Marriages of minors 2010 - 2011

Phil Lyth made this Official Information request to Department of Internal Affairs

Department of Internal Affairs did not have the information requested.

From: Phil Lyth

Dear Department of Internal Affairs,

1. I request information on the marriages of minors (persons aged 16 - 17 years) in 2010 and 2011 and the related applications for licences.

2. I am happy to amend this request if that facilitates your
response, and/or discuss the reason I am making it. Please contact me in this case - 027 68 68 645. (I refer to the proposed Members Bill "Marriage (Court Consent to Marriage of Minors) Amendment Bill" as shown on the Parliament website.

3. I understand from Statistics NZ that in 2010 and 2011 there were registered marriages of:
- 2010 72 female minors and 16 male minors
- 2011 59 female minors and 13 male minors

4. I request as follows:

5. For the 131 female minors, the age of the grooms, by bands
- the number of grooms 16 - 17 years (ie also a minor)
- the number of grooms 18 - 19 years
- the number of grooms 20 - 25 years
- the number of grooms 26 years and over

6. For the 29 male minors, the age of the brides, by bands
- the number of brides 16 - 17 years (ie also a minor)
- the number of brides 18 - 19 years
- the number of brides 20 - 25 years
- the number of brides 26 years and over

7. For #8, I exclude all marriages where both parties were born in New Zealand and were ordinarily resident in New Zealand when making application for the licence.

8. For each remaining marriage, I request the country of birth and the country of usual residence of both the bride and the groom.

9. I was considering asking you to separate the data requested in #5 and #6 into two groups, one group being the marriages where both parties were born in and usually resident in New Zealand; and the other group the remaining marriages. If it is straightforward enough to compile this, please do so.

10. Finally, I request information regarding all cases since 1 Jan 2010 where the Registrar or their staff may not have been fully satisfied, where one party was a minor, that both the bride and groom were freely and fully giving consent to the application and marriages. How many such cases were there? What actions were taken?

Re Section 12 of the OIA, I am a NZ citizen in Wellington

Yours faithfully,
Philip Lyth

Link to this

From: Telephon Telephon
Department of Internal Affairs

Dear Philip

Thank you for your enquiry.

We have forwarded your email to our Births, Deaths and Marriages team ([email address]).
They will respond to you as soon as possible. If you would like to contact the team via phone please call 0800 22 52 52 or (+64 4) 474 8150.

Kind Regards,

Customer Services Team
Service Delivery and Operations
Department of Internal Affairs - Te Tari Taiwhenua
Phone: (+64 4) 495 7200
www.dia.govt.nz

-----Original Message-----
From: Phil Lyth [mailto:[OIA #541 email]]
Sent: Monday, 3 September 2012 3:40 p.m.
To: Telephon Telephon
Subject: Official Information Act request - Marriages of minors 2010 - 2011

Dear Department of Internal Affairs,

1. I request information on the marriages of minors (persons aged
16 - 17 years) in 2010 and 2011 and the related applications for
licences.

2. I am happy to amend this request if that facilitates your
response, and/or discuss the reason I am making it. Please contact
me in this case - 027 68 68 645. (I refer to the proposed Members
Bill "Marriage (Court Consent to Marriage of Minors) Amendment
Bill" as shown on the Parliament website.

3. I understand from Statistics NZ that in 2010 and 2011 there were
registered marriages of:
- 2010 72 female minors and 16 male minors
- 2011 59 female minors and 13 male minors

4. I request as follows:

5. For the 131 female minors, the age of the grooms, by bands
- the number of grooms 16 - 17 years (ie also a minor)
- the number of grooms 18 - 19 years
- the number of grooms 20 - 25 years
- the number of grooms 26 years and over

6. For the 29 male minors, the age of the brides, by bands
- the number of brides 16 - 17 years (ie also a minor)
- the number of brides 18 - 19 years
- the number of brides 20 - 25 years
- the number of brides 26 years and over

7. For #8, I exclude all marriages where both parties were born in
New Zealand and were ordinarily resident in New Zealand when making
application for the licence.

