Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Local Government Act 2002

Governance and management of local authorities and community boards - Register of members’ pecuniary interests

54F: Contents of pecuniary interest return relating to member’s activities

You could also call this:

"What local authority members must declare about their activities and gifts"

Illustration for Local Government Act 2002

When you are a member of a local authority, you have to fill out a form called a pecuniary interest return. This form must include information about your activities, such as travel to countries other than New Zealand. You have to write down the name of the country you visited, why you went there, and who paid for your travel and accommodation. You also have to describe any gifts you received, like hospitality or donations, if they are worth more than $500. You need to say who gave you the gift, if you know. You must also include information about any payments you received for activities you are involved in, but you do not have to include your salary or allowances paid under the Remuneration Authority Act 1977 or this Act. You can find more information about this in the Remuneration Authority Act 1977. If you want to know more about what you have to disclose, you can look at section 54E and section 54B. If your family paid for your travel or gave you a gift, you might not have to include this information in your pecuniary interest return. A family member includes your spouse, partner, parent, or child.

This text is automatically generated. It might be out of date or be missing some parts. Find out more about how we do this.

This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS787709.

Topics:
Government and voting > Local councilsMoney and consumer rights > Consumer protection
Previous

54E: Contents of pecuniary interest return relating to member’s position, or

"What local authority members must declare about their money and jobs"

Next

54G: Registrar, or

"The Registrar keeps track of council members' money matters and helps them follow the rules"

Part 4Governance and management of local authorities and community boards
Register of members’ pecuniary interests

54FContents of pecuniary interest return relating to member’s activities

  1. Every pecuniary interest return must also contain the following information:

  2. for each country (other than New Zealand) that the member travelled to,—
    1. the name of the country; and
      1. the purpose of travelling to the country; and
        1. the name of each person who contributed (in whole or in part) to the costs of the travel to and from the country; and
          1. the name of each person who contributed (in whole or in part) to the accommodation costs incurred by the member while in the country:
          2. a description of each gift (including hospitality and donations in cash or kind but excluding any donation made to cover expenses in an electoral campaign) received by the member and the name of the donor of each of those gifts (if known or reasonably ascertainable by the member) if—
            1. the gift has an estimated market value in New Zealand of more than $500; or
              1. the combined estimated market value in New Zealand of all gifts from the donor is more than $500:
              2. a description of each payment received by the member for activities in which the member is involved other than—
                1. the salary or allowances paid to that person under the Remuneration Authority Act 1977 or this Act; and
                  1. any payment the member received from an interest required to be disclosed under section 54E; and
                    1. any payment made in respect of any activity the member ceased to be involved in before becoming a member.

                    2. The information referred to in subsection (1)(a) does not have to be included in the pecuniary interest return if the travel costs and accommodation costs were paid in full by the following or any combination of the following:

                    3. the member:
                      1. a member of the member’s family.

                        1. The information referred to in subsection (1)(b) does not have to be included in the pecuniary interest return if the gift was from a member of the member’s family unless the member, taking the purpose of the register into account (see section 54B), considers the information should be included.

                        2. For the purposes of this section, member of the member’s family means the member’s spouse, partner, parent, grandparent, child, stepchild, foster child, grandchild, or sibling.

                        Notes
                        • Section 54F: inserted, on , by section 4 of the Local Government (Pecuniary Interests Register) Amendment Act 2022 (2022 No 24).