Local Government Act 1974

Introduction

You could also call this:

"Improving How Local Areas are Managed"

Illustration for Local Government Act 1974

This law helps change how local areas are organised and how local authorities work. It wants to make sure that tasks that are best done across a big area are done well. You will see new types of councils, like regional councils, district councils, and community councils, being set up to help with this.

The law also updates older laws, such as the Municipal Corporations Act 1954, the Counties Act 1956, and the Local Authorities (Petroleum Tax) Act 1970. These updates will help regional councils, united councils, and other local authorities do their jobs better.

The law aims to make it clearer what powers and functions these councils have, so they can work together smoothly. You can find more information about the specific powers of regional councils, united councils, and territorial local authorities in other parts of the law, such as the sections that relate to [their specific roles](link to relevant section).

This change will help local authorities work more efficiently and make decisions that affect the community. The law is trying to make sure that local areas are well taken care of and that the people in charge are making good decisions.

The updates to the law will also help to make sure that local authorities are working together and using their powers and functions in the best way possible.

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This page was last updated on 10 September 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM415531.

Highlights from this law

270: Interpretation and application

Understanding what the law means and how it's used

40: Constitution, alteration, union, and abolition of regions

How regions are created, changed, or removed

37S: Functions of regional councils

What regional councils used to do, before the law changed in 2003

56A: Review of basis of election and division of district with population over 70 000 into wards

Checking how elections work in big areas with over 70,000 people

37T: Functions of territorial authorities

What jobs councils used to have to do

101ZG: Constitution of communities

How communities are set up and organised

101ZP: Community boards

What community boards are and how they work in New Zealand law

Topics:

Government and voting > Local councilsHousing and property > Land use

1: Short Title and commencement, or

"What the law is called and when it starts"

Local Government Act 1974

Reprint as at:: 2025-08-27
Assent:: 1974-11-08
Commencement:: see section 1

The Parliamentary Counsel Office has made editorial and format changes to this version using the powers under subpart 2 of Part 3 of the Legislation Act 2019.

Note 4 at the end of this version provides a list of the amendments included in it.

This Act is administered by the Department of Internal Affairs.

An Act to consolidate and amend the law relating to the reorganisation of the districts and functions of local authorities, to make better provision for the administration of those functions which can most effectively be carried out on a regional basis, and to make provision for the establishment of united councils, regional councils, district councils, district community councils, and community councils and to consolidate and amend the Municipal Corporations Act 1954, the Counties Act 1956, the Local Authorities (Petroleum Tax) Act 1970, and provisions of other Acts of the Parliament of New Zealand relating to the powers and functions of regional councils, united councils, and territorial local authorities