Our website uses cookies so we can analyse our site usage and give you the best experience. Click "Accept" if you’re happy with this, or click "More" for information about cookies on our site, how to opt out, and how to disable cookies altogether.
We respect your Do Not Track preference.
The Commissioner has a responsibility under the Privacy Act to examine proposed legislation that may involve information matching. He makes recommendations about other changes to the information matching provisions or to the rules in Schedule 6.
The Commissioner also periodically reviews information matching legislative proivisions to assess their continuing justification for existence, as required under sections 184 and 185 of the Privacy Act.
Reviews of proposed information matches
Reports of general inquiries into information matches
Annual reports on operating matches
Periodic reviews of information matching provisions
The Commissioner reports on information matching proposals and on the operation of information matches.
These reports were made under section 13(1)(f) of the Privacy Act 1993.
1. Accident Insurance Bill 1998 Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Minister of Justice on an examination of clause 327 of the Accident Insurance Bill to establish an information matching programme to identify uninsured employers: 23 November 1998. [A match between the Inland Revenue Department and the Accident Insurers Regulator operated from 1999/2000 to 2001/2002].
2. Courts and Criminal Matters Bill 2003 Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Minister of Justice in relation to the Courts and Criminal Matters Bill: 3 November 2003. See also: Customs/Justice Fines Defaulters See also: IR/Justice Fines Defaulters Tracing
3. Education Amendment Bill (no. 2) 2010 Proposed information match between the Ministry of Education and the Teachers Council: 21 August 2009. See also: MoE/Teachers Council Registration
4. Electoral (Administration) Amendment Bill (no. 2) 2010 Final Government response to the Justice and Electoral Committee inquiry into the 2008 General Election: 21 June 2010. [Proposed information match between DIA (Passports) and the Electoral Enrolment Centre].
5. Electoral (Disqualification of Convicted Prisoners) Amendment Bill 2010 Submission by the Privacy Commissioner to the Law and Order Select Committee: 11 June 2010. [Amendment of elector qualification criteria. The information transfer is handled as an information sharing arrangement rather than as an authorised information match and as such is not reported upon by OPC].
6. Electoral Reform Bill 1995 Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Minister of Justice in relation to a proposed information matching programme contained in the Electoral Reform Bill: 3 October 1995. See also: INZ/EEC Unqualified Voters
7. Housing Restructuring and Tenancy Matters (Information Matching) Amendment Bill 2006 Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Social Services Committee in relation to an information matching programme proposed to be authorised by new section 68 of the Housing Restructuring and Tenancy Matters Act 1992: 28 April 2006. See also: HNZ/MSD Benefit Eligibility
8. Monetary Penalties Enforcement Bill 1997 Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Minister of Justice on an examination of a proposal to amend section 126A of the Society Security Act 1964: 19 August 1997. [Allowing the Department of Social Welfare to disclose beneficiaries' telephone numbers to the Department for Courts]. See also: MSD/Justice Fines Defaulters Tracing
9. Social Security Amendment Act 1996 [initially in: Tax Reduction and Social Policy Bill 1996] Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Minister of Justice on the proposed information matching provision contained in clause 116 of the Tax Reduction and Social Policy Bill (The NZES/NZISS Match) : 28 April 1996. (NZES = NZ Employment Service (Department of Labour); NZISS = NZ Income Support Service (Ministry of Social Development)). [The NZES/MSD Eligibility Match operated from 1 April 1997 until repealed on 1 October 1998 by section 11 of the Employment Services and Income Support (Integrated Administration) Act 1998 (1998 No. 96)].
10. Social Security Amendment Bill 1997 Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Minister of Justice on the Social Security Amendment Bill concerning the information match between the Departments of Social Welfare and Labour pursuant to section 131A of the Social Security Act 1964 : 29 April 1997. [The NZES/MSD Eligibility Match operated from 1 April 1997 until repealed on 1 October 1998 by section 11 of the Employment Services and Income Support (Integrated Administration) Act 1998 (1998 No. 96)].
