Land records stay in main centres

20 November 2002

Land Information New Zealand's paper records will remain in the main centres.

A Cabinet decision has confirmed that the paper records - those records not available online - will continue to be available from Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) Processing Centres in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin where they are needed for business purposes.

The decision follows consultation with groups concerned over access to paper land records in areas where LINZ has closed offices. LINZ closed its seven branch offices in New Plymouth, Gisborne, Napier, Nelson, Blenheim, Hokitika and Invercargill over the last two years as part of the introduction of Landonline, LINZ's digital title and survey system. Landonline makes high use land records available electronically.

Iwi, genealogists and other groups wanted the original paper land records to stay in local areas after the branch offices closed, says LINZ Chief Executive, Russ Ballard.

"LINZ acknowledges iwi and other groups' interest in paper land records such as Crown Grants, Deeds and Field Books. We appreciate their desire to have the records returned.

However, our business needs and current Archives legislation mean that LINZ's paper land records must be kept in the main centres."

Consultation with iwi and other groups leading up to the Cabinet decision focused on the return of the land records and options for making copies of them available in the areas where LINZ branch offices had closed. It included looking at options that ranged from bulk photocopying paper records to Internet or CD-ROM access, Russ Ballard says.

"The discussion of how to make LINZ paper records more available raised wider questions of how Government paper records as a whole would be accessed. Bulk copying of low use records across all Government departments and agencies would be an enormous undertaking. Consequently, Cabinet decided against all the copying options."

Individual copies of LINZ paper land records can currently be accessed in a number of ways, depending on the size and fragility of the record, including ordering via LINZ?s Internet service, by fax or over-the-counter at a LINZ office.

The Government is looking at the whole issue of access to all Government records, in its Public Records Bill, says Russ Ballard.

"The draft legislation is looking at all types of access including the possible return of original records to repositories that meet strict conditions, set by Archives New Zealand."

For further information please contact:

Andrew Hearn
Acting General Manager, Policy
Land Information New Zealand
PO Box 5501
WELLINGTON

PH: (04) 498 3500
FAX: (04) 498 3519
Ahearn@linz.govt.nz

LINZ media liaison:

Michael Mead
Senior Communications Adviser
Land Information New Zealand
Private Box 5501
WELLINGTON

PH: (04) 498 3516
CELL: 027 444 3901
FAX: (04) 472 1864
Mmead@linz.govt.nz