This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Official Information request 'RGL speech notes'.
From:
BALLANTINE, Colin (NAD)
To:
Robert Muir
Subject:
RE: China EODB - Thank You - Next Steps
Date:
Thursday, 19 December 2019 4:57:03 p.m.
Hi Robbie
Thanks so much for taking the time to do this, and so well – we really appreciate it.
Have a great break, and look forward to working with you in 2020.
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Cheers
Colin
Act 
From: Robert Muir [mailto:[email address]] 
Sent: Thursday, 19 December 2019 4:40 PM
To: BALLANTINE, Colin (NAD)
Subject: RE: China EODB - Thank You - Next Steps
Hi Colin
I’ve provide answers to the questions set out below in the table provided. If I can be of any
further assistance please let me know.
Regards
Official Information 
Robbie
Robbie Muir
the 
Registrar-General of Land  
Deputy Chief Executive  
Strategy and Stewardship Group
Land Information New Zealand
under 
E  [email address] | DDI 04 460 0541 | M 027 2499 802
Wellington Office, Level 7, Radio New Zealand House, 155 The Terrace
PO Box 5501, Wellington 6145, New Zealand | T 04 460 0110   
W  www.linz.govt.nz | data.linz.govt.nz 
From: BALLANTINE, Colin (NAD) <[email address]> 
Sent: Wednesday, 18 December 2019 2:52 PM
Released 
To: Robert Muir <[email address]>
Cc: Emma Miles-Buckler <[email address]>; COGHILL, Lucy (BEI) 
<[email address]>
Subject: RE: China EODB - Thank You - Next Steps
Hi Robbie

Great to hear you found the trip useful. I saw your internal comms, and we were really
interested to read that you think there is a lot we can learn from China on digital technology, and
3D modelling of property.
Following your presentation, the delegation coming to New Zealand has sent us a list of
questions about registering property (see below). We thought we’d give you the opportunity to
answer these now, if you had the chance (the Chinese have internal drafting deadlines to meet
this month). There is no pressure to do so, and if you can’t, we will look to answer them during
their study tour in February. Please also do not feel you should answer anything which is
New Zealand Inc protected IP/information.
Thanks, and Merry Christmas! We look forward to working with you in advance of the study tour
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in 2020.
Kind regards
Act 
Colin
Colin Ballantine          
Policy Officer
North Asia Division
New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade | Manatū Aorere
[ s 9(2)(a) ]    E  [email address]
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Questions
Answers
LIM’s
Official Information 
LIM (or Land Information Memorandum) reports are
·
Which authority is responsible for
issued by local authorities. There are 67 local
the 
issuing the LIM?
authorities in New Zealand.
The cost and time to obtain a LIM varies across the
·
Are there other authorities sharing
such information?
local authorities (see, for example, the fees and
service levels offered by the Wellington City Council:
under 
·
How much does the applicant pay to
https://wellington.govt.nz/services/rates-and-
request a LIM?
property/property/reports/lim  )
·
How long does it take?
A LIM report is separate from land registration
information. It is made up of local authority
·
Does LIM information all come from
the land registration information?
information on matters such as district planning
Released 
requirements, subdivision conditions, building
·
Would you please provide a LIM
consents, rating information, hazards, and zoning. 
template?
Registration methods
Virtually all property registration is completed online
·
What are the specific procedures for
by authorised lawyers and conveyancers. This includes
online and paper-based registration,
property transfers, mortgages, charges, leases,
respectively?
easements and land covenants.
·
Which method is more frequently
87% of property transactions are registered
selected by the applicants?
automatically without review by LINZ employees.
Registration is completed in terms of automated

