Hon Pete Hodgson
Minister for Land Information

8 February 2006 Media Statement

New era for land transactions in New Zealand

All survey and land title transactions in New Zealand will be lodged electronically from July 2008, Land Information Minister Pete Hodgson announced today.

Following Cabinet approval last week, Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) will begin work to enhance its Landonline system to enable the phasing out of paper-based lodgement.

"New Zealand will become the first country in the world to have a fully electronic survey and land registration system," Pete Hodgson said. "This represents yet another step in the government's work to make it easy to do business in New Zealand."

Landonline is the electronic database for all of New Zealand’s title certificates and survey information. Landonline enables registered users - conveyancers and surveyors - to lodge electronic title and survey transactions instantaneously.

Landonline has been in operation since 2000, but has sat alongside the traditional paper lodgement system.

“It is no longer economic for LINZ to operate two systems. Replacing the labour-intensive paper-based system is entirely in keeping with the E-Government Strategy in terms of improved delivery of services and enabling greater access to information.

"Electronic lodgement enables much faster turnaround time and is cheaper and more efficient for conveyancers and surveyors, and their customers."

Phasing out paper-based lodgement will require changes to LINZ’s operations, which will have implications for customers and staff in the longer term. LINZ will brief customers and stakeholders on the proposed changes and will consult with staff and the Public Service Association (PSA).

"There are now very important issues for LINZ to consider around long-term staffing. LINZ will work with staff and the PSA to resolve these as smoothly as possible."

To give customers time to prepare, 100 per cent electronic lodgement will be phased in gradually, starting with discharges on 1 May 2007, transfers and mortgages on 1 August 2007, survey transactions on 1 September 2007, and all remaining title transactions, such as caveats and rights of way, on 1 July 2008.

ENDS

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