Citizens Advice Bureau Rotorua

20/05/2026

Check out the Citizens Advice Bureau Youth Kete website at the Taiohi Tūrama Youth event tomorrow. We will be there between 3 and 4pm to demonstrate how useful the website is for young people. Check out www.youth.cab.org.nz

18/05/2026

The Rotorua Citizens Advice Bureau knows that there are many families/whānau in Rotorua who are digitally challenged. One main reason is the cost of access to an internet provider. Check out an event at the Rotorua Library today - 19 May between 11.00am and 4.00pm - see info below:

16/05/2026

15/05/2026

06/05/2026

29/04/2026

You can order a birth certificate through Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDM):
📄Online
📄 By post
📄In person in Auckland, Manukau, Wellington, or Christchurch (by appointment only).

Because birth records are public, you can apply for yourself or for someone else eg, your child or a relative for researching your family history/whakapapa.
Cost:
📄 $33 for a standard certificate
📄 $35 for a decorative certificate

Payment can be made by credit card, debit card, or Prezzy card.

If you’re looking for older records, you can request a birth certificate through BDMonline for:
📄 people born at least 100 years ago
📄 people who died at least 50 years ago
📄 people born at least 80 years ago (if deceased)

For more information, visit: cab.org.nz/article/KB00000701

[Image information: A baby asleep being held by a parent. Text reads "How do I get a copy of a birth certificate?"]

15/04/2026

🔨⛑ If you are an independent contractor, you could be held personally liable for any accidental damage you cause while you are contracted to do work. So it's a good idea to get liability insurance if you are an independent contractor. This will help cover any future incidents where you could be held responsible for damage or loss. If you are an employee, the business or organisation you work for will be liable if you cause accidental damage to the property.

To find out more about your rights as an independent contractor or employee and about dispute resolution, visit: cab.org.nz/article/KB00000389

[Image description: Person wearing ear protection and bending down to work on a bench with tools. Text reads “Do I have to pay if I accidentally damage property while I work, either as a contractor or an employee?”]

10/12/2025

This morning we released a report revealing the harmful gaps in NZ’s welfare support system. Mana Āki - Dignity for All cab.org.nz/mana-aki, highlights the urgent need for the welfare system to accommodate for the complexity of people’s real-life circumstances and to treat people with dignity.

Based on over 10,000 welfare-related enquiries to the CAB from November 2023 to May 2025, the report shows that systemic barriers and inadequate support are leaving many people without the basic essentials for life including housing and food.

“Our clients are struggling to get help from the systems that are supposed to be there when people need them,” says Dr Andrew Hubbard, CAB Deputy Chief Executive. “They are actively seeking solutions, but the welfare system is failing to provide the support they need.”

Key findings include:
* Income inadequacy is driving financial stress, including for people in work.
* Housing unaffordability and tightened emergency accommodation criteria are pushing families into homelessness.
* Systemic and administrative failures within Work and Income is preventing people from accessing their legal entitlements.
* Sanctions and compliance systems are causing confusion, fear, and financial harm.
* Older people relying solely on superannuation are experiencing poverty.
* Digital exclusion and disability are compounding barriers for vulnerable groups.

The report underscores that these issues are not about the failings of people needing help, they are about systems that cannot accommodate the unpredictability and complexity of people’s lives. CAB calls for policy and service design that recognises complexity, prioritises dignity, and ensures access to all entitlements without unnecessary hurdles.

“People want to work, contribute, and live independently,” say Dr Hubbard. “But when the welfare system imposes rigid processes and punitive measures, it creates more hardship instead of alleviating it.”

The report calls for urgent action to:
* Improve income adequacy so benefits and wages meet real living costs.
* Strengthen housing security and streamline emergency accommodation processes.
* Simplify communication and improve case management within Work and Income.
* Review sanctions and compliance systems to prevent harm.
* Invest in advocacy and budgeting services to reduce barriers and waitlists.

Download the report cab.org.nz/mana-aki



[Image description: A purple heart with koru designs on a pale purple background with the CAB logo and report title below.]