Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

National Parks Act 1980

Control and management of national parks - Powers of Minister

49: Concessions

You could also call this:

"Rules for allowing people to use national parks"

The Minister can give permission for people to use parts of a national park. This permission is called a concession. The Minister must follow specific rules when giving these concessions.

Before giving a concession, the Minister needs to make sure it won't permanently change how the public can use the park. The concession also can't go against the main rules of the park.

The Minister can charge a reasonable amount for people to use facilities in the park, except for paths and tracks. People who have been given permission to run activities in the park can also charge others to use their facilities or take part in their activities.

If someone has built something in the park with the Minister's permission, uses part of the park for camping or parking, or does any activity in the park, they can charge others a fair amount to use these things or join in the activities.

These rules don't let anyone do anything on private land in the park. There are also some special rules for certain parts of the West Coast that have been added to national parks.

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 It might be out of date or be missing some parts.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

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM38217.

Topics:
Environment and resources > Conservation
Previous

48: Approval of management plans, or

"How park plans are checked and approved"

Next

50: Accommodation within parks, or

"Rules for staying overnight in national parks"

Part 5Control and management of national parks
Powers of Minister

49Concessions

  1. The Minister may, in accordance with Part 3B of the Conservation Act 1987, grant a concession in respect of any park; and the said Part 3B shall apply as if references in that Part to a conservation area were references to a park and with any other necessary modifications.

  2. Before granting any concession over a park, the Minister shall satisfy himself or herself that a concession—

  3. can be granted without permanently affecting the rights of the public in respect of the park; and
    1. is not inconsistent with section 4.

      1. The Minister may impose a reasonable charge for the use of any facilities (other than a path or track) provided by the Minister in or in respect of any park.

      2. A concessionaire of any part of any park may, to the extent that the concessionaire's concession document so provides, impose a reasonable charge for the use of any facilities (other than a path or track) provided by the Minister in or in respect of the park.

      3. Any person who—

      4. has, in accordance with any concession or other consent of the Minister, erected any structure or facility in any park; or
        1. uses for camping sites or for parking places for vehicles any part of any park; or
          1. carries on any activity in any park—
              1. may, subject to the relevant conservation management strategy or management plan (if any) and the terms and conditions (if any) of the concession document concerned, impose a reasonable charge in respect of access to or the use of structures, sites, or places, or the carrying on or products of the activity.

            1. Nothing in this section authorises any person to do anything on or in respect of any private land.

            2. This section is subject to Part 2 of the Forests (West Coast Accord) Act 2000, in relation to land that is added to a national park as a result of a declaration under section 8(1) of that Act.

            Notes
            • Section 49: replaced, on , by section 5(1) of the National Parks Amendment Act 1996 (1996 No 4).
            • Section 49(7): inserted, on , by section 22 of the Forests (West Coast Accord) Act 2000 (2000 No 45).