Official Information Act (OIA) requests

The Official Information Act 1982 (the OIA) allows government information (official information) to be requested and made available unless there is a good reason to withhold it. Official information can include documents, reports, electronic files and manuals, emails and letters.

Making a request for information

If you would like to make a request, it should be as clear and specific as you can possibly make it, and you can either:

  • Email us at info@swa.govt.nz or
  • Write to us: Level 3, 117 Lambton Quay, Wellington 6011 or PO Box 639, Wellington 6140.

Please include:

  1. Your full name
  2. Contact phone number (daytime)
  3. A contact address (email & postal)
  4. Details of the information you want.

We may also ask you for more details to help clarify your request.

Before making a request for information

Before requesting official information from the SWA, we encourage you to check out the
information on our website and note the reports sent to the minister below. You may find the detail you need is already publicly available:

How long will it take to process my request?

The OIA requires a decision on your request to be made within 20 working days of the SWA receiving your request. This timeframe may be extended if your request is for a large volume of information, or if the SWA needs to consult. You will be notified if an extension to the timeframe is made.

Can information be withheld or refused?

Requests can be refused or information withheld, but only if a good reason exists under the OIA for not providing the information. The SWA will inform you of the reason for the refusal or why it is withheld.

Making a complaint

Contact us, we would like to work together to resolve your concerns.

You can make a complaint to the Office of the Ombudsman if you:

  • Have concerns regarding the decision we made on your request; or
  • are unhappy about the way your request was treated or processed.

These concerns can relate to the withholding of information, extending the timeframe to respond to you, any charges for providing the information you have requested, delays in providing you with a decision or the information.

The Office of the Ombudsman(external link) can investigate and review a decision and may make a recommendation to the agency if it is considered appropriate.

Recent Reports Provided to the Minister
Reports Provided to the Minister of Social Development and Employment as at 28 February 2023

Briefing: Cyclone Gabrielle and Auckland Floods Wellbeing Data  27 February 2023
Memo: Quarter Two Delivery Report   17 February 2023
Auckland Floods: Understanding social wellbeing to support recovery 10 February 2023
Housing experiences of older people (65+) in NZ - updated slides  13 December 2022
Youth Engagement: Cluster Analysis  2 December 2022 
Youth Engagement: What works advice  2 December 2022
Briefing: Progress towards regional data dashboard products  18 November 2022
Aide-memoire: SWA Hui Talking Points  11 November 2022
SWB Monthly Dashboard: October 2022 Update  4 November 2022
Aide-memoire: SWB Report back to SWV: 9 November 2022 4 November 2022
Briefing: Community Hubs 4 November 2022
Memo: Title witheld under 9(2)(f)(iv) 28 October 2022
Briefing: Upcoming Publication - Wellbeing during the first year of COVID-19 28 October 2022
Memo: Social Wellbeing Agency Quarter 2 Delivery Report  19 October 2022 
Briefing: Te Ao Māori Perspectives of 1st 1000 Days  19 Octover 2022
Briefing: SWA Dashboards Work  19 October 2022
Memo: Participation in the Risks That Matter Survey  30 September 2022
Memo for Youth Engagement Chairs: YEMG pre-meet  20 September 2022 
Aide-memoire: SWB Meetings 19 and 21 September  16 September 2022 
Slide pack: Further Information about the highest need children and youth in Aotearoa 13 September 2022
Briefing: Initial package of announcement for youth engagement programme  23 August 2022
Briefing: Improving regional access to data to support decision making 19 August 2022
Aide-memoire: Ministerial Satisfaction Survey  5 August 2022 
Aide-memoire: Sole mothers during COVID-19 26 July 2022
Briefing: Social Wellbeing Agency 2022/23 Work Programme 26 July 2022
Aide-memoire: Q4 Progress Report  26 July 2022
Youth and Child Cohorts Service Access Map - anlysis  15 July 2022
Briefing: Title witheld under 9(2)(f)(iv) 15 July 2022
Post Hearing Estimates Questions  8 July 2022

Reports provided to the Minister of Social Development and Employment as at 30 August 2021

