Sandra Goudie MP
National Party Internal Affairs Spokeswoman

27 November 2007

Watered-down BDM bill still flawed

The self-congratulatory rhetoric of the parties that supported the Births, Deaths and Marriages Bill does not hide the fact that access to the register is now nowhere near as open as it once was, says National’s Internal Affairs spokeswoman, Sandra Goudie.

“There is no denying that the final version of the bill addressed some of the more draconian measures proposed, but it still makes access for historians, researchers and journalists unnecessarily complex.

“If there was proof that access to the Births, Deaths and Marriages register had been a major factor in identity fraud, no one would be complaining, but there is not.

“There was no evidence presented to the Government Administration Committee that there was a direct causal link between access to the register and identity fraud.

“So why the need to change the law?

“This is purely because this Labour Government is intent on adding layer upon layer of bureaucracy to ensure it has more and more control over people’s lives.

“The original legislation wasn’t broken. It didn’t need fixing.”

ENDS

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