8. For each remaining marriage, I request the country of birth and
the country of usual residence of both the bride and the groom.

9. I was considering asking you to separate the data requested in
#5 and #6 into two groups, one group being the marriages where both
parties were born in and usually resident in New Zealand; and the
other group the remaining marriages. If it is straightforward
enough to compile this, please do so.

10. Finally, I request information regarding all cases since 1 Jan
2010 where the Registrar or their staff may not have been fully
satisfied, where one party was a minor, that both the bride and
groom were freely and fully giving consent to the application and
marriages. How many such cases were there? What actions were taken?

Re Section 12 of the OIA, I am a NZ citizen in Wellington

Yours faithfully,
Philip Lyth

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[OIA #541 email]

Is [DIA request email] the wrong address for Official Information Act
requests to Department of Internal Affairs? If so, please contact
us using this form:
http://fyi.org.nz/help/contact

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be
published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
http://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

If you find this service useful as an OIA officer, please ask your
web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

====
CAUTION: This email message and any attachments contain information that may be confidential and may be LEGALLY PRIVILEGED. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, disclosure or copying of this message or attachments is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email message in error please notify us immediately and erase all copies of the message and attachments. Thank you.
====

hide quoted sections

Link to this

From: bdm nz
Department of Internal Affairs

Dear Philip
 
Thank you for your email.
 
It has been forwarded to the appropriate staff member, who will respond
within five working days. 
 
Our Contact Centre is open Monday - Thursday 8.00am - 7.00pm; Friday
9.00am - 7.00pm and Saturday 9.00am - 2.00pm.
 
If you have any further enquiries, please contact us again by email or
phone Call Free (NZ) 0800 22 52 52 or if overseas (+64 4) 463 9362, or
visit our website: <[1]http://www.bdm.govt.nz/>.
 
Kind regards
David Baird
Client Information Officer - Kaipûrongo Kiritaki
Births, Deaths and Marriages Office - Whānautanga, Matenga, Mārenatanga
Department of Internal Affairs - Te Tari Taiwhenua
 
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Phil Lyth [[2]mailto:[OIA #541 email]]
> Sent: Monday, 3 September 2012 3:40 p.m.
> To: Telephon Telephon
> Subject: Official Information Act request - Marriages of minors 2010 -
2011
>
>      Dear Department of Internal Affairs,
>
>      1. I request information on the marriages of minors (persons aged
>      16 - 17 years) in 2010 and 2011 and the related applications for
>      licences.
>
>      2. I am happy to amend this request if that facilitates your
>      response, and/or discuss the reason I am making it. Please contact
>      me in this case - 027 68 68 645. (I refer to the proposed Members
>      Bill "Marriage (Court Consent to Marriage of Minors) Amendment
>      Bill" as shown on the Parliament website.
>
>      3. I understand from Statistics NZ that in 2010 and 2011 there were
>      registered marriages of:
>      - 2010 72 female minors and 16 male minors
>      - 2011 59 female minors and 13 male minors
>
>      4. I request as follows:
>
>      5. For the 131 female minors, the age of the grooms, by bands
>      - the number of grooms 16 - 17 years (ie also a minor)
>      - the number of grooms 18 - 19 years
>      - the number of grooms 20 - 25 years
>      - the number of grooms 26 years and over
>
>      6. For the 29 male minors, the age of the brides, by bands
>      - the number of brides 16 - 17 years (ie also a minor)
>      - the number of brides 18 - 19 years
>      - the number of brides 20 - 25 years
>      - the number of brides 26 years and over
>
>      7. For #8, I exclude all marriages where both parties were born in
>      New Zealand and were ordinarily resident in New Zealand when making
>      application for the licence.
>
>      8. For each remaining marriage, I request the country of birth and
>      the country of usual residence of both the bride and the groom.
>
>      9. I was considering asking you to separate the data requested in
>      #5 and #6 into two groups, one group being the marriages where both
>      parties were born in and usually resident in New Zealand; and the
>      other group the remaining marriages. If it is straightforward
>      enough to compile this, please do so.
>
>      10. Finally, I request information regarding all cases since 1 Jan
>      2010 where the Registrar or their staff may not have been fully
>      satisfied, where one party was a minor, that both the bride and
>      groom were freely and fully giving consent to the application and
>      marriages. How many such cases were there? What actions were taken?
>
>      Re Section 12 of the OIA, I am a NZ citizen in Wellington
>
>      Yours faithfully,
>      Philip Lyth
>
>      -------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>      Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
>      [OIA #541 email]
>
>      Is [DIA request email] the wrong address for Official Information Act
>      requests to Department of Internal Affairs? If so, please contact
>      us using this form:
>      [3]http://fyi.org.nz/help/contact
>
>      Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be
>      published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
>      [4]http://fyi.org.nz/help/officers
>
>      If you find this service useful as an OIA officer, please ask your
>      web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
>
>
>      -------------------------------------------------------------------
>
 
