Privacy and information sharing

State Redress NZ collects, uses and shares information so the State redress service and participating agencies can respond to enquiries, requests and claims, provide redress services, and work together when needed.

This page explains how information is handled within the State redress system.

At a glance

Why do we collect information?
Information is collected so the State redress service and participating agencies can:
- respond to enquiries and requests
- register and assess claims
- provide care records, wellbeing support, apologies and other redress services
- identify which agency or agencies may need to respond
- coordinate support when more than one agency is involved
Why might information be shared?
Sometimes information needs to be shared between participating agencies so they can:
- understand your circumstances
- assess and respond to claims
- coordinate support and redress services
- reduce the need for you to repeat information about your experiences
- provide a more joined-up response where more than one agency is involved
Information may also be used or shared where this is required or authorised by law, including where there are concerns about a person's safety or the safety of others.
How is my information protected?

Personal information is protected through privacy, security, information management and records management requirements.

Access to information is limited to people who need it for their work, and participating agencies remain responsible for protecting information they collect, receive, hold, use and share.
Can I access or correct my information?

Yes. You have the right to request access to information held about you and to ask for information to be corrected if you believe it is incorrect.

If the information is held by an agency, your request may be transferred or referred to that agency so it can respond.

Privacy Statement

State Redress NZ (“we”) brings together a central State redress service and participating redress agencies to provide a joined-up redress system for survivors. The State redress service is operated by Ministry of Social Development on behalf of State Redress NZ.

When you contact State Redress NZ, you may share information that is very personal and important to you.

State Redress NZ collects, uses, and shares information to:

understand how we can help

respond to your enquiry or request

connect you with the agency or agencies that need to respond

provide services such as care records, wellbeing support, apologies, and other redress-related support

keep you updated about your claim or request

We will only collect information that is needed to help with your enquiry, request, or claim. This may include information that helps identify and contact you, information about your time in care, and information relevant to the support or redress you are seeking.

How State Redress NZ collects information

Where possible, we will collect information directly from you, or from someone you have authorised to act on your behalf.

Sometimes we may need to collect information from another source to help us respond to your enquiry, request, or claim. This could include:

participating redress agencies

schools and care providers

non-government organisations and service providers

other organisations that hold information relevant to your situation

Where possible, we will tell you if we need to collect information about you from another source, what information has been collected, and why it is needed.

Why State Redress NZ shares information

State Redress NZ is designed to help agencies work together when responding to survivors.

This means information may be shared between the State redress service and participating agencies when it is needed to respond to your enquiry, request, or claim. Information may also be shared with other organisations where this is necessary to provide redress-related services or support.

One reason we share information is to reduce the need for you to repeat your story or provide the same information multiple times, particularly when more than one agency is involved.

In limited situations, information may also be used or shared where this is authorised or required by law, including to help protect someone's health, safety, or wellbeing, or to meet legal obligations.

Your choice

Providing information is voluntary.

However, if there is not enough information, the relevant agency or agencies may not be able to fully respond to your enquiry, request, or claim.

You do not need to provide all information at once. Different information may be needed at different stages of the process.

Keeping your information safe

Your information will be handled securely and respectfully.

Access to personal information is limited to people who need it to do their work. The central State redress service and participating agencies must manage information in line with privacy, security, records management, and legal requirements.

Your rights

You have the right to ask for a copy of the personal information held about you and to ask for it to be corrected if you think it is wrong.

For more information about how information is collected, used, shared, and protected, please read the full State Redress NZ Privacy and Information Sharing Fact Sheet or contact the State redress service team.