Submission on the Companies (Address Information) Amendment Bill

Cooperative Business NZ made this submission to the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Select Committee regarding the Companies (Address Information) Amendment Bill. The Bill aimed to address privacy and safety concerns associated with the public availability of directors’ residential addresses on the companies register.

The submission focused on the implications for directors of cooperatives and mutuals, many of whom hold governance roles across multiple entities.

Submission at a glance

• Submitted by: Cooperative Business NZ 

• Date: May 2024 

• Submitted to: Economic Development, Science and Innovation Select Committee 

• Policy area: Company law and director privacy 

• Format: Written submission (PDF) 

CBNZ position

The submission supported the intent of improving director privacy and safety, but argued that access to alternative service addresses should be available as of right. It recommended removing the requirement for directors to demonstrate harm or complete additional procedural steps in order to protect their personal address information.

Key issues addressed

• Privacy and safety risks for company directors 

• Accessibility of personal information on the companies register 

• Administrative burden associated with statutory declarations 

• Alternative approaches to protecting director information 

• The potential role of Director Identification Numbers 

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