====
CAUTION:  This email message and any attachments contain information that
may be confidential and may be LEGALLY PRIVILEGED. If you are not the
intended recipient, any use, disclosure or copying of this message or
attachments is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email
message in error please notify us immediately and erase all copies of the
message and attachments. Thank you.
====

References

Visible links
1. http://www.bdm.govt.nz/
2. mailto:[OIA #541 email]
3. http://fyi.org.nz/help/contact
4. http://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

hide quoted sections

Link to this

From: Phil Lyth

Dear bdm nz,

You acknowledged my Official Information Request on the marriages of minors at the start of September.

Can I please get an update.

The request and correspondence can be seen at http://fyi.org.nz/request/marriages_of_m...

Yours sincerely,

Phil Lyth

Link to this

From: bdm nz
Department of Internal Affairs

Dear Philip
 
Thank you again for your email.
 
We apologise for the delay in respond to you query.
 
Due to the nature of your enquiry, it has been forwarded to the
appropriate team member, who will respond with an update shortly. 
 
Once again we apologise about the delay and any inconvenience this may
have caused you.
 
If you have any further enquiries, please contact us again by email or
phone Call Free (NZ) 0800 22 52 52 or if overseas (+64 4) 463 9362, or
visit our website: <[1]http://www.bdm.govt.nz/>.
 
Our Contact Centre is open Monday - Thursday 8.00am - 7.00pm; Friday
9.00am - 7.00pm and Saturday 9.00am - 2.00pm.
 
Kind regards
Nicole Wall
Client Information Officer - Kaipûrongo Kiritaki
Births, Deaths and Marriages Office - Whānautanga, Matenga, Mārenatanga
Department of Internal Affairs - Te Tari Taiwhenua
 
----- Original Message -----
> From: Phil Lyth ([OIA #541 email])
> Sent: 26/11/2012 10:03 a.m.
> Subject: RE: FW: Official Information Act request - Marriages of minors
2010 - 2011
>
>      Dear bdm nz,
>
>      You acknowledged my Official Information Request on the marriages
>      of minors at the start of September.
>
>      Can I please get an update.
>
>      The request and correspondence can be seen at
>     
[2]http://fyi.org.nz/request/marriages_of_m...
>
>      Yours sincerely,
>
>      Phil Lyth
>
>      -----Original Message-----
>
>      Dear Philip
>
>      Thank you for your email.
>
>      It has been forwarded to the appropriate staff member, who will
>      respond
>      within five working days.
>
>      Our Contact Centre is open Monday - Thursday 8.00am - 7.00pm;
>      Friday
>      9.00am - 7.00pm and Saturday 9.00am - 2.00pm.
>
>      If you have any further enquiries, please contact us again by
>      email or
>      phone Call Free (NZ) 0800 22 52 52 or if overseas (+64 4) 463
>      9362, or
>      visit our website: <[1]http://www.bdm.govt.nz/>.
>
>      Kind regards
>      David Baird
>      Client Information Officer - Kaipûrongo Kiritaki
>      Births, Deaths and Marriages Office - Whānautanga, Matenga,
>      Mārenatanga
>      Department of Internal Affairs - Te Tari Taiwhenua
>
>      >
>      >
>      >
>
>      -------------------------------------------------------------------
>      Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
>      [OIA #541 email]
>
>      Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be
>      published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
>      [3]http://fyi.org.nz/help/officers
>
>      If you find this service useful as an OIA officer, please ask your
>      web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
>
>      -------------------------------------------------------------------
>
 