Minister's Update Week Ending 2 July 2 July 2021
Agenda Social Wellbeing Agency Minister Sepuloni
8 July 2021
7 July 2021
Aide memoire: Having a Baby in South Auckland: Gaps in New Fathers' Earnings 7 July 2021
Aide memoire: Ministerial Satisfaction Survey July 2021 7 July 2021
Estimates Post-Hearing Questions 9 July 2021
Aide memoire: CYWS Ministerial Group Meeting
2 August
30 July 2021
Aide memoire: End of Year Performance Report 30 July 2021
Aide memoire: Debt to Government 2 August 2021
Agenda Social Wellbeing Agency Minister Sepuloni
3 August 2021
2 August 2021
Minister's Update Week Ending 30 July 2021 2 August 2021
Minister's Update Week Ending 13 August 2021 13 August 2021
Aide memoire: Debt to Government breakdown 13 August 2021
SWB Quarterly Dashboard August Update 13 August 2021
Minister's Update Week Ending 27 August 2021 30 August 2021

Reports provided to the Minister of Social Development and Employment as at 30 June 2021

Aide memoire: Partnership hui 11 May 2021
Minister's Update Week Ending 7 May 2021 11 May 2021
SWA Strategic Narrative 11 May 2021
Minister's Update Week Ending 21 May 2021 21 May 2021
Minister's Update Week Ending 4 June 8 June 2021
Agenda Social Wellbeing Agency Minister Sepuloni 9 June 2021 8 June 2021
Aide memoire: Quarter 3 Progress Update 8 June 2021
Aide memoire: Work programme discussion 8 June 2021
Aide memoire: Toi Hau Tāngata hui 11 June 2021
Aide memoire: Debt to Government 18 June 2021
Minister's Update Week Ending 18 June 2021 18 June 2021
Estimates Pack 23 June 2021
Briefing: Pay Equity Report 23 June 2021
Aide memoire: OIA: COVID-19 Contractors 25 June 2021
Estimates Pack 25 June 2021

Reports provided to the Minister of Social Development and Employment as at 30 April 2021

Aide memoire: Social Wellbeing Board at SWC 10 March

 4 March 2021

Briefing and appendices: B4 School Checks

 9 March 2021 

Minister's Update Week Ending 5 March 2021

 9 March 2021

Agenda Social Wellbeing Agency Minister Sepuloni 11 March 2021

 9 March 2021

Aide memoire: Debt to Government Phase 1

 12 March 2021

Aide memoire and appendices: Social Wellbeing Board: March dashboard and invitation to Ministers

 24 March 2021

Minister's Update Week Ending 19 March 2021

 24 March 2021

Minister's Update Week Ending 1 April 2021

 1 April 2021

Briefing and appendices: Estimates and Supplementary Estimates

 1 April 2021

Aide memoire and appendices: Social Wellbeing Board meetings 13 and 14 April

 12 April 2021 

Agenda Social Wellbeing Agency Minister Sepuloni 19 April 2021

 16 April 2021

Minister's Update Week Ending 16 April 2021

 16 April 2021

Aide memoire: Aotearoa Wellbeing Update

 16 April 2021

Aide Memoire: Data Protection and Use Policy Cabinet implementation update

 16 April 2021

SWB Dashboard for SWC 5 May

 23 April 2021

Aide memoire and appendices: Talking points for SWC 5 May

 30 April 2021

 Reports provided to the Minister of Social Development and Employment as at 29 February 2021

 February 2021
Agenda Social Wellbeing Agency_Minister Sepuloni meeting 9 February 2021 5 February 2021
Briefing: Data Systems Transition Plan 5 February 2021
SWA Strategic Intentions 5 February 2021
Social Wellbeing Agency Fortnightly Update WE 5 February 2021 5 February 2021
Aide memoire: Social Wellbeing Board Dashboard: February 2021 8 February 2021
Aide memoire: Social Wellbeing Board meetings 16 and 17 February 15 February 2021
Annual Review 23 February pack 18 February 2021
Annual Review Prep Meeting 22 Feb Social Wellbeing Agency pack 19 February 2021
Minister's Update Week Ending 19 February 19 February 2021
Annual Review Follow Up Questions and Responses 26 February 2021
Aide memoire: DPUP Integration into Core Expectations 26 February 2021
January 2021 