·
What information is registered?
business rules.
The following link will take you information about our
·
Registration can be completed
fees and charges for land registration:
automatically via an online
registration system. Is it LINZ
https://www.linz.govt.nz/land/landonline/fees
employees who are required to review
applications online?
·
Would you please provide the related
documents and fee schedules?
Role of lawyers in registration
Lawyers are generally involved in the contractual
aspects (advising on agreement for sale and purchase)
·
In what procedures does the lawyer
and conveyancing matters (e.g. preparing transfer and
engage?
mortgage documentation, attending to settlement
and registration).
·
Are lawyer’s fees paid by the buyer
or seller, or both?
Buyer and seller are usually separately represented
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and each pay their own lawyers fees.
·
Are there any legal requirements for
Lawyers are bound to comply with the legal
the certification by the lawyer?
certification requirements prescribed by the Land
Act 
Transfer Act 2017.
·
Does the lawyer investigate the land
Lawyers would usually attend to the investigation of
planned to be transacted before the
transaction, such as whether the
title and related due diligence of local authority
property has unpaid tax, unpaid
records (eg LIM reports) as part of the conveyaning
utilities fees and other restrictions?
process. This can take days or weeks  depending on
How long does that usually take?
the complexity of the transaction.     
LINZ’s relationship with lawyers
Lawyers are subject to a professional regulatory
·
How does LINZ supervise and work
regime administered and overseen by the New
with lawyers?
Zealand Law Society under the Lawyers and
Conveyancers Act 2007.
LINZ also has an audit function in relation to Lawyers
Official Information 
but only in respect of the legal certifications lawyers
make when registering property transactions. This
generally takes the form of desktop reviews and some
the onsite law firm audits.
LINZ also works with the New Zealand Law Society on
guidance and education for property lawyers.       
Public access to information
under  The land transfer register is a public record and may
·
Can anyone obtain land ownership
be searched by anyone who wishes to ascertain such
information from the LINZ by paying
information. This includes details of registered land
fees? If so:
ownership and recorded rights interests such as
o Do enquirers need to verify their
easements.
identity when applying, in order
Released 
to ascertain whether they have
The following link will take you information about fees
the right to access the requested
and charges for land register information:
material?
https://www.linz.govt.nz/land/landonline/fees
·
Can anyone obtain the cadastral map
information from the LINZ by paying
the fees?
·
What other information could an
enquirer find out?
·
Could you please provide related
procedures and samples of inquired

information and maps?
Nationwide coverage
There was a programme of compulsory initial
·
New Zealand has a Torrens System.
registration under the introduced by statute in the
The initial registration seems to not
1920s. Virtually all privately owned land in New
be compulsory. How does New
Zealand achieve nationwide coverage
Zealand is now registered under the Torrens system.
of land registration?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: Robert Muir [mailto:[email address]] 
Sent: Wednesday, 11 December 2019 8:45 AM
To: BALLANTINE, Colin (NAD)
Cc: Emma Miles-Buckler; COGHILL, Lucy (BEI)
Subject: RE: China EODB - Thank You - Next Steps
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Hi Colin
Act 
Thanks for following up. The event did seem to go well and certainly provided a great
opportunity for sharing informing and experiences on regulatory reforms. As expected, there
was a strong focus on the role of technology as a key enabler along with policy and legislative
reforms to align and improve regulatory regimes.
I would be happy to meet with the Beijing delegation in February if that goes ahead.
And please pass on my thanks to Ambassador Fearnley, Lucy Coghill and her embassy colleagues
for hosting us so well during our visit. It was a pleasure working with them.
Kind regards
Official Information 
Robbie
the 
Robbie Muir
Registrar-General of Land  
Deputy Chief Executive  
Strategy and Stewardship Group
Land Information New Zealand
under 
E  [email address] | DDI 04 460 0541 | M 027 2499 802
Wellington Office, Level 7, Radio New Zealand House, 155 The Terrace
PO Box 5501, Wellington 6145, New Zealand | T 04 460 0110   
W  www.linz.govt.nz | data.linz.govt.nz 
Released 
From: BALLANTINE, Colin (NAD) [mailto:[email address]] 
Sent: Tuesday, 10 December 2019 6:11 p.m.
To: Robert Muir
Cc: Emma Miles-Buckler; COGHILL, Lucy (BEI)
Subject: China EODB - Thank You - Next Steps
Hi Robbie

I just wanted to say a big thank you again for going to China last month for the Ease of Doing
Business Conference. By all accounts, the event was a great success. Thanks too for LINZ recently
meeting with the Ministry of Natural Resources delegation – they were appreciative of the
chance to meet LINZ, and engagements like that really help to support the bilateral relationship.
I would be interested to hear your thoughts on how the event went, as would Ambassador
Fearnley (who plans to go and introduce herself to the Ministry of Natural Resources soon).
Following the conference in Beijing, the Beijing City Government would like to visit New Zealand
in mid-February to do an Ease of Doing Business study tour. The tour would comprise of 15
technical experts, possibly with World Bank staffers too. We wanted to scope whether you or
someone else at LINZ would be open to meeting with the delegation for say an hour or so, to
1982
answer some of the questions they may have following your presentation up in Beijing. We
would try to get the questions they have for you in advance, and would be there to support the
meeting.
Act 
We feel this Ease of Doing Business work-stream with China is really gaining traction, and would
love to work more with LINZ on it, but appreciate you are busy with other commitments to
manage too. If you could let us know your willingness to meet with this group from Beijing in
mid-February by the end of Thursday, that would be much appreciated (but no pressure
though).
Do let me know if you have any questions.
Kind regards
Colin
Official Information 
Colin Ballantine          
Policy Officer
the 
North Asia Division
New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade | Manatū Aorere
[ s 9(2)(a) ]
 E  [email address]
under 
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