Conservation Act 1987

Administration

54: Deputy Directors-General of Conservation

You could also call this:

"Helpers to the boss of Conservation, called Deputy Directors-General, assist and take over when needed"

The government appoints one or more Deputy Directors-General of Conservation under the Public Service Act 2020 to help the Department work effectively. You can think of them as helpers to the Director-General. They have the same powers and duties as the Director-General, and they do what the Director-General tells them to do.

When the Director-General is not available, a Deputy Director-General takes over their job. If there is only one Deputy Director-General, they automatically take over. If there are more, the Public Service Commission chooses which one will take over. The Deputy Director-General has all the same powers as the Director-General, including any special powers given by the Minister under section 57.

If a Deputy Director-General makes a decision or takes an action, it is assumed they have the authority to do so. You cannot question their decision just because you think they should not have made it, or because the Director-General told them not to.

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This page was last updated on 24 May 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM106929.

Topics:

Government and voting > Government departmentsEnvironment and resources > Conservation

53: Powers of Director-General, or

"The Director-General's Job: Leading Conservation Efforts"

55: Other officers and employees of Department, or

"People who work with the Department to help it do its job"

Part 7Administration

54Deputy Directors-General of Conservation

There shall from time to time be appointed under the Public Service Act 2020 1 or more Deputy Directors-General of Conservation, as may be necessary or desirable for the effective and efficient carrying out of the functions of the Department.
Subject to the control of the Director-General, a Deputy Director-General shall have and may exercise all of the powers, duties, and functions of the Director-General (including any powers delegated by the Minister under section 57) and shall perform any other duties the Director-General thinks fit.
On the occurrence from any cause of a vacancy in the office of Director-General (whether by reason of death or resignation, or otherwise), or in the case of absence (from whatever cause arising) of the Director-General, and for so long as the vacancy or absence continues,—
the Deputy Director-General if there is only 1; or
a Deputy Director-General authorised in writing in that behalf by the Public Service Commission (before, on, or after the occurrence of the vacancy or absence) in every other case,—

section 57

The fact that a Deputy Director-General exercises or performs any power, function, or duty of the Director-General shall be conclusive evidence of the authority of the Deputy Director-General to do so; and no authority given under subsection (3)(b) and no act done by a Deputy Director-General under any such authority or under subsection (2) or subsection (3) shall in any proceedings be questioned on the ground that the occasion for the giving of the authority had not arisen or had ceased or that the act was contrary to a direction of the Director-General.

Notes

Section 54(1): amended, on 7 August 2020, by section 135 of the Public Service Act 2020 (2020 No 40).
Section 54(3)(b): amended, on 7 August 2020, by section 135 of the Public Service Act 2020 (2020 No 40).