Report: Success frameworks for Place-Based Initiatives: Design and toolkit

22 January 2021

2019/20 Annual Review (Written Responses to Q1-127)

22 January 2021

Agenda Social Wellbeing Agency / Minister Sepuloni meeting 26 January 2021

22 January 2021

December 2020 

Agenda Social Wellbeing Agency / Minister Sepuloni meeting 7 December 2020

4 December 2020

Title withheld

4 December 2020

Title withheld

4 December 2020

SWA Excerpt for Budget 2021 letter

4 December 2020

Aide Memoire Social Wellbeing Board meeting 9 December 2020

8 December 2020

Social Wellbeing Agency Fortnightly Update WE 4 December 2020

11 December 2020

Briefing: Data Protection and Use Policy: Cabinet report back

11 December 2020

Aide Memoire Speaking points: Budget 2021

11 December 2020

Social Wellbeing Agency Strategic Intentions 2020 - 2025

11 December 2020

Briefing: Monthly dashboard prototype

18 December 2020

November 2020

Social Wellbeing Agency Fortnightly Update Week Ending 13 November 2020

13 November 2020

Appendix: Social Wellbeing Agency 2020/2021 Work Programme Quarter 1 Update

13 November 2020

Social Wellbeing Agency - Toi Hau Tangata Briefing to the Incoming Minister

13 November 2020

Social Wellbeing Board Briefing to the Incoming Minister

13 November 2020

Aide-Memoire: Business Cases Update November 2020

20 November 2020

Title withheld

20 November 2020

Agenda Social Wellbeing Agency / Minister Sepuloni meeting 23 November 2020

20 November 2020

Aide memoire: Social Wellbeing Board meetings: 1 December 2020 and 9 December 2020

30 November 2020

Agenda and supporting papers: Social Wellbeing Board 9 December 2020

30 November 2020

October 2020

Agenda Social Wellbeing Agency / Minister Sepuloni meeting

2 October 2020

Monitoring COVID-19 Recovery (October Update)

2 October 2020

Business Case Updates October 2020

2 October 2020

Social Wellbeing Agency Minister's Update Week Ending 2 October

2 October 2020

Reports provided by the Social Wellbeing Agency to the Minister of Social Development between March 2020 and September 2020 as at 29 October 2020.
March 2020

[AGENDA] Social Investment Agency_Minister for Social Development Meeting 10 March 2020 

6 March 2020

Data Protection and Use Policy: Update on progress towards policy implementation

13 March 2020

Evidence Centre and The Hub update – improving the use of evidence in decision making

13 March 2020

Annual review of the Social Investment Agency – post-hearing questions

13 March 2020

[AGENDA] Social Investment Agency_Minister for Social Development Meeting 23 March 2020

20 March 2020

Fortnightly Update Social Investment Agency_Minister for Social Development Meeting 23 March 2020

20 March 2020

Work programme A3 overview

20 March 2020

Social Wellbeing Agency / Covid-19 response

27 March 2020

April 2020

Estimates for Vote State Services

8 April 2020

Supplementary Estimates: Vote State Services

8 April 2020

Week Ending: 7 April 2020 Social Wellbeing Agency Fortnightly Update

9 April 2020

Social Wellbeing Agency / Covid-19 response update

9 April 2020

International responses to Covid-19: Domestic violence/child abuse

9 April 2020

Social Wellbeing and COVID-19 in Aotearoa-New Zealand: Five reasons for hope – both short and long-term.

17 April 2020

Social Wellbeing Agency / Covid-19 response update

17 April 2020

Week Ending: 24 April 2020 Social Wellbeing Agency Fortnightly Update

24 April 2020

May 2020

Social Wellbeing Agency / COVID-19 response update

1 May 2020

Final Estimates Request for information on appropriations within the Vote State Services

