Geoff Parker: Fairness For All — Or A Particular Kind Of Fairness?

Chief Ombudsman John Allen's recent speech deserves careful scrutiny. Not simply because of where it was delivered, but because of who delivered it — and what he chose to say.

Koroneihana (Coronation) is a significant Māori and Tainui occasion centred on the Kīngitanga, the Māori King movement, bringing together people for cultural celebration, discussion and consideration of matters important to Māori.

There is nothing inherently improper about the Chief Ombudsman attending such an event. Public officials should be able to engage respectfully with different communities.

Bob Edlin: Chief Ombudsman has set about rebalancing his office....

Chief Ombudsman has set about rebalancing his office in a plan aimed at delivering fairness for all

Whispers have reached us of a restructuring in the Office of the Ombudsman.

We imagine the outcome will be huge efficiencies because the Chief Ombudsman, John Allen, will have learned a great deal from his previous restructuring experiences.

The whispers have been amplified by Allen, who has signalled his plans in the Ombudsman Quarterly Review.

John McLean: Blobudsman shows his true colours

New Zealand’s Chief Ombudsman unlawfully sides with the forces of opaqueness and censorship

On 17 November 2025, Sean Plunket, Founder and CEO of media channel The Platform, complained to New Zealand’s Chief Ombudsman, John Allen.

Plunket’s asked Allen to “urgently investigate and review” the Broadcasting Standards Authority’s refusal to provide Plunket with all correspondence and documentation relating to the BSA’s “Provisional Interlocutory Decision” that the BSA has jurisdiction to consider complaints against The Platform. Plunket had formally requested that information from the BSA, under the Official Information Act 1982. Here’s Plunket’s request to the Ombudsman:

John McLean: Fonterra Fiasco Finale

My final chapter in a sad serial saga

This is my final Substack of a series I’ve published on the Financial Markets Authority doing nothing about behemoth dairy co-operative Fonterra deliberately cooking its financial books.

I’ve catalogued Fonterra’s gross financial reporting misconduct, and my protracted attempts to use the Official Information Act (OIA) to find out why the FMA let Fonterra off, scot-free.