The Law Commission’s report on Public Registers was published on 19 February 2008 The report identifies well over one hundred public registers in New Zealand – including rates databases and dog registers, land registers transport registers, the electoral rolls, births, deaths and marriages registers. Regulating the balance between open access to the registers and protection of personal information varies greatly. The Commission recommends that a dedicated team should review all public registers against a template set out in the report. Recommendations for resulting legislative changes should then be introduced by way of a single Omnibus Bill. However, the Law Commission’s recommendation for a public register review will not be considered by the Government until the Commission’s reference on the Privacy Act 1993 is completed.
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