12 February 2021
45 Pipitea Street, Wel ington 6011
Phone +64 4 495 7200
Email
[email address]
Sovereign Sharna Kim
Websit
e www.dia.govt.nz
[email address]
[FYI request #14332 email]
[email address]
Dear Sharna
Official Information Act 1982 requests 2021-0363, 2021-0397, and 2021-0398
I refer to your requests received by the Department of Internal Affairs (Department) on 8
January 2021, and 20 January 2021. This response is provided to you under the Official
Information Act 1982 (OIA).
You requested—
1. Who holds title of your NAME on the Birth Certificate?
2. How does the mother and father get ownership of the NAME on the birth
certificate?
3. How does the mother and father withdraw the title from the NAME on the
birth certificate?
4. What does the PERSON do with the NAME on the birth certificate?
5. Are any natural laws being broken with the birth certificate?
And
On the birth certificate it states the word CHILD.
As you are aware that there is a distinction between the words CHILD and ADULT.
a. Can you tel me if there is a birth certificate that states the word ADULT. If
there is no birth certificate that states the word ADULT, can you explain
why.
b. Also can you confirm that you conduct business and in business what the
meaning of a CHILD COMPANY or PARENT COMPANY is in relation to the
corporate function of your business and the administration of birth
certificates.
Response:
1. This belongs to the person who is named as the child on the birth certificate.
2. The parents do not have ownership of the name on the birth certificate. They only
name the child after birth.
3. This can be done only by the parents if the child is under 18 years of age. When the
person is 18 years or over, they can then change their own name.
4. This is referenced in point 1.
5. The New Zealand birth certificate is a legal document in accordance with the Births,
Deaths, Marriages and Relationships Registration Act 1995.
And
a. In regard to the terms child and adult, a birth certificate is a legal document that
captures the event of a birth. Therefore, the word child indicates that the person
who holds the birth certificate was a child at birth.
b. The Department does not use the terms child company or adult company in any
Births, Deaths, and Marriages (BDM) products. There is no link between New Zealand
birth certificates and financial corporations. Please note that the Department fulfils
its obligations under the Births, Deaths, Marriages and Relationships Registration Act
1995.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision.
Information about how to make a complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz
or freephone 0800 802 602.
Yours sincerely
Tiffany Scott
Manager Branch Development and Support
Service Delivery and Operations
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