Social Security Act 1964

Before its repeal, this Act was administered by: Ministry of Social Development
  • repealed
  • Social Security Act 1964: repealed, on 26 November 2018, by section 455(1) of the Social Security Act 2018 (2018 No 32).

Information and information matching

Heading: inserted, on 15 July 2013, by section 62 of the Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Act 2013 (2013 No 13).

11 Power to obtain information

(1)

Subject to this section and to the code of conduct established under section 11B, the chief executive, for any purpose specified in subsection (2), may by notice in writing require any person (including any person who is an officer or employee in the service of the Crown in a government department or public body (other than as an officer of a court), in his or her official capacity)—

(a)

to provide the department or a specified employee of the department with such information as the chief executive requires; or

(b)

to produce to the department or to a specified employee of the department any document in the custody of or under the control of that person, and to allow copies of or extracts from any such document to be made or taken; or

(c)

to furnish to the department or to a specified employee of the department any copies or extracts from any document or record in the custody or under the control of that person—

within a period (being not less than 5 working days after the notice is given) and in the manner specified in the notice, and without charge.

(2)

The purposes specified in subsection (1) are—

(a)

determining whether a person who is receiving, or has received, or made a claim for, a benefit or payment under this Act or under Part 6 of the Veterans’ Support Act 2014 or under the New Zealand Superannuation and Retirement Income Act 2001 or under a welfare programme approved by the Minister under section 124(1)(d) of this Act is or was entitled to receive that benefit or that payment; or

(b)

determining the rate of benefit or payment that is or was applicable to that person; or

(c)

determining whether a person who has been issued with, or has made a claim for, an entitlement card under regulations in force under section 132A, is or was entitled to be issued with that card; or

(d)

conducting or reviewing a means assessment under Part 4 (relating to payment for contracted care services as defined in section 136), or determining whether any such means assessment is correct; or

(da)

determining, pursuant to section 69FA, the amount that any person is required to pay towards the cost of the home-based disability support services supplied to that person, and whether a person who has been so assessed is entitled to that assessment; or

(e)

ascertaining the financial circumstances or whereabouts of any person who is indebted to the Crown under—

(i)

this Act; or

(ii)

sections 27I to 27ZI (except section 27X) of, and Schedule 20 of, this Act (as preserved by section 256(1) of the Child Support Act 1991); or

(iii)

section 61CA of this Act; or

(f)

discharging the chief executive’s functions under this Act or under any regulations in force under this Act or under the Social Welfare (Reciprocity Agreements, and New Zealand Artificial Limb Service) Act 1990 or Part 6 of the Veterans’ Support Act 2014 or under the New Zealand Superannuation and Retirement Income Act 2001 or under any welfare programme approved by the Minister under section 124(1)(d) of this Act.

(3)

A person who—

(a)

refuses or fails without reasonable excuse to comply with a notice under this section to the extent that the person is capable of complying with it; or

(b)

in purported compliance with such a notice knowingly or recklessly furnishes information which is false or misleading in any material particular, or attempts to do so,—

commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,000.

(4)

Nothing in subsection (1) requires any person to provide any information or produce any document that would be privileged in a court of law, except as provided in subsection (5).

(5)

Nothing in subsection (1) shall require any person to provide any information or to produce any document that is legally professionally privileged:

provided that this subsection shall not apply to information or any document that consists wholly or partly of, or relates wholly or partly to,—

(a)

the receipts, payments, income, expenditure, or financial transactions of a specified person (whether a law practitioner, his or her client, or any other person); or

(b)

investment receipts (being receipts arising or accruing from any money lodged at any time with a law practitioner for investment) of any person or persons (whether the law practitioner, his or her clients, or any other person or persons)—

and is contained in, or comprises the whole or part of, any book, account, statement, or other record prepared by or kept in connection with a trust account of the law practitioner.

(6)

Where any person refuses to disclose any information or document on the ground that it is privileged under subsection (4) or subsection (5), the chief executive or that person or any other person to whom the information or document relates may apply to a District Court Judge for an order determining whether or not the claim of privilege is valid; and, for the purposes of determining any such application, the Judge may require the information or document to be produced to the court.

