Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Freedom Camping Act 2011

Preliminary provisions

6: Meaning of local authority area

You could also call this:

“Explaining what a local authority area is and where you can find them”

A local authority area is a piece of land that a local council or regional council manages or controls. This can be any part of the land in their district or region. It also includes land that belongs to the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) if a special rule says it’s a local authority area.

In Auckland, a local authority area is a bit different. It’s land in Auckland that the Auckland Council or Auckland Transport manages. It can also be NZTA land if a special rule says so.

There’s one important thing to remember: if the land is always underwater, it doesn’t count as a local authority area. This is true for all of New Zealand, including Auckland.

When we talk about Auckland and Auckland Transport in this law, we’re using the meanings from another law called the Local Government (Auckland Council) Act 2009.

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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=DLM3742855.

Topics:
Government and voting > Local councils
Housing and property > Land use
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“What 'freedom camping' means and when you can do it”

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6A: Meaning of NZTA land, or

“What counts as land owned by the New Zealand Transport Agency”

Part 1 Preliminary provisions

6Meaning of local authority area

  1. In this Act, local authority area—

  2. means an area of land—
    1. that is within the district or region of a local authority; and
      1. that is—
        1. controlled or managed by or on behalf of the local authority under any enactment; or
          1. an area of NZTA land declared to be a local authority area in accordance with a bylaw made under section 10A; and
        2. includes any part of an area of land referred to in paragraph (a); but
          1. does not include an area of land referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) that is permanently covered by water.

            1. Despite subsection (1), in this Act, local authority area, in relation to the Auckland Council,—

            2. means an area of land within Auckland that is—
              1. controlled or managed by the Auckland Council under any enactment; or
                1. controlled or managed by Auckland Transport; or
                  1. an area of NZTA land declared to be a local authority area in accordance with a bylaw made under section 10A; and
                  2. includes any part of an area of land referred to in paragraph (a); but
                    1. does not include an area of land referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) that is permanently covered by water.

                      1. In subsection (2), Auckland and Auckland Transport have the meanings given in section 4(1) of the Local Government (Auckland Council) Act 2009.

                      Notes
                      • Section 6(1)(a): replaced, on , by section 7(1) of the Self-contained Motor Vehicles Legislation Act 2023 (2023 No 24).
                      • Section 6(2)(a): replaced, on , by section 7(2) of the Self-contained Motor Vehicles Legislation Act 2023 (2023 No 24).