1 May 2020

Week Ending: 8 May 2020 Social Wellbeing Agency Fortnightly Update

8 May 2020

Social Wellbeing Board upcoming meetings

8 May 2020

[Agenda] Social Wellbeing Agency / Minister Sepuloni meeting

22 May 2020

Week Ending: 22 May 2020 Social Wellbeing Agency Fortnightly Update

22 May 2020

Short Report Social Isolation

22 May 2020

SWB Chair presentation at Social Wellbeing Committee 27 May

22 May 2020

Update - Social Wellbeing Board May 2020A3

22 May 2020

June 2020

SWB Chair presentation at Social Wellbeing Committee 24 June AM

19 June 2020

A3 SWB Chair presentation at Social Wellbeing Committee 24 June

19 June 2020

Draft Work programme for discussion AM

19 June 2020

A3 Social Wellbeing Agency 2020/2021 Work Programme –draft for discussion

19 June 2020

[AGENDA] Social Wellbeing Agency / Minister Sepuloni meeting 22 June 2020

19 June 2020

Week Ending: 19 June 2020 Social Wellbeing Agency Fortnightly Update

19 June 2020

July 2020

Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures - Re-engaging NZ with the World

3 July 2020

Social Wellbeing Agency Fortnightly Update Week Ending 3 July

3 July 2020

Aide Memiore: Ministerial Satisfaction Survey July 2020

3 July 2020

Supplementary Standard Estimates Post-hearing questions 2020-21

10 July 2020

Stats NZ: Algorithm Charter

17 July 2020

Social Wellbeing Board meetings: 21 and 23 July

17 July 2020

Active consideration - Withhold 9(2)(f)(iv)

21 July 2020

Active consideration - Withhold 9(2)(f)(iv)

21 July 2020

[Agenda] Social Wellbeing Agency / Minister Sepuloni meeting

27 July 2020

Social Wellbeing Agency 2020/21 Work Programme Briefing

27 July 2020

Social Wellbeing Agency 2020/21 Work Programme A3

27 July 2020

Data Protection and Use Policy implementation Briefing

27 July 2020

SWA work for the Social Wellbeing Board

27 July 2020

Potential roles for SWB in the Covid 19 Response and Recovery Funding for the Social Sector

27 July 2020

Week Ending: 24 June 2020 Social Wellbeing Agency Fortnightly Update

27 July 2020

Social Wellbeing Agency Staff Hui 30 July

29 July 2020

Ngā Tapuae: Levers of Change

31 July 2020

August 2020

Social Wellbeing Board discussion 5 August

4 August 2020

Week Ending: 7 August 2020 Social Wellbeing Agency Fortnightly Update

7 August 2020

Update on Data Exchange and Data Expertise and Capability

7 August 2020

[Agenda] Social Wellbeing Agency / Minister Sepuloni meeting

7 August 2020

Memo: Meeting Chief Science Advisors

14 August 2020

SWA annual report draft

14 August 2020

Week Ending: 21 August 2020 Social Wellbeing Agency Fortnightly Update

21 August 2020

The People’s Project: Homelessness analytics

24 August 2020

Chief Science Advisors meeting 25 August 2020

24 August 2020

September 2020

Youth Mental Health in Aotearoa New Zealand: Greater Urgency Required

4 September 2020

Attachment: Mental health: a silent pandemic among NZ’s youth

4 September 2020

Week Ending: 4 September 2020 Social Wellbeing Agency Fortnightly Update

4 September 2020

[Agenda] Social Wellbeing Agency / Minister Sepuloni meeting

4 September 2020

Active consideration - Withhold 9(2)(f)(iv)

4 September 2020

Monitoring COVID-19 Recovery Key wellbeing stories and indicators

11 September 2020

COVID-19 Caring for Communities Workstream Weekly Report 10 September 2020

11 September 2020

Week Ending: 18 September 2020 Social Wellbeing Agency Fortnightly Update

18 September 2020

Reports provided by the Social Investment Agency to the Minister for Social Development between November 2019 and February 2020 as at 19 March 2020.