====
CAUTION:  This email message and any attachments contain information that
may be confidential and may be LEGALLY PRIVILEGED. If you are not the
intended recipient, any use, disclosure or copying of this message or
attachments is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email
message in error please notify us immediately and erase all copies of the
message and attachments. Thank you.
====

References

Visible links
1. http://www.bdm.govt.nz/
2. http://fyi.org.nz/request/marriages_of_m...
3. http://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

hide quoted sections

Link to this

From: Vaughan Millar
Department of Internal Affairs


Attachment image001.gif
5K Download


Dear Philip

 

Sorry for the delay responding to your request.

 

As discussed on the phone:

·         Drilling down into the data would require substantial effort for
which we do not have the same resources as Statistics New Zealand.

·         With regards to applications for licences the Births, Deaths,
Marriages, and Relationships Registration Act 1995 is prescriptive about
what information may be accessed, how and for what fee. Putting aside the
legislation it would once again require substantial effort to locate those
applications across our network of 58 Registry Offices.

·         Minors require parental consent as a part of our usual
procedures. If after the marriage there was found to be an absence of
consent to enter in the marriage we would suggest they take the matter to
the Family Court under section 29 of the Family Proceedings Act to have
the marriage declared void ab initio – which is most uncommon and I’m not
aware of any such occurrence within the last few years. If consent was
required but not given that alone would not void the marriage (section
18(7) of the Marriage Act) – our office does not record such cases, if
any.

 

Please contact me if you have any further questions.  

 

Noted here your original request emailed to our office:

Dear Department of Internal Affairs,

1. I request information on the marriages of minors (persons aged
16 - 17 years) in 2010 and 2011 and the related applications for
licences.

2. I am happy to amend this request if that facilitates your
response, and/or discuss the reason I am making it. Please contact
me in this case - 027 68 68 645. (I refer to the proposed Members
Bill "Marriage (Court Consent to Marriage of Minors) Amendment
Bill" as shown on the Parliament website.

3. I understand from Statistics NZ that in 2010 and 2011 there were
registered marriages of:
- 2010 72 female minors and 16 male minors
- 2011 59 female minors and 13 male minors

4. I request as follows:

5. For the 131 female minors, the age of the grooms, by bands
- the number of grooms 16 - 17 years (ie also a minor)
- the number of grooms 18 - 19 years
- the number of grooms 20 - 25 years
- the number of grooms 26 years and over

6. For the 29 male minors, the age of the brides, by bands
- the number of brides 16 - 17 years (ie also a minor)
- the number of brides 18 - 19 years
- the number of brides 20 - 25 years
- the number of brides 26 years and over

7. For #8, I exclude all marriages where both parties were born in
New Zealand and were ordinarily resident in New Zealand when making
application for the licence.

8. For each remaining marriage, I request the country of birth and
the country of usual residence of both the bride and the groom.

9. I was considering asking you to separate the data requested in
#5 and #6 into two groups, one group being the marriages where both
parties were born in and usually resident in New Zealand; and the
other group the remaining marriages. If it is straightforward
enough to compile this, please do so.

10. Finally, I request information regarding all cases since 1 Jan
2010 where the Registrar or their staff may not have been fully
satisfied, where one party was a minor, that both the bride and
groom were freely and fully giving consent to the application and
marriages. How many such cases were there? What actions were taken?

