The secret register protecting New Zealand’s cultural heritage

Monday, 26 May 2025

An oil painting, a boat, a hei tiki (Māori ornamental pendant), two horse-drawn carriages, printing press equipment, a tractor, a banknote and historical Antarctic items are among the artefacts officially banned from leaving New Zealand.

Since 2007, officials from the Ministry for Culture and Heritage have declined the permanent export of 35 objects more than 50 years old with some significance to New Zealand.

The list is not available for public inspection.

However, new documents released to The Post provide some detail about the objects. The earliest declined exports were in 2007 and were of seven medals, a tractor, a banknote and a yacht.

In 2008 an oil painting was declined export and in 2009 officials declined the export of a stationary engine and a carved panel.

In 2013 officials declined the export of four pieces of printing press equipment. In 2015 they declined the export of two historical Antarctic items.

In 2018 a traction engine was declined export, as was a film collection in 2019.

In 2021 a boat was declined export. Two horse-drawn carriages were declined export in 2022. That same year, a musical instrument, a kete (basket) and a hei tiki were all declined export.

Last year a mere (short, flat weapon of stone, often of greenstone) was declined export, along with a boat and various other taonga. This year an oil painting was declined.

Reasons include if the object is substantially physically authentic and made or naturally occurring in New Zealand, or made with New Zealand materials, used by New Zealanders or related to New Zealand.

Once objects are declined permanent export permission under the Protected Objects Act, they are added to a register of nationally significant objects, preventing their future export.

Once items are added to the register, officials do not track their whereabouts, meaning the exact locations and current owners are not known.

The culture ministry’s chief executive signs off on decisions after taking advice from at least two expert examiners.

Objects may also be included on the register if an owner submits it for inclusion.

It’s illegal to export a protected New Zealand object without the permission of the culture ministry’s chief executive. If export permission is granted, terms and conditions may be imposed.

The illegal export or attempted illegal export of a protected object can result in the item being forfeited to the Crown, a fine of up to $100,000 (or $200,000 for a body corporate), or up to five years’ imprisonment.

Wilfully damaging or destroying an object that’s been refused export permission is also punishable by law.

An applicant may appeal any decision to the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, but a paper released to The Post dated December 2023 said there were no cases in which an applicant had done so.

Objects can be removed from the register if they no longer meet criteria.

The Protected Objects Act also allows the ministry to respond to the import of unlawfully exported or stolen protected foreign objects; ensures the care for, and facilitates iwi ownership of found taonga tūturu (protected objects that are discovered and whakapapa to te ao Māori); and regulates the trade of privately-owned taonga tūturu.

At the end of 2024, the ministry had a backlog of 478 unresolved taonga tūturu cases for which ownership was yet to be determined.

In addition, there’s also a 30-year backlog of 5500 taonga tūturu that are in “prima facie Crown ownership”, which were found between 1976 and 2006, when the Antiquities Act that pre-dated the Protected Objects Act was in force.