law that gives you the right to request information held by your local council.
That includes things like documents, internal reports, emails, meeting notes, policies, and decisions—essentially, the records councils create as part of doing their job.
It applies specifically to local government in New Zealand, so city, district, and regional councils fall within its scope.
You don’t need to explain why you’re asking. You’re simply requesting information that the council already holds, although they may ask for clarification if the request is too broad or unclear.
You don’t need legal knowledge. You’re simply asking to see information that already exists.
When to Use a LGOIMA Request
Most of the time, it makes sense to start with a general enquiry. A quick email can often get you what you need.
But there are situations where that approach doesn’t quite get you there.
You might use LGOIMA when:
- you haven’t received a response to a previous enquiry
- the answer you received feels incomplete or unclear
- you’re looking for something specific, rather than a general explanation
In the context of public spaces and herbicide use, that might include wanting to understand exactly what’s being used, when, where, and under what policy.
It’s less about challenging the council, and more about getting a clearer picture.
What Information Can You Request From a Council?
Broadly speaking, you can ask for any information the council holds.
That might include:
- reports or assessments
- internal emails or communications
- contractor details or agreements
- policies or guidelines
- operational records, such as spraying schedules
The key idea is simple: if the information exists and the council holds it, you can ask for it—unless there’s a valid reason not to release it.
How a LGOIMA Request Works (Simple Overview)
The process itself is fairly straightforward.
You can make a request by email. It doesn’t need to be formal or written in legal language—just clear about what you’re asking for.
If you want to be explicit, you can open with a line like:
“I am writing to request information under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA).”
That’s not required, but it helps signal that you’re making a formal request rather than a general enquiry.
Once submitted, the council should acknowledge your request and begin processing it. In most cases, they have around 20 working days to respond. If more time is needed—for example, if the request is complex or involves a large amount of information—they can extend that timeframe, but they’ll usually let you know.
From there, it becomes a matter of waiting for the response.
What to Expect From a LGOIMA Response
It helps to go in with realistic expectations.
Sometimes you’ll receive exactly what you asked for, neatly compiled and easy to follow.
Other times:
- parts of the information may be withheld
- sections may be redacted
- the response might be more limited than you hoped
That doesn’t mean the process isn’t working—it just reflects how councils manage and release information.
Over time, you start to get a feel for how detailed your requests need to be to get meaningful answers.
Example: Requesting Herbicide Information From a Council
Let’s say you’re trying to understand herbicide use in a local park.
You might start with a straightforward question to the council, something like:
“Hi, I’m trying to understand what herbicides are used in [park name], and how often spraying takes place. Could you provide some information on this?”
In many cases, that kind of enquiry is enough.
But sometimes the response comes back at a high level, for example:
“We follow approved guidelines and use registered products in accordance with council policy.”
That gives you a general sense of what’s happening, but not much detail.
If you’re looking for something more specific, that’s where a LGOIMA request comes in.
The same question, reframed more precisely, might look like this:
“Please provide records of herbicide use in [park name] over the past 12 months, including product names, application dates, and contractor details.”
And the response to that type of request is often more detailed, for example:
“Please find attached a summary of herbicide applications for [park name] between January and December. Products used include glyphosate-based formulations applied by contracted operators. Spraying occurred on 7 occasions during this period.
Some contractor-specific details have been withheld under privacy considerations.”
It’s not always perfectly complete—but it’s a much clearer picture than the initial reply.
Same topic. Just a different level of visibility.
LGOIMA vs General Council Enquiries
For most people, this isn’t the first step.
It makes sense to start with a straightforward question—something like what’s outlined in our guide on How to Contact Your Council About Herbicide Use.
If that gives you what you need, great.
If it doesn’t, LGOIMA is simply the next step. A way to move from general answers to documented information.
And if you’re looking for the bigger picture around how herbicide use is approached across public spaces, that context is explored further in Rethinking Herbicide Use in New Zealand’s Public Spaces.
Why LGOIMA Matters for Public Transparency
LGOIMA doesn’t change decisions, and it doesn’t tell councils what they should do.
What it does offer is visibility.
A way to understand how decisions are made, what information sits behind them, and how public spaces are being managed in practice.
Used that way, it’s less about pushing back—and more about seeing clearly.
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