This website is a place for supporters of adoption legislative reform in New Zealand

Next year, 2025, will mark 70 years of the Adoption Act 1955 being used to permanently and legally sever people from their whanau and family.

It is a travesty that the Adoption Act 1955 remains in force today

Since its enactment, significant cultural and social changes have brought a call for all legislation to promote human rights and protect the vulnerable and voiceless in our communities. The Adoption Act 1955 is significantly out of step with these changes and does not reflect current research and our understanding of the lifelong impacts of adoption.

Adoption Action Inc strongly supports the spirit of openness, integrity and honesty relating to all elements of New Zealand’s adoption legislation. To achieve this, children’s needs and rights must be paramount in all legislation, and those adopted under the current Act (Adoption Act 1955) must be afforded the same rights as non-adopted people.

Adoption Action would like to see all New Zealand child care and protection legislation support the Law Commission’s recommendations for legislative reform of the Adoption Act 1955, and New Zealand’s obligations under the international treaties it has ratified, primarily the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child. Information on other treaties relevant to adoption in New Zealand can be found on the Human Rights Commission site.

There have been many attempts to reform the outdated Adoption Act 1955, however, no significant changes to adoption legislation in New Zealand have been made since the introduction of the Adult Adoption Information Act 1985.

Adoption Action has developed a chronology of the moves and attempts to reform New Zealand’s adoption legislation spanning the past 50 years.

Chronology of inaction of successive governments in the reform of New Zealand’s adoption laws.