Inquiries Act 2013

Preliminary provisions

4: Interpretation

You could also call this:

"What special words mean in the Inquiries Act 2013"

When you read the Inquiries Act 2013, you will see some words that have special meanings. The term "appointing Minister" refers to one or more Ministers of the Crown who set up a government inquiry under section 6(3). The "appropriate Minister" is the Minister of the Crown responsible for the relevant department.

You will also see the term "core participant", which is explained in section 17. A "document" has the same meaning as in section 4(1) of the Evidence Act 2006. An "establishment instrument" can be an Order in Council made under section 6(2) or a Gazette notice issued under section 6(3).

When you hear the term "expert opinion", it means the opinion of an expert based on their specialised knowledge or skill. A "government inquiry" is an inquiry set up under section 6(3). The term "information" includes matters of expert opinion as well as fact. An "inquiry" can be either a public inquiry or a government inquiry, as provided for by section 6.

You might also see the term "member", which refers to a member of an inquiry set up under section 6. An "officer of an inquiry" is someone who works for an inquiry. A "public inquiry" is an inquiry set up under section 6(2) and includes a Royal commission. The "relevant department" can be the Department of Internal Affairs or another department of State responsible for the inquiry.

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This page was last updated on 30 July 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM1566113.

Topics:

Government and voting > Government departments

3: Purpose, or

"What the Inquiries Act 2013 is for: helping set up and run fair inquiries into important issues."

5: Act binds the Crown, or

"The government must follow this law's rules, just like everyone else."

Part 1Preliminary provisions

4Interpretation

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—
appointing Minister means 1 or more Ministers of the Crown who establish a government inquiry under section 6(3)
appropriate Minister means the Minister of the Crown who, under the authority of any warrant or with the authority of the Prime Minister, is responsible for the relevant department
core participant has the meaning it is given in section 17
document has the same meaning that it is given in section 4(1) of the Evidence Act 2006
establishment instrument means—
1. an Order in Council made under section 6(2); or
2. a Gazette notice issued under section 6(3)
expert opinion means the opinion of an expert based on the specialised knowledge or skill of that expert
government inquiry means an inquiry established under section 6(3)
information, in relation to the power of an inquiry to obtain or disclose information, includes matters of expert opinion as well as of fact
inquiry means both a public inquiry and a government inquiry, as provided for by section 6
member means a member of an inquiry established under section 6
officer of an inquiry means a person who is engaged to work for an inquiry
public inquiry—
1. means an inquiry established under section 6(2); and
2. includes a Royal commission
relevant department means—
1. the Department of Internal Affairs; or
2. another department of State, if the other department is appointed, under the terms of reference for the inquiry, to be responsible for administrative matters relating to the inquiry.