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Commerce Act 1986

Regulated goods or services - Water services - Order in Council

57L: Order in Council imposing regulation

You could also call this:

"The Governor-General can create a rule to regulate water suppliers in New Zealand."

Illustration for Commerce Act 1986

The Governor-General can make an Order in Council to regulate one or more water service suppliers. You can find out more about how the Minister recommends this in section 57K. The Governor-General makes this decision on the Minister's recommendation.

The Order in Council must say which suppliers are regulated and what type of regulation they are subject to. It must also state which water services are being regulated.

The order can identify water services by where they are supplied in New Zealand, or by the quantity, quality, or type of service supplied. It can also identify services supplied to specific people or groups. If an order imposes regulation, it must include an expiry date that is no more than 20 years after it starts. You can learn more about the rules for publishing these orders in Part 3 of the Legislation Act 2019.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS1505979.

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57K: Minister's decision and recommendation, or

"The Minister decides on rules for suppliers and recommends changes after considering the Commission's suggestions."

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Part 4Regulated goods or services
Water services: Order in Council

57LOrder in Council imposing regulation

  1. The Governor-General may, on the recommendation of the Minister made under section 57K, make an Order in Council imposing (or removing) regulation on 1 or more suppliers in respect of 1 or more water services.

  2. The order must—

  3. declare that 1 or more suppliers are regulated (or no longer regulated) in respect of 1 or more water services; and
    1. state which type or types of regulation the suppliers are (or are no longer) subject to in respect of those services.

      1. The order may identify the water services it relates to by reference to services—

      2. supplied in specified regions, areas, or localities in New Zealand; or
        1. supplied in different quantities, qualities, grades, or classes; or
          1. supplied to or for the use of different persons or classes of persons; or
            1. described in any or all of paragraphs (a) to (c).

              1. Subsection (3) applies so that any part or element of services can be dealt with separately.

              2. An order made under this section that imposes regulation must include an expiry date, which must be a date not later than 20 years after the date of its commencement.

              3. An order made under this section may remove regulation only if the regulation has been imposed by an order made under this section.

              4. An order made under this section is secondary legislation (see Part 3 of the Legislation Act 2019 for publication requirements).

              Notes
              • Section 57L: inserted, on , by section 14 of the Local Government (Water Services) (Repeals and Amendments) Act 2025 (2025 No 43).