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Local Government Act 2002

Structure and reorganisation of local government - Local Government Commission

34: Additional powers of Commission

You could also call this:

“The Commission gets extra powers to help run local areas and gather information”

When the Commission is doing its job under this Act, it has some extra powers. You can think of the Commission like a group of important people who help make decisions about how local areas are run.

The Commission has powers similar to a District Court when it’s dealing with civil cases. This means they can call people to meetings and make sure everyone behaves properly during these meetings or hearings.

The Commission is also treated like an official inquiry. This means they can do things like ask people questions and get information they need. They follow special rules that are set out in different parts of another law called the Inquiries Act 2013.

The person in charge of the Commission, called the chairperson, can do things to get ready for the Commission’s work. They can also ask other people who work for the Commission or in the public service to help with this preparation.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM171846.

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Part 3 Structure and reorganisation of local government
Local Government Commission

34Additional powers of Commission

  1. For the purposes of performing its functions under this Act, the Commission—

  2. has the powers of the District Court exercising its civil jurisdiction in respect of citing parties and conducting and maintaining order at any meeting or hearing; and
    1. is to be treated as an inquiry for the purposes of sections 14, 19 to 27, 29, 30, and 34 of the Inquiries Act 2013.

      1. The chairperson of the Commission, or any other person (being a member of the Commission or an officer of the public service) acting by direction or with the authority of the chairperson, may do any act preliminary or incidental to the investigation or consideration of any matter by the Commission.

      Notes
      • Section 34: replaced, on , by section 19 of the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Act 2019 (2019 No 54).
      • Section 34(2): amended, on , by section 135 of the Public Service Act 2020 (2020 No 40).