Crown Entities Act 2004

Introduction

You could also call this:

"Rules for Government Organisations to Follow"

This Act is about changing the laws that relate to Crown entities. You will learn what a Crown entity is and how it should work. The goal is to make sure all Crown entities follow the same rules and are accountable to the right people.

The Act wants to group Crown entities into different categories, each with its own rules for how it is run. This includes deciding how much the Crown entity should follow government policy or work independently.

You will see that the Act also explains what board members of Crown entities can and cannot do. It tells them they must make sure the Crown entity is financially responsible.

The Act also sets out what Crown entities must report on and to whom they are accountable, which includes their responsible Ministers and the House of Representatives.

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 It might be out of date or be missing some parts.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 18 July 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM329630.

Highlights from this law

7: Meaning of Crown entity and categories of Crown entities

What is a Crown entity and what types are there in New Zealand?

27: Responsible Minister's role

The Minister's job is to oversee and guide a statutory entity to ensure it follows the rules and does its job properly.

103: Power to direct Crown agents to give effect to government policy

The government can tell Crown agents what to do to follow its plans and rules.

104: Power to direct autonomous Crown entities to have regard to government policy

The government can ask some organisations to follow its plans when making decisions.

25: Board's role

The board makes big decisions for the organisation

51: Entity must operate in financially responsible manner

A government organisation must manage its money and belongings carefully.

150: Obligation to prepare, present, and publish annual report

Crown entities must write and share a yearly report on what they did.

105: No power to direct independent Crown entities or Crown entity companies on government policy unless provided in another Act

Ministers can't tell independent Crown entities what to do, unless another law says they can.

Topics:

Government and voting > Government departmentsBusiness > Industry rules

1: Title, or

"The name of this law is the Crown Entities Act 2004."

Crown Entities Act 2004

Reprint as at:: 2025-07-01
Assent:: 2004-12-21
Commencement:: see section 2

The Parliamentary Counsel Office has made editorial and format changes to this version using the powers under subpart 2 of Part 3 of the Legislation Act 2019.

Note 4 at the end of this version provides a list of the amendments included in it.

This Act is administered by the Public Service Commission.