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Crown Entities Act 2004

Preliminary provisions

7: Meaning of Crown entity and categories of Crown entities

You could also call this:

"What is a Crown Entity and its Types?"

Illustration for Crown Entities Act 2004

In New Zealand, a Crown entity is a type of organisation that is part of the government. You can find Crown entities in five categories. These categories are statutory entities, Crown entity companies, Crown entity subsidiaries, school boards, and tertiary education institutions. Each category has its own definition, which you can find in the relevant laws, such as the Schedule 1 for statutory entities, the Companies Act 1993 for Crown entity companies, the Education and Training Act 2020 for school boards and tertiary education institutions.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM329641.

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Part 1Preliminary provisions

7Meaning of Crown entity and categories of Crown entities

  1. In this Act, Crown entity means an entity within one of the following 5 categories:

  2. statutory entities:
    The following table is small in size and has 3 columns. Column 1 is headed What are they? Column 2 is headed Definition. Column 3 is headed Different types.
    What are they? Definition Different types

    These are bodies corporate that are established by or under an Act

    An entity or office named in Schedule 1

    Crown agents (which must give effect to government policy when directed by the responsible Minister). These are named in Part 1 of Schedule 1

    Autonomous Crown entities (which must have regard to government policy when directed by the responsible Minister). These are named in Part 2 of Schedule 1

    Independent Crown entities (which are generally independent of government policy). These are named in Part 3 of Schedule 1

    1. Crown entity companies:
      The following table is small in size and has 2 columns. Column 1 is headed What are they? Column 2 is headed Definition.
      What are they? Definition

      These are companies incorporated under the Companies Act 1993 that are wholly owned by the Crown

      A company named in Schedule 2

      1. Crown entity subsidiaries:
        The following table is small in size and has 2 columns. Column 1 is headed What are they? Column 2 is headed Definition.
        What are they? Definition

        These are companies incorporated under the Companies Act 1993 that are controlled by Crown entities

        A company that is—

      2. a subsidiary of another Crown entity under sections 5 to 8 of the Companies Act 1993; or
        1. a multi-parent subsidiary of 2 or more Crown entities

            		1.
            1. school boards:
              The following table is small in size and has 2 columns. Column 1 is headed What are they? Column 2 is headed Definition.
              What are they? Definition

              These are boards that are bodies corporate constituted under the Education and Training Act 2020 (including distance schools)

              A body that is a board constituted under subpart 5 of Part 3 of the Education and Training Act 2020 and includes a board of a school designated as a distance school by the Minister of Education under section 196 of that Act

              1. tertiary education institutions:
                The following table is small in size and has 2 columns. Column 1 is headed What are they? Column 2 is headed Definition.
                What are they? Definition

                These are tertiary institutions (for example, universities, polytechnics, Te Pūkenga—New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology, or wānanga) that are bodies corporate established or continued under the Education and Training Act 2020

                An institution established or continued under subparts 3 or 4 of Part 4 of the Education and Training Act 2020, excluding an institution that is a wānanga that is not a Crown entity

                1. Despite section 5(3) of the Companies Act 1993, a Crown entity subsidiary must be a company incorporated under that Act.

                2. The words in brackets in subsection (1) about the effect of the different types of statutory entities are intended only as a guide.

                Notes
                • Section 7(1)(c): amended, on , by section 4(1) of the Crown Entities Amendment Act 2013 (2013 No 51).
                • Section 7(1)(d): replaced, on , by section 668 of the Education and Training Act 2020 (2020 No 38).
                • Section 7(1)(e): replaced, on , by section 668 of the Education and Training Act 2020 (2020 No 38).
                • Section 7(1)(e): amended, on , by section 51 of the Education and Training (Vocational Education and Training System) Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 56).
                • Section 7(1)(e): amended, on , by section 41 of the Education and Training Amendment Act 2023 (2023 No 45).
                • Section 7(1)(e): amended, on , by clause 4(2) of the Education (Name Change for NZIST) Order 2020 (LI 2020/260).
                • Section 7(1A): inserted, on , by section 4(2) of the Crown Entities Amendment Act 2013 (2013 No 51).