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Utilities Access Act 2010

4: Interpretation

You could also call this:

"What special words mean in the Utilities Access Act 2010"

Illustration for Utilities Access Act 2010

When you read the Utilities Access Act 2010, you need to know what some words mean. The word "Code" refers to a set of rules that the government approves under section 12. If there is no Code, it means a set of rules made by the government under section 18.

You also need to know what a "corridor manager" is. This is the person or group in charge of a road, motorway, or railway land. For roads, it is usually the local council. For motorways, it is the New Zealand Transport Agency. For railway land, it is the company that controls access to the land.

Other important words are "eligible infrastructure", which is defined in section 8 of the Infrastructure Funding and Financing Act 2020, and "SPV", which is a special company responsible for building certain infrastructure, as defined in the Infrastructure Funding and Financing Act 2020.

The "Minister" is the government official in charge of this Act. The "Ministry" is the government department that helps the Minister. "Railway land" is any land with a railway line on it, and the land around it that is used for the railway. "Related Ministers" are the government officials in charge of other Acts that are related to this one, such as the Local Government Act 1974, the Electricity Act 1992, and the Railways Act 2005.

A "transport corridor" is a road, motorway, or railway land. A "utility operator" is a company that provides services like electricity, gas, or water. This can include companies like electricity operators, gas operators, and water service providers, as defined in Acts like the Electricity Act 1992 and the Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM2248933.

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3: Purpose of Act, or

"This law helps utility companies and managers share roads and paths fairly."

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"The government must follow this law too"

4Interpretation

  1. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—

    Code means—

    1. the national code of practice that is approved under section 12 and has taken effect, along with all amendments to it that have taken effect; or
      1. if there is no Code approved under section 12, but regulations have been made under section 18, the code set out in those regulations

        corridor manager means,—

        1. in relation to a road (as defined in section 315(1) of the Local Government Act 1974, and which includes State highways and Government roads), the local authority or other person that has jurisdiction over the road:
          1. in relation to a motorway (as defined in section 2(1) of the Government Roading Powers Act 1989), the New Zealand Transport Agency:
            1. in relation to railway land, the licensed access provider who controls access to the land

              eligible infrastructure has the same meaning as in section 8 of the Infrastructure Funding and Financing Act 2020

                Minister means the Minister of the Crown who, under the authority of any warrant or with the authority of the Prime Minister, is for the time being responsible for the administration of this Act

                  Ministry means the department of State that, with the authority of the Prime Minister, is for the time being responsible for the administration of this Act

                    railway land means any land upon which a railway line (as defined in section 4 of the Railways Act 2005) is constructed, along with any adjacent land that is held or used in connection with operating a railway on that railway line

                      related Ministers means the Ministers of the Crown who are responsible for the administration of the Local Government Act 1974, the Electricity Act 1992, the Gas Act 1992, the Government Roading Powers Act 1989, the Telecommunications Act 2001, and the Railways Act 2005

                        SPV means a responsible SPV that is identified by a levy order made under the Infrastructure Funding and Financing Act 2020 as having responsibility for the construction of eligible infrastructure

                          transport corridor means any road (as defined in section 315(1) of the Local Government Act 1974), motorway (as defined in section 2(1) of the Government Roading Powers Act 1989), or railway land

                            utility operator means,—

                            1. in relation to electricity infrastructure, an electricity operator as defined in section 2(1) of the Electricity Act 1992:
                              1. in relation to gas infrastructure, a gas operator as defined in section 2(1) of the Gas Act 1992:
                                1. in relation to telecommunications infrastructure, a network operator as defined in section 5 of the Telecommunications Act 2001:
                                  1. in relation to water and wastewater infrastructure,—
                                    1. a local authority as defined in section 5 of the Local Government Act 2002; or
                                      1. a person acting on behalf of a local authority in relation to that infrastructure; or
                                        1. a water service provider as defined in section 4 of the Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025; or
                                          1. a responsible SPV that is responsible for the construction of eligible infrastructure under the Infrastructure Funding and Financing Act 2020:
                                          2. in relation to public letterboxes, a postal operator as defined in section 2(1) of the Postal Services Act 1998.

                                          Notes
                                          • Section 4 eligible infrastructure: inserted, on , by section 161 of the Infrastructure Funding and Financing Act 2020 (2020 No 47).
                                          • Section 4 SPV: inserted, on , by section 161 of the Infrastructure Funding and Financing Act 2020 (2020 No 47).
                                          • Section 4 utility operator paragraph (d): replaced, on , by section 161 of the Infrastructure Funding and Financing Act 2020 (2020 No 47).
                                          • Section 4 utility operator paragraph (d)(iia): inserted, on , by section 172 of the Local Government (Water Services) (Repeals and Amendments) Act 2025 (2025 No 43).