Hi Victoria I am genuinely happy for you and I wish you well with your surgeries. I hope everything goes smoothly and that you achieve the outcome you are hoping for.
You also raised several points about dealing with departments and being told different things over time. Many of us who went through these processes decades ago experienced the same issue. Procedures were less standardised and advice often depended on the individual staff member rather than clear written policy, which understandably leads to confusion later on.
On the change of name issue, I think you have been given incorrect information. Just to clarify I'm an Aussie also.
I also changed my name legally in February 1989 in New South Wales through what was then the NSW Land Titles Office, which was the correct and accepted process at the time. After that I updated all of my documentation without issue, including my driver licence, Medicare, Medibank, bank accounts and other records. Later on, my Australian Citizenship Certificate was issued in my legal name. That long and consistent trail of official documents shows the name was recognised and relied upon across government and financial systems.
It is also reasonable, when dealing with departments today, to calmly state that a Deed Poll executed lawfully at the time is still a valid legal document and that the name change itself has never been revoked or set aside. If necessary, asking to speak with a senior staff member or manager can be helpful, as they are often more familiar with the distinction between legal validity and current evidentiary preferences.
What has changed over time is not the legality of earlier name changes, but how agencies prefer to verify identity today. Many now favour a Births Deaths and Marriages certificate because it fits modern centralised systems. That preference does not mean the original name change became invalid. It simply means some departments want a different form of proof for new or updated records.
Expressing this respectfully usually resolves the issue, particularly when supported by decades of consistent documentation issued in the legal name.
I hope that helps clarify the position and again I wish you all the very best with everything you are doing.
Best Wishes AlwaysSarah BGlobal Moderator@VictoriasSecret