Re Section 12 of the OIA, I am a NZ citizen in Wellington

Yours faithfully,
Philip Lyth

Regards

Vaughan Millar

BDM ext 4544

DDI 04 382 3544

 

 

From: Nicole Wall
Sent: Monday, 26 November 2012 4:33 p.m.
To: BDM Escalated Enquiries
Subject: RE: FW: Official Information Act request - Marriages of minors
2010 - 2011

 

Dear Philip

 

Thank you again for your email.

 

We apologise for the delay in respond to you query.

 

Due to the nature of your enquiry, it has been forwarded to the
appropriate team member, who will respond with an update shortly. 

 

Once again we apologise about the delay and any inconvenience this may
have caused you.

 

If you have any further enquiries, please contact us again by email or
phone Call Free (NZ) 0800 22 52 52 or if overseas (+64 4) 463 9362, or
visit our website: <http://www.bdm.govt.nz/>.

 

Our Contact Centre is open Monday - Thursday 8.00am - 7.00pm; Friday
9.00am - 7.00pm and Saturday 9.00am - 2.00pm.

 

Kind regards

Nicole Wall

Client Information Officer - Kaipûrongo Kiritaki

Births, Deaths and Marriages Office - Whānautanga, Matenga, Mārenatanga

Department of Internal Affairs - Te Tari Taiwhenua

 

----- Original Message -----

> From: Phil Lyth ([OIA #541 email])

> Sent: 26/11/2012 10:03 a.m.

> Subject: RE: FW: Official Information Act request - Marriages of minors
2010 - 2011

>

>      Dear bdm nz,

>

>      You acknowledged my Official Information Request on the marriages

>      of minors at the start of September.

>

>      Can I please get an update.

>

>      The request and correspondence can be seen at

>     
http://fyi.org.nz/request/marriages_of_m...

>

>      Yours sincerely,

>

>      Phil Lyth

>

>      -----Original Message-----

>

>      Dear Philip

>

>      Thank you for your email.

>

>      It has been forwarded to the appropriate staff member, who will

>      respond

>      within five working days.

>

>      Our Contact Centre is open Monday - Thursday 8.00am - 7.00pm;

>      Friday

>      9.00am - 7.00pm and Saturday 9.00am - 2.00pm.

>

>      If you have any further enquiries, please contact us again by

>      email or

>      phone Call Free (NZ) 0800 22 52 52 or if overseas (+64 4) 463

>      9362, or

>      visit our website: <[1]http://www.bdm.govt.nz/>.

>

>      Kind regards

>      David Baird

>      Client Information Officer - Kaipûrongo Kiritaki

>      Births, Deaths and Marriages Office - Whānautanga, Matenga,

>      Mārenatanga

>      Department of Internal Affairs - Te Tari Taiwhenua

>

>      >

>      >

>      >

>

>      -------------------------------------------------------------------

>      Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

>      [OIA #541 email]

>

>      Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be

>      published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:

>      http://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

>

>      If you find this service useful as an OIA officer, please ask your

>      web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

>

>      -------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

Nicole Wall

Client Information Officer

Customer Services

Service Delivery and Operations
The Department of Internal Affairs Te Tari Taiwhenua

[1]www.dia.govt.nz

 

[2]The Department of Internal Affairs

 

====
CAUTION:  This email message and any attachments contain information that
may be confidential and may be LEGALLY PRIVILEGED. If you are not the
intended recipient, any use, disclosure or copying of this message or
attachments is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email
message in error please notify us immediately and erase all copies of the
message and attachments. Thank you.
====

References

Visible links
1. www.dia.govt.nz
http://www.dia.govt.nz/
2. http://dia.govt.nz/

hide quoted sections

Link to this

Phil Lyth left an annotation ()

Prior to receipt of the response, earlier today I received a most helpful phone call from Vaughan Miller.

He seems to be a key contact nationally for Registrars of Marriages across the country.

I'm happy to close off the OIA based on his call and the response.

Link to this

Things to do with this request

Anyone:
Department of Internal Affairs only: