Access to cultural recognition order records
You may be able to apply for information about a cultural recognition order. To apply for this information you need authorisation from the Commissioner (Meriba Omasker Kaziw Kazipa).
Information held by the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages about cultural recognition orders is legally and culturally sensitive. The Meriba Omasker Kaziw Kazipa (Torres Strait Islander Child Rearing Practice) Act 2020 tells us:
- who can ask for this information
- how they can apply.
Torres Strait Islander people can apply for legal recognition of Ailan Kastom child rearing practice to the Office of the Commissioner (Meriba Omasker Kaziw Kazipa).
Legal Aid Queensland, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (ATSILS) and Queensland Indigenous Family Violence Legal Services (QIFVLS) are available to provide free legal advice and help you apply to the Commissioner for a Cultural Recognition Order.
Located at Level 3, Citi Central Building, 46-48 Sheridan Street, Cairns.
Online
Email: office@ocmokk.qld.gov.au
By phone
Phone: 1800 571 102 (Free call within Australia)
By post
PO Box 7576
CAIRNS QLD 4970
Find out more information about Meriba Omasker Kaziw (Torres Strait Islander traditional child rearing practice).
With authorisation from the Commissioner, you may be able to apply to the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages for:
- a certificate
- information
- source document
- a copy of a cultural recognition order.
You don't need authorisation to get an official birth certificate.
You need to contact the Office of the Commissioner and ask for the Commissioner's authorisation.
The following people can ask for authorisation:
- an applicant on the cultural recognition order
- the person who was the subject of a cultural recognition order (once they turn 18)
- a guardian for the above person(s).
Find out how to get the Commissioner's authorisation.
If you get authorisation you will receive a letter that tells you what information from the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages you can apply for.
When a cultural recognition order is registered, the original birth certificate for the person is closed. We call this ‘pre-cultural recognition order’ information.
To access the pre-cultural recognition order records you need authority from the Commissioner.
The Commissioner may allow you to order one or more of the following ‘pre-cultural recognition order’ documents:
- certificates
- information
- source documents
- a copy of the cultural recognition order.
These certificates or information can’t be used for identification and are stamped ‘Not to be used for official purposes’.
When a cultural recognition order is registered, a new official birth certificate is made from the cultural recognition order information. We it called the ‘post-cultural recognition order’ information.
The new official certificate:
- can be used for identification purposes
- has details of the cultural parents
- does not show the birth parents.
Cultural parents and the subject of the cultural recognition order do not need authorisation from the Commissioner to buy a birth certificate for proof of identity.
Birth parents need authorisation from the Commissioner to apply for post-cultural recognition order certificates or information.
A person who was the subject of a cultural recognition order may wish to learn more about their birth parents.
They can apply for their birth parents’ Queensland birth certificate(s) if they have authorisation from the Commissioner.
The certificate we issue can’t be used for identification and will be stamped ‘Not to be used for official purposes’.
With authorisation from the Commissioner, you can choose to find out what Queensland marriage and death information is available for:
- the person who was the subject of a cultural recognition order
- their birth parents.
We do not have information about births, deaths or marriages from outside of Queensland.
Information available
Search results for a marriage will include:
- couples' names
- date and place
- address of the relevant person(s) at time of marriage.
Search results for a death will include:
- name
- date and place
- cause of death
- burial or cremation details.
If the birth father or parent is not shown on the entry in the birth register, we may not be able to search for the marriage or death information.
How to apply
To apply for certificates and information, you need to:
- Get an authorisation from the Commissioner (Meriba Omasker Kaziw Kazipa).
- Fill in the cultural recognition order information application form.
- Have your proof of ID documents and the authorisation from the Commissioner certified by a Justice of the Peace or another authorised person.
- Submit your application form, authorisation and proof of ID documents to us by post or in person.
- We will review your application and advise you of the total amount for your order (and how to pay).
Fill in an access to cultural recognition order records application form
Post your completed application form with your certified copy of the authorisation from the Commissioner and supporting documents to:
Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages
PO Box 15188
CITY EAST QLD 4002
Visit the Brisbane registry customer service centre at Level 32, 180 Ann Street, Brisbane with the completed application form, your original authorisation from the Commissioner, and original proof of ID documents.
We will email you after we have reviewed your application and confirm:
- the total amount for your order
- how to pay.
You can pay:
- online
- by credit card (MasterCard or Visa)
- at the customer service centre
- by debit card or credit card
- by post
- by credit card.
Contactless payments such as debit card or credit card preferred. We will accept cash at the customer service centre.
We do not accept:
- personal cheques
- cheques issued from outside Australia (in any currency).
Application fees
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Pre-cultural recognition order certificate (standard postage included) | $56.20 |
| Photocopy of the cultural recognition order (certification and standard postage included) | $127.75 |
| Official birth certificate (standard postage included) | $56.20 |
| Search fee (under 1 name for each event) | $28.00 |
| Each additional name searched (for each event) | $28.00 |
Postage fees
Standard postage is included in the price when you order a certificate to be sent by mail.
You can choose to have your certificate sent by express or registered post for a fee.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Express post | $8.55 |
| Registered post | $8.10 |
| International registered mail | $18.55 |
We value identity protection, so we recommend that you choose registered post. This ensures your certificate's delivery can be tracked and delivered to you more securely within Australia.
International registered mail is used for overseas deliveries. However, this can’t be tracked and signing on delivery is only available in some countries.
Fee waiver
If you are suffering financial hardship and have an immediate need for a birth certificate, you may be able to have your application fee waived.
Learn more in our fee waiver policy and complete a request for a fee waived certificate.
We make sure your certificates leave our office in good condition.
After it’s collected from our office, we do not have control over or responsibility for any damage done to a certificate in the post.
You can lodge a claim for compensation through Australia Post. We are unable to provide a replacement certificate free of charge.
The fee you pay is for you to submit your application and for us to review it.
You will lose the fee paid if we refuse your application or you cancel it after we have started to review it.
Please read our refund policy.
Contact us
By phone
Local call* 13 QGOV (13 74 68) or international +61 7 3022 6100 (+10 hours UTC)—phone lines are open Monday to Friday, 8.30am–4.30pm.
*Costs may be higher from mobile phones and interstate.