Manawa GovTech Update

1 November 2019

 

Minister Update week ending 1 November 2019

1 November 2019

 

Social Wellbeing Board membership

7 November 2019

 

SWB Chair/Minister meeting 7 November

5 November 2019

 

Data Protection and Use Policy Cabinet Paper

6 November 2019

 

Data Protection and Use Policy consultation and talking points for SWC

6 November 2019

 

Data Protection and Use Policy talking points for SWC

8 November 2019

 

Active consideration - Withhold 9(2)(f)(iv)

8 November 2019

 

Having a baby in South Auckland

15 November 2019

 

Manawa GovTech funding update

15 November 2019

 

Active consideration - Withhold 9(2)(f)(iv)

15 November 2019

 

Social Wellbeing Board 20 November meeting

15 November 2019

 

Fortnightly update week ending 15 November

15 November 2019

 

Active consideration - Withhold 9(2)(f)(iv)

22 November 2019

 

Fortnightly update week ending 29 November

29 November 2019

 
     

Social Wellbeing Board support - update

13 December 2019

 
     

Place-Based Initiatives evaluation report (AM)

24 January 2020

 

Attachment Implementation and emerging outcomes evaluation of the Place-based Initiatives

 

 

Attachment Report to SWB The Place-Based Initiatives – Progress and Timing of Contingency Drawdown

 

 

State Sector (Social Wellbeing Agency) Name Change Order

24 January 2020

 

 

   

Social Investment Agency/Minister for Social Development Meeting 13 Feb 2020

7 February 2020

Attachment Fortnightly Update Social Investment Agency_Minister for Social Development Meeting 13 Feb 2020

 

Social Investment name change

10 February 2020

Appropriation name changes

11 February 2020

Agency Māori description - change

12 February 2020

Social Investment name change

14 February 2020

SWA Announcement: Morning Tea at the Agency

14 February 2020

Case Study: ‘Towards better social sector decision making and practice: A social wellbeing approach’.

14 February 2020

Social Investment Agency_Minister for Social Development Meeting 24 Feb 2020

21 February 2020

Attachment Fortnightly Update Social Investment Agency_Minister for Social Development Meeting 24 Feb 2020

 

Reports provided by the Social Investment Agency to the Minister for Social Development in September and October 2019 as at 16 December 2019

6 September 2019 Report to the Ministers of Statistics and Social Development: Data Futures Partnership – Ministerial Approval
6 September 2019 Data Futures Partnership 8 August meeting
9 September 2019 Topics for 10 September meeting with SWB chair
18 September 2019 Social Wellbeing Board 19 September meeting
20 September 2019 Withhold 9(2)(f)(iv) paper is under active consideration
20 September 2019 Data Protection and Use Policy (the Policy)
20 September 2019 Minister's Update Week ending 20 September 2019
27 September 2019 Overview of evaluation plan for Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy
11 October 2019 Data Protection and Use Policy: Withhold 18(d) information soon to be publicly available
11 October 2019 Meeting pack: Data Exchange Uptake
11 October 2019 Minister Update week ending 11 October 2019
11 October 2019 SIA Report Measuring the impact of social housing placement on wellbeing
18 October 2019 Data Exchange Uptake and Funding
18 October 2019 Social Wellbeing Board/Ministers meeting 23 October

Reports provided by the Social Investment Agency to the Minister for Social Development in August 2019 as at 4 October 2019

7 August 2019 Data Ethics Advisory Group
2 August 2019 Family Violence and Sexual Violence meeting
2 August 2019 SIA Excerpt for SSC Annual Report
2 August 2019 Post-Hearing questions for 19/20 estimates
7 August 2019 Data Future Partnerships Meeting 8 August
9 August 2019 Data Protection and Use Policy implementation options for Cabinet paper
9 August 2019 Minister's Update Week ending 9 August 2019
16 August 2019 SIA 2018/19 Ministerial Satisfaction Survey
23 August 2019 Update on Place-based Initiatives Evaluation
23 August 2019 Kāinga Whānau Ora
23 August 2019 Minister's Update Week ending 23 August 2019
28 August 2019 9(2)(f)(iv)
28 August 2019 Draft Cabinet Paper Outline: Withheld under 9(2)(f)(iv)

Reports provided by the Social Investment Agency to the Minister for Social Development in July 2019 as at 4 September 2019

