In New Zealand, the Electoral Roll is a public record of where people live so they can vote. However, for survivors of family violence, being on the public roll is a major safety risk because anyone can walk into a public library or council office and look up your address.

The Unpublished Roll is a secure, hidden list. If you are on it, your name and address will not appear on the public roll that people can search.

1. Who can apply?

You don’t just have to “wish” for privacy; you are legally entitled to be on the unpublished roll if you can show that having your details public would threaten your safety (or the safety of your family).

The “Gold Standard” Proof: Having a Protection Order makes you automatically eligible.
Other Proof: If you don’t have a Protection Order, you can use a letter from the Police, a specialist support worker (like Women’s Refuge), or a lawyer explaining why you are at risk.

2. How to Apply

You cannot do this through the standard “Vote NZ” website because that system is designed for public enrollment.

Get the Form: You need the “Application for registration on the unpublished roll” form. You can download it from the Electoral Commission website or ask for one at a PostShop.
Attach Your Evidence: Include a photocopy of your Protection Order or your support letter.
Submit: You must mail the physical form or email a scanned copy to the Electoral Commission.

3. How Voting Works When You Are “Hidden”

Being on the unpublished roll does not take away your right to vote. It just changes how you do it:

No Easy-Vote Card: You won’t get a standard “Easy-Vote” card in the mail (because that has your address on it).
Special Voting: When an election happens, you go to a polling place and cast a Special Vote. You will tell the staff you are on the unpublished roll; they will have you fill out a declaration and your vote will be counted privately.

4. Other “Public” Databases to Scrub

Once you are on the Unpublished Roll, you should check these other NZ databases that often leak your address:

Database	How to Fix It
The White Pages	Call your phone/internet provider (Spark, One NZ, etc.) and demand to be “Unlisted.”
Companies Office	If you own a business, your home address is public. You can apply for a “Relevant Property Address” substitution, so your lawyer’s or accountant’s address shows instead.
Land Information (LINZ)	If you own your home, your name is linked to the title. You can request to have your name withheld from the “Standard Search” for safety reasons.

5. The “Privacy” Mindset

Think of the Unpublished Roll as the “master key.” Once you have your confirmation letter from the Electoral Commission, you can show it to other agencies (like the Warehouse Stationery for a discount card or a gym) as proof that they must not store your physical address in a way that staff can easily see.

Important: Every time you move house, you must update the Electoral Commission immediately so they can keep you on the unpublished list at your new location.

Inland Revenue

Inland Revenue (IRD) is a high-stakes agency because they handle Child Support and Working for Families. In a family violence context, an abuser can sometimes try to use Child Support letters or the “MyIR” portal to figure out where you are living or working.

Setting up a Confidential Address and a Security Flag with IRD is a critical step in “locking down” your digital footprint in Aotearoa.

1. The “Family Violence Red Flag”

IRD has a specialized team trained to handle these situations. When you contact them, you can ask for a “Security Flag” to be placed on your account.

What it does: It alerts any staff member who opens your file that your information is sensitive.
The “Extra Step”: It often requires a specific password or extra security questions before anyone—including you—can discuss the account over the phone. This prevents an abuser from “impersonating” you to get information.

2. How to Set Up a Confidential Address

You can have a “physical” address for IRD’s records (where you actually live) and a “postal” address (like a PO Box or the Poste Restante we discussed) for all mail.

The Benefit: Even if a letter is accidentally sent or if an abuser manages to see a summary of your account, they only see the “Safe Address.”
How to do it: * Online: Log into myIR, go to “Settings” or “Manage Account,” and update your “Postal Address.”
- Phone: Call 0800 227 774 and specifically ask for the Family Violence Team.

3. Child Support Privacy (The “Information Shield”)

If you are claiming Child Support, the “Other Parent” is legally entitled to certain information, but never your address.

The Risk: Sometimes, the name of your employer might show up on paperwork if you have “deductions” set up.
The Fix: Tell the IRD Family Violence Team that you have a Protection Order or a safety concern. They can manually “scrub” or suppress information on notices sent to the other parent to ensure no clues about your location or workplace are leaked.

4. Removing “Linked” Access

In many relationships, partners “link” their myIR accounts to manage taxes together.

The Break: You must explicitly ask IRD to de-link your account from your ex-partner’s. If you don’t, they may still be able to see your income, your employer’s name, or your tax credits through their own login.

5. What You’ll Need

IRD usually requires some form of verification to activate these high-level privacy settings:

A copy of your Protection Order.
Or a Police Report number.
Or a letter from a certified support agency (like Shine, Women’s Refuge, or a lawyer).

Pro-Tip: If you are worried about the abuser seeing that you’ve called IRD on a shared phone bill, call them from a friend’s phone or a public phone. IRD also has a “secure mail” function inside myIR which is safer than standard email.

Section 121

In New Zealand, the Family Court is generally private, but a Section 121 Order (under the Family Court Act 1980) is your “legal gag order.” It is designed to ensure that the details of your case—and more importantly, your identity and the identity of your children—remain strictly confidential.

While there are automatic protections in place, a specific Section 121 order adds an extra layer of iron-clad security.

1. What a Section 121 Order Does

Essentially, this order makes it a criminal offense for anyone to publish any report of the proceedings that could identify you or your whānau.

Broad Protection: “Publishing” doesn’t just mean newspapers. In 2026, this includes Social Media (Facebook, TikTok, Instagram) and community group chats.
Identity Shield: It forbids the disclosure of names, addresses, schools, workplaces, or even specific descriptions that might lead a “reasonable person” to figure out who you are.
The “Teeth”: If an abuser (or anyone else) posts details of your court case online to shame or “out” you, they can be prosecuted and face fines or even imprisonment.

2. Why You Might Need One

While the law automatically protects the identity of children in Family Court, a Section 121 order is often requested if:

The abuser has a history of using social media as a weapon (e.g., “venting” on Facebook).
Your case is high-profile or involves a well-known person in the community.
There is a high risk that the abuser will try to “tell their side of the story” to mutual friends or the public to bypass a Protection Order.

3. How to Get the Order

You don’t have to wait for a full trial to ask for this.

The Application: Your lawyer can apply for a Section 121 order at the same time they apply for a Protection Order or Parenting Order.
The Argument: You (or your lawyer) explain to the Judge that “publicity would cause undue hardship or risk to the safety of the applicant or the children.”
The Result: The Judge can make the order “interim” (temporary) immediately, often without the other person even being told yet (without notice).

4. Section 121 and “Social Media Abuse”

If you have this order and the abuser posts about the court case online:

Screenshot everything: Do not engage or comment. Take a photo or screenshot of the post, including the date and time.
Call the Police: This is a breach of a court order.
The “Takedown”: You can show the Section 121 order to platforms like Meta (Facebook) or Google to have the content removed more quickly, as it is a violation of NZ law.

5. Automatic Protections (The Baseline)

Even without a specific Section 121 order, Section 11B of the Family Court Act generally prevents the publication of reports of proceedings. However, Section 121 is much more specific and carries heavier weight when dealing with an abuser who likes to “talk.”

A Note on “Legal Aid”: If you are worried about the cost of getting these orders, remember that if you are applying for a Protection Order, you are often eligible for Legal Aid regardless of your income in the initial stages.