US embassy cable - 05WELLINGTON225

UNCLAS WELLINGTON 000225 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/ANP, G/ISI KHADIAGALA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KWMN, ECON, ELAB, PHUM, PGOV, SCUL, SOCI, NZ 
SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND: RESPONSE ON CHILD MARRIAGE FOR NZ, 
NIUE, TOKELAU AND COOK ISLANDS 
 
REF: STATE 36341 
 
1. The following are responses to the request for information 
on child marriage in New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue and 
Tokelau, keyed to the questions in paragraph 7 of reftel. 
 
A. The legal age of marriage in New Zealand is 16.  Children 
(both male and female) can marry at age 16 if they have not 
been previously married, and have obtained written parental 
consent.  The legal age of marriage without parental consent 
is 20 years.  In the Cook Islands, the legal age of marriage 
without parental consent is 20 for both males and females. 
With parental consent, the ages are 18 for males and 15 for 
females.  In Tokelau, the legal age of marriage without 
parental consent is 21 for males and 19 for females.  With 
parental consent, the ages are 18 for males, and 16 for 
females. In Niue, the legal age of marriage without parental 
consent is 21 for males and 19 for females.  With parental 
consent, the ages are 18 for males and 15 for females. 
 
B. Underage marriage is not permissible under New Zealand 
law, and is not a significant problem.  There is no readily 
available information concerning the practice of under-age 
marriage in the Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau.  Indications, 
however, are that there are not significant problems. 
 
C.  There are no U.S.-funded initiatives in the above-listed 
countries that address child marriage. 
Burnett