5 July 2019 Briefing on the Social Investment Agency: For the Incoming Associate Minister for Social Development
11 July 2019 Final draft: 19/20 Estimates Document
17 July 2019 Minister's Update Week ending 17 July 2019
19 July 2019 Final: 19/20 Estimates Document
26 July 2019 Data Protection and Use Policy Draft outline for Cabinet Paper
26 July 2019 Data Protection and Use Policy Cabinet Paper Outline Principles & Guidelines Implementation A3
26 July 2019 Minister's Update Week ending 26 July 2019
26 July 2019 DRAFT Business Plan for SIA
31 July 2019 Proactive release: Approval is release PBI cabinet paper Decemeber 2018
31 July 2019 Work for Associate Minister - Summary
31 July 2019 Manawa Nui: Lightning Lab GovTech project

Reports provided by the Social Investment Agency to the Minister for Social Development in June 2019 as at 12 July 2019

4 June 2019 Joint Ministerial Briefing – Withheld under 9(f)(iv)
4 June 2019 Data Protection and Use Policy: Talking points for upcoming Ministers meeting
14 June 2019 Fortnightly Update
28 June 2019 Fortnightly Update
28 June 2019 Joint Ministerial Briefing – Withheld under 9(f)(iv)

 Reports provided by the Social Investment Agency to the Minister for Social Development in May 2019 as at 12 July 2019

10 May 2019 Fortnightly Update
24 May 2019 Fortnightly Update

 Reports provided by the Social Investment Agency to the Minister for Social Development in April 2019 as at 12 July 2019

5 April 2019 Fortnightly Update
23 April 2019 Vote State Services: Social Investment
26 April 2019 Fortnightly Update

Reports provided by the Social Investment Agency to the Minister for Social Development in March 2019 as at 10 May 2019

Fri 22 Mar A3 SIA Minister’s Update 22 March 2019
Fri 22 Mar Data Protections and Use Policy: Draft Cabinet Paper

Reports provided by the Social Investment Agency to the Minister for Social Development in December 2018 as at 30 January 2019

Fri 8 Feb Aide Memoire and A3 – Withheld under 9(f)(iv)
Fri 8 Feb SIA Minister’s Update 8 February 2019
Fri 15 Feb Aide Memoire - Data Exchange Agency Uptake Report Back
(and Min of Fin)
Fri 15 Feb Cover note – Withheld under 9(f)(iv)
Fri 22 Feb Data Protection and Use Policy: Terms of Reference amendments
Fri 22 Feb SIA Minister’s Update 22 February 2019

 

Mon 3 Dec Aide Memoire – Meeting 6 December with Dr Graham Scott
Mon 10 Dec Aide Memoire – Cabinet paper The Place-Based Initiatives – progress, future arrangements and resourcing
Fri 14 Dec Briefing – Developing the Data Protection and Use Policy

Reports provided by the Social Investment Agency to the Minister for Social Development in November 2018 as at 07 January 2019

Thu 29 Nov Aide Memoire – Meeting with Digital and Data Ministers’ Group 5 December 2018
Thu 29 Nov Aide Memoire – Letter from Minister of Statistics on Measurement Priorities for Statistics New Zealand

Reports provided by the Social Investment Agency to the Minister for Social Development in October 2018 as at 22 November 2018

Wed 3 Oct Briefing – ‘Your voice, your data, your say on social wellbeing’: Summary of Findings
Wed 3 Oct Briefing – ‘Your voice, your data, your say on social wellbeing’: Māori perspectives
Wed 10 Oct Aide Memoire – The Place-Based Initiatives: [9(2)(f)(iv)]
Fri 12 Oct Aide Memoire – Social Wellbeing Committee Oral item: Investing for Social Wellbeing approach
Fri 26 Oct Aide Memoire – Meeting with Digital and Data Ministers’ Group 31 October 2018

Reports provided by the Social Investment Agency to the Minister for Social Development in September 2018 as at 9 November 2018.

Wed 5 Sep Aide Memoire - Meeting with Minister James Shaw on Cabinet paper Towards New Data and Statistics Legislation Discussion Document: Approval for release
Thu 13 Sep A3 - Draft SIA Future Strategy and Work Programme
Fri 14 Sep Briefing – A What Works function for New Zealand
Fri 28 Sep A3 - Engagement hui update #6
Fri 28 Sep Aide memoire – Further [9(2)(f)(iv)] 
Fri 28 Sep Briefing – [9(2)(f)(iv)]    

Related links

Ombudsman guidelines(external link)

Official Information Act 1982(external link)

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