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		Identity Service Fees New Zealand Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux submission on the proposed new identity service fees May 2002

Background The New Zealand Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux welcomes the opportunity to comment on the proposed new identity service fees. The aims of the Association are: To ensure that individuals do not suffer through ignorance of their rights and responsibilities or of the services available: or through an inability to express their needs effectively –– Me noho matära kia kaua te tangata e mate i töna kore möhio ki ngä ähuatanga e ähei atu ana ia, ki ngä mahi ränei e tika ana kia mahia e ia, ki ngä ratonga ränei e ähei atu ana ia; i te kore ränei öna e ähei ki te whakaputu i öna hiahia kia märama mai ai te tangata. To exert a responsible influence on the development of social policies and services, both locally and nationally -- Kia tino whawähi atu ki te auahatanga o ngä kaupapa-ä-iwi me ngä ratonga-ä-rohe, puta noa hoki i te motu. The New Zealand Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux – Ngä Pokapü Whakahoki Pätai mai i te Iwi Whänui provide free, confidential and impartial information, advice, advocacy and support to individuals, and use our experience with clients to advocate for socially just policies and services in Aotearoa New Zealand. The national network of 88 Citizens Advice Bureaux aim to empower individuals to deal with their own problems and to strengthen communities by identifying and raising local and national issues.  The person to person information, advice, advocacy and support service provided by 2,750 bureaux volunteers is unique in New Zealand, as is our ability to provide a national snapshot of community issues and concerns. In making our comments we draw on the knowledge and experience from bureaux’ client contact and the fact that since 1998 Citizens Advice Bureaux have dealt with almost 45,000 enquiries related to births, deaths, marriages (23.6% of the total), passports (31.5%), and immigration & refugees (44.9%).       Comments on the new fees The Association supports, in principle, the aim of the new fees to reduce the financial burden on families and refugees.  However, we believe that the actual fees proposed are in conflict with this aim.  While we appreciate that the fees need to be set within clear public sector guidelines, and accept the need for the department to meet costs of providing its services, we remain uncomfortable with the proposals. Reducing the burden on families and refugees The Department states that the proposed changes have been set at full cost recovery for each service, but that exemptions have been made for fees for children and refugees to reduce the financial burden on families and refugees. Citizenship fees for families While fees for children are absolutely lower than those for adults, the Association questions the relative change of these fees.  For example: A grant of citizenship for an adult will increase from $360 to $460 – an increase of 28%, compared with A grant for citizenship for a child under 16 years, which increases from $160 to $230 – an increase of 44% Passport fees for adults and children have declined, but by the same rate of 11% To examine this simply, take the example of a family with 2 adults and 2 children being granted citizenship: Under the current fees the family would pay a total of $1040, consisting of $720 for the 2 adults and $320 for the 2 children. Under the proposed fees the family would pay a total of $1380 (an increase of 33%), consisting of $920 for the 2 adults (an increase of 28%) and $460 for the 2 children (an increase of 44%) It is shown from this example that the financial burden on families under the new fees is clearly greater than under the current fees. Fees for refugees The Association also notes that there is no change (i.e. no lowering) in the fee for the issue or extension of a certificate of identity in respect of a refugee (refugee travel document).  There is no reduced financial burden on refugees under the proposed fees. On balance, the Association therefore remains concerned that the proposed citizenship fees will present an even greater barrier to the uptake of citizenship by refugees and immigrants with large families.           Information | Contact Us | Volunteering | Social Policy | About Us