National Parks Act 1980

2: Interpretation

You could also call this:

"Words and their meanings in the National Parks Act"

This section defines important terms used in the National Parks Act 1980. Here's a summary in simple language:

An "activity" includes any job, business, or trade.

An "animal" means any living creature except humans. This includes mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, insects, and more.

A "boat" is any kind of vessel that floats on water, including things like barges and rafts.

The "Department" means the Department of Conservation.

A "firearm" is any kind of gun or weapon that can shoot things.

"Native plants and animals" are plants and animals that naturally belong in New Zealand.

A "national park" or "park" is an area of land set aside as a national park under this law.

A "ranger" is someone whose job is to look after and protect the national park.

A "vehicle" is any kind of transport with wheels, like a car or bike.

The section also defines many other terms related to parks, conservation, and wildlife protection. These definitions help everyone understand exactly what the law means when it uses these words.

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 It might be out of date or be missing some parts.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 13 May 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM36968.

Topics:

Environment and resources > Conservation

1: Short Title and commencement, or

"This law's name and when it started working"

3: Act to bind the Crown, or

"This law applies to everyone, including the government"

2Interpretation

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—
activity includes a trade, business, or occupation
aircraft has the same meaning as in the Civil Aviation Act 2023
animal means any mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, fish (including shellfish) or related organism, insect, crustacean, or organism of every kind; but does not include a human being
Authority means the New Zealand Conservation Authority established under section 6A of the Conservation Act 1987
Board means a Conservation Board established under section 6L of the Conservation Act 1987
boat means every description of vessel (including barges, rafts, lighters, and like vessels) however propelled; and includes a hovercraft
certified aerodrome means an aerodrome certificated under rules made under the Civil Aviation Act 2023
Chief Surveyor means the Chief Surveyor for each land district in which the park or any part of the park is situated
companion dog means a dog certified by the Top Dog Companion Trust as being a companion dog or a dog under training as a companion dog
concession or concession document—
1. means—granted under section 49; and
  1. a lease; or
  2. a licence; or
  3. a permit; or
  4. an easement—
2. includes any activity authorised by the concession document
concessionaire means a person who is—under section 49
1. a lessee; or
2. a licensee; or
3. a permit holder; or
4. the grantee of an easement—
conservation area has the same meaning as in the Conservation Act 1987
conservation management strategy means a conservation management strategy approved under section 17F of the Conservation Act 1987
day means a period of 24 hours beginning at midnight and ending with the following midnight
Department means the Department of Conservation
Director-General means the Director-General of Conservation
firearm means any gun, rifle, or airgun; and includes any kind of weapon or device from which any shot, bullet, arrow, spear, stone, other missile, or noxious or poisonous substance can be discharged in the air or water; and also includes any part of a firearm and any firearm that is dismantled or otherwise inoperative
foreshore means any land covered and uncovered by the flow and ebb of the tide at mean spring tides
guide dog means a dog certified by the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind as being a guide dog or a dog under training as a guide dog
indigenous animal means a native animal
infringement fee, in relation to an infringement offence, means the infringement fee for the offence prescribed in regulations made under this Act
infringement offence means—
1. an offence in subpart 1 of Part 7A; or
2. an offence against bylaws made under this Act that is declared by regulations to be an infringement offence
land district means a land district constituted under section 22 of the Land Act 1948
lease—and lessee has a corresponding meaning
1. means—
  1. a grant of an interest in land that—
    1. gives exclusive possession of the land; and
    2. makes provision for any activity on the land that the lessee is permitted to carry out:
  2. any document purporting to be a lease (whether or not the document gives the lessee exclusive possession of the land concerned) and issued under any enactment passed before the commencement of section 2 of the National Parks Amendment Act 1996:
  3. any document purporting to be a lease (whether or not the document gives the lessee exclusive possession of the land concerned) and issued under this Act before the commencement of the said section 2; but
