Telephone: 0508 326 459 (please ask for Customer Information Requests)
Email: myrequest@ot.govt.nz
In writing:
Customer Information Requests
Oranga Tamariki–Ministry for Children
PO Box 546
Wellington 6011
To make a complaint
website: www.orangatamariki.govt.nz/contact-us/feedback/(external link)
For information on adoptions
The Oranga Tamariki Adoption Service can help you establish which records could be available to you and information from the Ministry’s records. The Service’s details are available at www.orangatamariki.govt.nz/adoption/finding-birth-family/other-family-member/(external link)
For adoption-related questions you can also ring 0508 326 459 and ask for the Adoption Service for your area.
For records from a school that is still open
You will need to contact the school. Contact details for schools can be found at https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/find-school(external link)
For records from a school that has been closed
Email: enquiries.national@education.govt.nz
In writing:
The Privacy Officer
Ministry of Education
PO Box 1666
Wellington 6140
To make a complaint
Email: enquiries.national@education.govt.nz
Historic Abuse Resolution Service
Telephone: 0800 855 066
Email: info@health.govt.nz
Historic claims
To make a historic claim, you must request your personal records from the district health board where your hospital is, or where it was based before being closed. The Ministry of Health can give you advice about this.
For records from a hospital (open or closed)
You will need to contact the District Health Board in the area where the hospital is, or was, based. Contact details for District Health Boards can be found at: www.health.govt.nz/new-zealand-health-system/key-health-sector-organisations-and-people/district-health-boards/district-health-board-websites(external link)
To make a complaint
You can complain in accordance with the relevant District Health Board’s complaints process. Details should be available on their website.
For records held by New Zealand Courts
Email: courtrecords@justice.govt.nz
For coronial records about people who have died
For all other records held by the Ministry (which is likely to be very limited for personal records):
Email: official.correspondence@justice.govt.nz
In writing:
Official Correspondence
Ministry of Justice
SX10088
Wellington
Website: www.justice.govt.nz/about/official-information-act-requests/(external link)
Requesting information
In person: At any Work and Income service centre
Email: PrivacyOfficer@msd.govt.nz
In writing:
Privacy Officer
Ministry of Social Development
PO Box 1556
Wellington 6140
Online contact form – Select “Privacy Act request” in the menu at: www.msd.govt.nz/form/msd/govt/nz/form.req2?requestType=msd-govt-nz-select-form-v1(external link)
Privacy notice: www.workandincome.govt.nz/about-work-and-income/privacy-notice/(external link)
Historic claims
You can request personal records if you are making a claim under the historic claims process. Where this is the case, the Ministry of Social Development will coordinate with Oranga Tamariki on your behalf. More information about the claims process is available at: www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/work-programmes/historic-claims/index.html(external link)
Advice on how to request information relevant to the Royal Commission from New Zealand Police, including links to online forms, is available from a special part of the Police website: www.police.govt.nz/about-us/investigations-and-reviews/commissions-inquiry/royal-commission-inquiry-historical-abuse(external link)
Email: info@corrections.govt.nz
In writing:
Chief Privacy Officer
Private Box 1206
Wellington 6140
Website: www.corrections.govt.nz/about_us/who_we_are/our_privacy_commitment.html(external link)
Please let agencies know if you are a survivor of abuse in care (if you feel comfortable to do so). There are a range of support services that agencies can provide, fund or put you in touch with to help. If you have suffered from sexual abuse, ACC’s Find Support service(external link) may be useful.
You may also wish to contact the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry. Details for getting in touch with the Royal Commission are available at www.abuseincare.org.nz(external link)
Abuse in care survivors can speak freely to the Royal Commission about their historical claim settlements without being bound by any confidentiality obligations that they may have agreed to as part of their settlements.
This follows a decision by government agencies to waive any confidentiality obligations that may have formed part of some settlements. Details are explained further in this media statement(external link) by Hon Chris Hipkins, Minister responsible for the Crown response to the Abuse in Care Inquiry.
If you have worked in the State care system, you may have concerns about the Royal Commission. You might be upset about witness evidence you have heard, or worried about someone you know who’s involved. You may even be stressed about getting drawn into the Royal Commission’s hearings in some way.
Help is available, in the form of counselling, advice and other assistance [PDF, 187 KB], depending on your situation.
If you work in care, either for the state or a non-government organisation, you should talk first with your manager. They know the support options, and can steer you in the right direction.
If you no longer work in care, you should contact the Human Resources manager in the organisation that you used to do care work for. If this is difficult for any reason, the Secretariat can help put you in touch with the right person. Please feel free to contact us, in complete confidence, at contact@abuseinquiryresponse.govt.nz