(7)

[Repealed]

(8)

In this section—

law practitioner means a barrister or solicitor of the High Court, and includes a firm or an incorporated law firm (within the meaning of the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006) in which the law practitioner is, or is held out to be, a partner, director, or shareholder

trust account, in relation to a law practitioner, has the same meaning as in section 6 of the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006.

Section 11: replaced, on 30 June 1993, by section 3 of the Social Security Amendment Act (No 3) 1993 (1993 No 57).

Section 11(1): amended, on 1 October 1998, by section 11 of the Employment Services and Income Support (Integrated Administration) Act 1998 (1998 No 96).

Section 11(1): amended, on 17 September 1997, by section 4(1) of the Social Security Amendment Act (No 4) 1997 (1997 No 63).

Section 11(1)(a): amended, on 1 October 1998, by section 11 of the Employment Services and Income Support (Integrated Administration) Act 1998 (1998 No 96).

Section 11(2)(a): amended, on 7 December 2014, by section 278 of the Veterans’ Support Act 2014 (2014 No 56).

Section 11(2)(a): amended, on 5 December 2013, by section 15(6)(a) of the Social Welfare (Transitional Provisions) Amendment Act 2013 (2013 No 132).

Section 11(2)(a): amended, on 21 April 2005, by section 9(1) of the New Zealand Superannuation and Retirement Income Amendment Act 2005 (2005 No 42).

Section 11(2)(a): amended, on 12 October 2001, by section 77 of the New Zealand Superannuation and Retirement Income Act 2001 (2001 No 84).

Section 11(2)(a): amended, on 1 July 1998, by section 2(3) of the Social Security Amendment Act 1998 (1998 No 19).

Section 11(2)(d): replaced, on 1 July 2005, by section 13(1) of the Social Security (Long-term Residential Care) Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 101).

Section 11(2)(da): inserted, on 17 September 1997, by section 4(2) of the Social Security Amendment Act (No 4) 1997 (1997 No 63).

Section 11(2)(e)(i): amended, on 1 July 1998, by section 2(3) of the Social Security Amendment Act 1998 (1998 No 19).

Section 11(2)(f): amended, on 7 December 2014, by section 278 of the Veterans’ Support Act 2014 (2014 No 56).

Section 11(2)(f): amended, on 5 December 2013, by section 15(4)(c) of the Social Welfare (Transitional Provisions) Amendment Act 2013 (2013 No 132).

Section 11(2)(f): amended, on 21 April 2005, by section 9(1) of the New Zealand Superannuation and Retirement Income Amendment Act 2005 (2005 No 42).

Section 11(2)(f): amended, on 15 April 2003, by section 12(1) of the War Pensions Amendment Act 2003 (2003 No 18).

Section 11(2)(f): amended, on 12 October 2001, by section 77 of the New Zealand Superannuation and Retirement Income Act 2001 (2001 No 84).

Section 11(2)(f): amended, on 1 October 1998, by section 11 of the Employment Services and Income Support (Integrated Administration) Act 1998 (1998 No 96).

Section 11(3): amended, on 1 July 2013, by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).

Section 11(3): amended, on 17 September 1997, by section 4(3) of the Social Security Amendment Act (No 4) 1997 (1997 No 63).

Section 11(4): replaced, on 17 September 1997, by section 4(4) of the Social Security Amendment Act (No 4) 1997 (1997 No 63).

Section 11(6): amended, on 1 October 1998, by section 11 of the Employment Services and Income Support (Integrated Administration) Act 1998 (1998 No 96).

Section 11(6): amended, on 17 September 1997, by section 4(5)(a) of the Social Security Amendment Act (No 4) 1997 (1997 No 63).

Section 11(6): amended, on 17 September 1997, by section 4(5)(b) of the Social Security Amendment Act (No 4) 1997 (1997 No 63).

Section 11(7): repealed, on 17 September 1997, by section 4(6) of the Social Security Amendment Act (No 4) 1997 (1997 No 63).

Section 11(8): replaced, on 1 August 2008, by section 348 of the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006 (2006 No 1).