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Overseas Investment Act 2005

Preliminary provisions

3: Purpose

You could also call this:

"This law helps protect important New Zealand assets from overseas owners by setting rules and conditions."

The purpose of the Overseas Investment Act 2005 is to make sure it's not easy for people from other countries to own or control important New Zealand assets. You need to meet certain criteria before you can invest in these assets. The Act also imposes conditions on these investments. The Act is also meant to manage risks, such as national security and public order risks, when people from other countries make transactions. This helps New Zealand decide who can own or control its sensitive assets, and under what conditions, as outlined in the Overseas Investment (Urgent Measures) Amendment Act 2020.

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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=DLM356887.

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2: Commencement, or

"When the Overseas Investment Act 2005 starts, and how the Governor-General chooses the start date"

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4: Overview, or

"What the Overseas Investment Act 2005 is about and how it works in New Zealand"

Part 1Preliminary provisions

3Purpose

  1. The purpose of this Act is to acknowledge that it is a privilege for overseas persons to own or control sensitive New Zealand assets by—

  2. requiring overseas investments in those assets, before being made, to meet criteria for consent; and
    1. imposing conditions on those overseas investments.

      1. This Act also has the purpose of managing certain risks, such as national security and public order risks, associated with transactions by overseas persons.

      Notes
      • Section 3(2): inserted, on , by section 4 of the Overseas Investment (Urgent Measures) Amendment Act 2020 (2020 No 21).