There has been a significant amount of media coverage about our investigation into Westpac bank disclosing journalist Nicky Hager’s bank account information to Police in 2014. In the course of that reporting, some misconceptions have emerged. Because of the interest in the case, and the potential implications for future practice, we have noted some points of clarification and context below.

A complainant seeking $100,000 in damages for Westpac’s disclosure of a debit card statement to his employer has had his case dismissed by the Human Rights Review Tribunal.

The Human Rights Review Tribunal says a former Massey University extramural student society president suffered humiliation and significant injury to her feelings after a private letter addressed to her was leaked to a student magazine.

As a general rule in New Zealand, if you go to Court and you lose, you’re going to have to foot the bill – and not just your own legal bill but a chunk of the other party’s costs too. 

A man applied for a pawnbroker’s licence. On his application he gave his work address. The rejection letter from the Ministry of Justice referred to historical criminal convictions which he hadn’t disclosed to his employer.