The Chief Ombudsman says the Official Information Act has stood the test of time, and there's nothing wrong with it.

Dame Beverley Wakem is partway through a review of OIA practices in the public sector.

She says questions about whether the 1982 Act is still up to the job come down to understanding and experience.

"People who knew how it operated, who knew what the withholding provisions were and how to give effect to them - a lot of people have gone out of the system who understood how that worked."

Dame Beverley says new staff either don't know, haven't been told, or are simply inexperienced - that's what leads to mistakes being made.

"For example, if you don't say it's official information, I can give you the answer now. But if you say it's official information, I have to ask people if I can release it...this is ridiculous."