More than 1,000 requests for personal records have been sent by survivors of abuse in care, people with lived experience, and whānau through the Kōnae: My Records Guide website since its launch in February 2025.

The Kōnae website – konae.org.nz – was commissioned by the Government as part of its response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care, and was developed by Citizens Advice Bureau, alongside survivors and people with lived experience.

The Royal Commission found that people faced many barriers to accessing personal records. Survivors reported long delays, heavily redacted or incomplete information, and uncertainty about their rights and how to request records about them.

The purpose of the website is to help people know how and where to access records made about them by government, faith-based, or other organisations involved in decisions about their guardianship or care.

Since its launch Kōnae has been visited over 40,000 times and its form for requesting records has been completed more than 400 times sending over 1,000 records requests to agencies and organisations that hold records across Aotearoa New Zealand.

People can want records for many different reasons. For some, records can help them better understand their past and decisions that were made about their guardianship or care. They can also serve as critical evidence for survivors seeking justice and redress.

Kōnae does not hold or manage any personal records. On Kōnae, users can quickly find organisations holding their records through an interactive map, request them directly using an online form, and find advice and guidance for what can be a complicated and challenging process.

Alongside Kōnae, Citizens Advice Bureau provides in-person support and advice from trained volunteers through its 80 sites around Aotearoa.

Survivors of abuse in care can also get support from the Survivor Experiences Service.

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