11. Social Security Amendment Act (no 4) 1996 Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Minister of Justice on a proposed information matching programme between the Department for Courts and the Department of Social Welfare on an examination of section 126A of the Social Security Act: 30 July 1996. See also: MSD/Justice Fines Defaulters Tracing
12. Social Welfare (Transitional Provisions) Amendment Bill 2000 Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Minister of Justice on Mutual assistance in social security: international exchange of personal information in relation to the Social Welfare (Transitional Provisions) Amendment Bill : 11 April 2000. See specific country agreements: Netherlands Australia Croatia
13. Social Security Act 2018 (Part 6 Administration: Subpart 7 Reciprocity agreements with other countries)
a. Exchange of social security information with the Netherlands Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Ministers of Justice and Social Development & Employment pursuant to section 19(2A) of the Social Welfare (Transitional Provisions) Act 1990 in relation to mutual assistance provisions in the revised reciprocity agreement on social security between New Zealand and the Netherlands: 3 July 2003. See also: Netherlands/MSD Change in Circumstances See also: Netherlands/MSD Debt Recovery See also: Netherlands/MSD General Adjustment See also: IR/MSD (Netherlands) Tax Information
b. Revised New Zealand-Australia Society Security Agreement Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Ministers of Justice and Social Services pursuant to section 19(2A) of the Social Welfare (Transitional Provisions) Act 1990 in relation to the mutual assistance provisions in the revised reciprocity agreement on social security between New Zealand and Australia: 18 April 2002. See also: Centrelink/MSD Change in Circumstances See also: Centrelink/MSD Periods of Residence
c. Proposed information exchange between Croatia and the Ministry of Social Development : 30 March 2011 [Proposed information match - not yet operational].
d. Report to the Minister of Justice on the proposed social security reciprocity agreement with Malta: 16 April 2013
e. Report to the Minister of Justice on the proposed information exchange between Italy and the Ministry of Social Development: 26 August 2014
f. Report to the Minister of Justice on the proposed social security reciprocity agreement with South Korea: 7 September 2017
14. Student Loan Scheme Amendment Bill (no 2) 2006 Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Minister of Justice in relation to an information matching programme proposed to be authorised by new section 280H of the Customs and Excise Act 1996 and new section 62A of the Student Loan Scheme Act 1992: 28 February 2007. See also: Customs/IR Student Loan Interest
15. Tax Reduction and Social Policy Bill 1996 Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Minister of Justice in relation to the proposed information matching provision contained in clause 71 of the Tax Reduction and Social Policy Bill (The ACC/IRD Match): 26 April 1996. [The ACC/IRD Child Tax Credit Match - never run]. See also: Social Security Amendment Act 1996 - above.
These reports were made under section 13(1)(m) of the Privacy Act 1993.
1. Unauthorised information matching between Department for Courts and Motor Vehicle Register Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Ministers of Justice, Courts and Transport in relation to an inquiry into events surrounding an unauthorised information matching programme operated in mid-1998: 25 August 2000.
These reports were made under section 106 of the Privacy Act 1993.
1. Income Support Matches (21 May 1999) Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Minister of Justice pursuant to section 106 of the Privacy Act 1993 in relation to a review of the operation of the following information matches:
2. Social Welfare and ACC Matches (16 May 2002) Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Minister of Justice pursuant to section 106 of the Privacy Act 1993 in relation to a review of the following information matching provisions:
3. Social Welfare, Unqualified Voters and Fines Defaulters Matches (April 2011) Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Minister of Justice pursuant to section 106 of the Privacy Act 1993 in relation to a review of the following information matching programmes:
4. Unenrolled Voters matches (August 2011) Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Minister of Justice pursuant to section 106 of the Privacy Act 1993 in relation to a review of the following information matching programmes:
5. Immigration and Justice Matches (September 2012) Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Minister of Justice pursuant to section 106 of the Privacy Act 1993 in relation to a review of the following information matching programmes:
6. Integrity Intervention Matches (July 2013) Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Minister of Justice pursuant to section 106 of the Privacy Act 1993 in relation to a review of the operation of the following authorised information matching programmes:
7. Australia and the Netherlands Matches (July 2013) Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Minister of Justice pursuant to section 106 of the Privacy Act 1993 in relation to a review of the operation of the following information matching programmes:
8. MSD Studylink Matches (January 2014) Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Minister of Justice pursuant to section 106 of the Privacy Act 1993 in relation to a review of the operation of the:
9. MSD, MoE and ACC Matches (July 2014) Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Minister of Justice pursuant to section 106 of the Privacy Act 1993 in relation to a review of the operation of the:
10. Passports and Citizenship (July 2014) Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Minister of Justice pursuant to section 106 of the Privacy Act 1993 in relation to a review of the operation of the:
11. MBIE, IR and NZTA Matches (August 2014) Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Minister of Justice pursuant to section 106 of the Privacy Act 1993 in relation to a review of the operation of the:
12. Superannuation and NHI Matches (January 2015) Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Minister of Justice pursuant to section 106 of the Privacy Act 1993 in relation to a review of the operation of the:
13. Ministry of Education/NZ Teachers' Council Registration Matches (July 2015) Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Minister of Justice pursuant to section 106 of the Privacy Act 1993 in relation to a review of the operation of the:
14. Unqualified Voters, Justice Fines Defaulters and Working for Families Matches (June 2016) Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Minister of Justice pursuant to section 106 of the Privacy Act 1993 in relation to a review of the operation of the:
15. Unenrolled Voters Programme, INZ/MoH Publicly Funded Health Eligibility Programme Matches (August 2016)
Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Minister of Justice pursuant to section 106 of the Privacy Act 1993 in relation to a review of the operation of the:
16. Review of statutory authorities for information matching (September 2017)
Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Minister of Justice pursuant to section 106 of the Privacy Act 1993 in relation to a review of the operation of seven information matches.
Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Relationships Registration Act 1995, s78A
Citizenship Act 1977, s26A
Corrections Act 2004, s181
Customs and Excise Act 1996, s280
Immigration Act 2009, s295
Tax Administration Act 1994, s85A
17. Identity Verification Service Matching Programme (April 2018)
Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Minister of Justice pursuant to section 106 of the Privacy Act 1993 on the Identity Verification Service enabling provision: Electronic Identity Verification Act 2012, s.39.
18. Unused Matching Provisions
Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Minister of Justice pursuant to section 106 of the Privacy Act 1993 in relation to a review of unused information matching provisions.
19. Review of statutory authorities for information matching: Four Inland Revenue matches (November 2018)
Report by the Privacy Commissioner pursuant to section 106 of the Privacy Act 1993 on provisions authorising four Inland Revenue matches:
20. Ministry of Social Development international social welfare reciprocity agreements
Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Minister of Justice pursuant to section 106 of the Privacy Act 1993 (July 2019)
21. Ministry of Social Development information matching; review of statutory authorities for information matching.
Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Minister of Justice pursuant to section 106 of the Privacy Act 1993 (September 2019)
22. Accident Compensation Corporation, Department of Internal Affairs, and Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (Motor Vehicle Traders Register) information matching.
Review of statutory authorities for information matching, pursuant to section 106 of the Privacy Act 1993, (February 2020)
23. Department of Internal Affairs, Government Super Fund, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, National Provident Fund and New Zealand Transport Agency information matching.
Review of statutory authorities for information matching: review of statutory authorities for information matching, pursuant to section 106 of the Privacy Act 1993, (July 2020)
24. Ministry of Education/ Teaching Council Teacher Registration Information Matching.
Review of statutory authorities for information matching, pursuant to section 106 of the Privacy Act 1993, (September 2020)
25. Electoral Act 1993, Sections 263A and 263B
Review of statutory authorities for information matching: Electoral Act 1993, sections 263A and 263B (June 2021)
26. Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Relationships Registration Act 1995, section 78A; Immigration Act 2009, section 300; Social Security Act 2018, schedule 6, clause 13
Review of statutory authorities for information matching: Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Relationships Registration Act 1995, section 78A; Immigration Act 2009, section 300; and Social Security Act 2018, schedule 6, clause 13 (June 2021)
Review of statutory authorities for information matching: Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Relationships Registration Act 1995, section 78A; Citizenship Act 1977, section 26A; Corrections Act 2004, section 181 and Immigration Act 2009, section 294; Customs and Excise Act 2018, section 310; Immigration Act 2009, section 295; Tax Administration Act 1994, Schedule 7 Part C subpart 2 clause 43 (September 2022).
28. Report by the Privacy Commissioner to the Minister of Justice on the Identity Verification Service enabling provision: Electronic Identity Verification Act 2012, s. 39 (April 2023)
Review of the operation of each information matching provision which is subject to Part 7 Subpart 4 of the Privacy Act 2020, at intervals of not more than 5 years. The review considers whether the authority conferred by each provision should be continued; and any amendments to the provision are necessary or desirable.
29. Review of a statutory authority for information matching: Immigration Act 2009, s 295 (August 2023)
Review of the ongoing value and suitability of the Immigration Act 2009, s 295 information matching provision. The review considers whether this pracitce should be continued.