2. does not include a licence referred to in paragraph (b)(ii) of the definition of the term licence;—
licence—and licensee has a corresponding meaning
1. means—
  1. a profit à prendre or any other grant that gives a non-exclusive interest in land; or
  2. a grant that makes provision for any activity on the land that the licensee is permitted to carry out; and
2. includes—
  1. any document purporting to be a licence (whether or not the licence gives an interest, or makes any provision, referred to in paragraph (a)) and issued under any enactment relating to national parks that was passed before the commencement of section 2 of the National Parks Amendment Act 1996; and
  2. any document purporting to be a licence and purporting to grant an exclusive interest in land, and issued under this Act before the date of commencement of the said section 2 or issued under any other enactment relating to national parks that was passed before that date; and
  3. any document purporting to be a licence (whether or not the licence gives an interest, or makes any provision, referred to in paragraph (a)) and issued under this Act before the commencement of the said section 2;—
local authority means a local authority within the meaning of the Local Government Act 2002
management plan, in relation to any park, means a management plan prepared and approved for that park in accordance with sections 45 to 48
Minister means the Minister of Conservation
motor vehicle has the same meaning as in the Land Transport Act 1998; and includes any motor vehicle from which the wheels have been removed
national park or park means a national park constituted under this Act
native plants and animals means flora and fauna that are indigenous to New Zealand
owner, in relation to any dog, means every person who—but does not include any person who has seized or taken custody of the dog under this Act or the Conservation Act 1987 or the Animal Welfare Act 1999 or the Dog Control Act 1996 or any order made under the Dog Control Act 1996 or the Animal Welfare Act 1999
1. owns the dog; or
2. has the dog in his or her possession, whether the dog is at large or in confinement, otherwise than for the purpose of preventing the dog causing injury, damage, or distress, or for the sole purpose of restoring a lost dog to its owner; or
3. the parent or guardian of a person under the age of 16 years who—
  1. is the owner or the dog pursuant to paragraph (a) or paragraph (b); and
  2. is a member of the parent or guardian's household living with and dependent on the parent or guardian;—
permit—and permit holder has a corresponding meaning
1. means a grant of rights to carry out an activity for a purpose referred to in section 49 that does not require an interest in land; and
2. includes any authorisation or licence granted before the commencement of this definition that granted similar rights;—
plant means any angiosperm, gymnosperm, fern or fern ally; and includes any moss, liverwort, alga, fungus, or related organism
private land means any land that is for the time being held in fee simple by any person other than the Sovereign; and includes any Maori land within the meaning of the Maori Affairs Act 1953
protected wildlife means—
1. any animal for the time being absolutely protected pursuant to section 3 of the Wildlife Act 1953:
2. any animal for the time being partially protected pursuant to section 5 of the Wildlife Act 1953, other than an animal in such circumstances that it may be hunted or killed under the authority of subsection (2) of that section:
3. any animal that is a marine mammal within the meaning of the Marine Mammals Protection Act 1978
protected wildlife vulnerable to dogs means—
1. any flightless protected wildlife:
2. any limited-flight protected wildlife:
3. any protected wildlife that nests (including moulting or breeding) or roosts, upon or in close proximity to the ground:
4. any protected wildlife that feeds upon or in close proximity to the ground:
5. any animal that is a marine mammal within the meaning of the Marine Mammals Protection Act 1978
ranger means any ranger referred to in section 40; and, for the purposes of Part 5A, includes a person—
1. who—
  1. is a warranted officer appointed under section 59 of the Conservation Act 1987; or
  2. is a person deemed, by section 59(2) or section 59(9) of the Conservation Act 1987, to be a warranted officer for the purposes of that Act; and
2. is acting on or in respect of any matter or thing arising, situated, or formerly situated, in the district, area, or areas for which the person is appointed or is deemed to be a warranted officer
reserve has the same meaning as in the Reserves Act 1977
specially protected area means any part of a national park set apart as a specially protected area under section 12
vehicle has the same meaning as in the Land Transport Act 1998; and includes any vehicle from which the wheels have been removed
wilderness area means any part of a national park set apart as a wilderness area under section 14.

