“18A Requests involving substantial collation or research

• “(1) In deciding whether to refuse a request under section 18(f), the Department, Minister of the Crown, or organisation must consider whether doing either or both of the following would enable the request to be granted:

  • “(a) fixing a charge under section 15:

  • “(b) extending the time limit under section 15A.

  “(2) For the purposes of refusing a request under section 18(f), the Department, Minister of the Crown, or organisation may treat as a single request 2 or more requests from the same person—

  • “(a) that are about the same subject matter or about similar subject matters; and

  • “(b) that are received simultaneously or in short succession.

“18B Duty to consider consulting person if request likely to be refused under section 18(e) or (f)

• If a request is likely to be refused under section 18(e) or (f), the Department, Minister of the Crown, or organisation must, before that request is refused, consider whether consulting with the person who made the request would assist that person to make the request in a form that would remove the reason for the refusal.”

• “(2A) In complying with subsection (2), the Ministry of Justice may publish a new edition or supplementary material on an Internet website and in an electronic form that is publicly accessible (at all reasonable times), so long as the Ministry also publishes that edition or material in any other manner and form that is necessary in the light of the need specified in subsection (4).”

• “(3) An investigation and review under subsection (1) or subsection (2) may be made by an Ombudsman only on complaint being made to an Ombudsman in writing or orally.

• “(3A) A complaint made orally must be put in writing as soon as practicable.”