Birth-death-and-marriage-registers-hero

A sweeping plan to restrict access to some of New Zealand's oldest public records is revised at the last minute.

Proposed changes to the birth, death and marriage registers had some opposition groups claiming a government over-reaction. We take a closer look at the proposal, subsequent changes, and the problem of balancing open access with privacy.

Highlights of this report


Proposed amendments


The government proposed wide-sweeping changes Read more

Opposition to the changes


Genealogists, historians and media opposed the changes Read more

New proposal


A compromise between access and privacy? Read more

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