44Preliminary inquiries

44 Preliminary inquiries

44 Preliminary inquiries

(1) The Children’s Guardian may make preliminary inquiries to decide whether to carry out an investigation or determination under section 46.

(2) The preliminary inquiries may be made whether or not the Children’s Guardian has received a complaint or notification about a matter to which the complaint or notification relates.

(3) Without limiting subsection (1), the Children’s Guardian may, by written notice given to the entity that made the complaint or notification, require the entity to give the Children’s Guardian further written information about the matter the subject of the complaint or notification within the time stated in the notice.

(4) Sections 16, 17, 18 and 19(1) of the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 do not apply to information disclosed under this section.

(5) Despite the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002—

(a) a person may disclose health information, within the meaning of that Act, to the Children’s Guardian in relation to preliminary inquiries by the Children’s Guardian under this section, and

(b) the Children’s Guardian may use the information for the purposes of this Part.