Commentary on Sections Section 14: Publication
63.Subsection (1) requires the Commissioner to publish all reports laid before the Parliament. Publication in either electronic format or hard copy would meet this requirement.
64.Subsection (2) enables the Commissioner to publish any other report relating to his or her functions. This provision is to cover reports that it may not be necessary or appropriate for the Commissioner to lay before the Parliament but which the Commissioner may still wish to publish. For example, the Commissioner may wish to lay before the Parliament results of major research projects, or a key annual conference. However, smaller scale projects would still merit publication but may not merit being laid before the Parliament.
65.Subsection (3) requires the Commissioner to publish a “child friendly version” of all reports published by him or her unless a report is already written in such a style. “Child friendly version” is defined in section 16. This gives the Commissioner a discretion about how he or she approaches putting reports into a wording, style and format most accessible to children and young people.