Notes

Section 2 activity: inserted, on 1 July 1996, by section 2 of the National Parks Amendment Act 1996 (1996 No 4).
Section 2 aircraft: amended, on 5 April 2025, by section 486 of the Civil Aviation Act 2023 (2023 No 10).
Section 2 Authority: inserted, on 10 April 1990, by section 109(2) of the Conservation Law Reform Act 1990 (1990 No 31).
Section 2 Board: inserted, on 10 April 1990, by section 109(2) of the Conservation Law Reform Act 1990 (1990 No 31).
Section 2 certified aerodrome: replaced, on 5 April 2025, by section 486 of the Civil Aviation Act 2023 (2023 No 10).
Section 2 Commissioner: repealed, on 1 April 1987, by section 65(1) of the Conservation Act 1987 (1987 No 65).
Section 2 companion dog: inserted, on 2 May 1996, by section 2(1) of the National Parks Amendment Act (No 2) 1996 (1996 No 15).
Section 2 concession or concession document: inserted, on 1 July 1996, by section 2 of the National Parks Amendment Act 1996 (1996 No 4).
Section 2 concessionaire: inserted, on 1 July 1996, by section 2 of the National Parks Amendment Act 1996 (1996 No 4).
Section 2 conservation area: inserted, on 1 April 1987, by section 65(1) of the Conservation Act 1987 (1987 No 65).
Section 2 conservation management strategy: inserted, on 1 April 1990, by section 109(2) of the Conservation Law Reform Act 1990 (1990 No 31).
Section 2 day: inserted, on 2 May 1996, by section 2(1) of the National Parks Amendment Act (No 2) 1996 (1996 No 15).
Section 2 Department: amended, on 1 April 1987, by section 65(1) of the Conservation Act 1987 (1987 No 65).
Section 2 Director-General: amended, on 1 April 1987, by section 65(1) of the Conservation Act 1987 (1987 No 65).
Section 2 foreshore: replaced, on 7 July 2010, by section 4 of the National Parks Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 73).
Section 2 guide dog: inserted, on 2 May 1996, by section 2(1) of the National Parks Amendment Act (No 2) 1996 (1996 No 15).
Section 2 guide dog: amended, on 30 April 2003, by section 28(1) of the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind Act 2002 (2002 No 3 (P)).
Section 2 indigenous animal: inserted, on 25 November 1994, by section 2(1) of the National Parks Amendment Act 1994 (1994 No 112).
Section 2 infringement fee: inserted, on 21 December 2018, by section 29 of the Conservation (Infringement System) Act 2018 (2018 No 61).
Section 2 infringement offence: inserted, on 21 December 2018, by section 29 of the Conservation (Infringement System) Act 2018 (2018 No 61).
Section 2 lease: inserted, on 1 July 1996, by section 2 of the National Parks Amendment Act 1996 (1996 No 4).
Section 2 licence: inserted, on 1 July 1996, by section 2 of the National Parks Amendment Act 1996 (1996 No 4).
Section 2 local authority: replaced, on 1 July 2003, by section 262 of the Local Government Act 2002 (2002 No 84).
Section 2 Minister: amended, on 1 April 1987, by section 65(1) of the Conservation Act 1987 (1987 No 65).
Section 2 motor vehicle: amended, on 1 March 1999, by section 215(1) of the Land Transport Act 1998 (1998 No 110).
Section 2 National Parks and Reserves Authority or Authority: repealed, on 10 April 1990, by section 109(1)(a) of the Conservation Law Reform Act 1990 (1990 No 31).
Section 2 National parks and reserves board or board: repealed, on 10 April 1990, by section 109(1)(b) of the Conservation Law Reform Act 1990 (1990 No 31).
Section 2 native plants and animals: inserted, on 25 November 1994, by section 2(2) of the National Parks Amendment Act 1994 (1994 No 112).
Section 2 owner: inserted, on 2 May 1996, by section 2(1) of the National Parks Amendment Act (No 2) 1996 (1996 No 15).
Section 2 owner: amended, on 1 January 2000, by section 194 of the Animal Welfare Act 1999 (1999 No 142).
Section 2 permit: inserted, on 1 July 1996, by section 2 of the National Parks Amendment Act 1996 (1996 No 4).
Section 2 private land: editorial change made by the PCO, on 6 August 2024, under sections 86(1) and 87(a) of the Legislation Act 2019 (2019 No 58).
Section 2 protected wildlife: replaced, on 2 May 1996, by section 2(1) of the National Parks Amendment Act (No 2) 1996 (1996 No 15).
Section 2 protected wildlife vulnerable to dogs: inserted, on 2 May 1996, by section 2(1) of the National Parks Amendment Act (No 2) 1996 (1996 No 15).
Section 2 ranger: replaced, on 2 May 1996, by section 2(2) of the National Parks Amendment Act (No 2) 1996 (1996 No 15).
Section 2 vehicle: amended, on 1 March 1999, by section 215(1) of the Land Transport Act 1998 (1998 No 110).