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31: Functions of territorial authorities under this Act
or “This law explains what local councils must do to manage land and resources in their area.”

You could also call this:

“The Conservation Minister can act like a local council for some special islands and their surrounding waters.”

The Minister of Conservation has special powers for certain island areas in New Zealand. These powers are like those of a regional council and a territorial authority.

For the coastal marine areas around the Kermadec Islands, Snares Islands, Bounty Islands, Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Campbell Island, and nearby islands, the Minister can do what a regional council would do under section 30(1)(d).

The Minister can also act like a regional council and a territorial authority for these islands. This means the Minister can make decisions about things like planning and resource management for these areas.

These powers are in addition to the Minister’s other responsibilities. The Minister still has all their usual duties, but now they can also do these extra things for these special island areas.

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Next up: 32: Requirements for preparing and publishing evaluation reports

or “Rules for making and sharing reports that check if new plans are good and will work well”

Part 4 Functions, powers, and duties of central and local government
Functions, powers, and duties of local authorities

31AMinister of Conservation to have certain powers of local authority

  1. The Minister of Conservation—

  2. has, in respect of the coastal marine areas of the Kermadec Islands, the Snares Islands, the Bounty Islands, the Antipodes Islands, the Auckland Islands, Campbell Island, and the islands adjacent to Campbell Island, the responsibilities, duties, and powers that a regional council would have under section 30(1)(d) if those coastal marine areas were within the region of that regional council; and
    1. may exercise, in respect of the islands specified in paragraph (a),—
      1. the responsibilities, duties, and powers that a regional council would have under this Act if those islands were within the region of that regional council; and
        1. the responsibilities, duties, and powers that a territorial authority would have under this Act if those islands were within the district of that territorial authority.
        2. The responsibilities, duties, and powers conferred on the Minister of Conservation by subsection (1)(b) are in addition to the powers conferred on that Minister by subsection (1)(a).

        3. The responsibilities, duties, and powers conferred on the Minister of Conservation by this section are in addition to the responsibilities, duties, and powers conferred on that Minister by this Act.

        Notes
        • Section 31A: inserted, on , by section 262 of the Local Government Act 2002 (2002 No 84).
        • Section 31A(1)(b)(i): amended, on , by section 150 of the Resource Management (Simplifying and Streamlining) Amendment Act 2009 (2009 No 31).