Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

This page is about a bill. That means that it's not the law yet, but some people want it to be the law. It could change quickly, and some of the information is just a draft.

Regulatory Standards Bill

Preliminary provisions

5: Interpretation

You could also call this:

"What words mean in this law"

This part of the bill explains what certain words and phrases mean. Here's what you need to know:

The bill talks about different groups and people. There's a board called the Regulatory Standards Board. Central government entities are groups like government departments and the Reserve Bank. Public service agencies are part of the government, while non-public service agencies are not.

The bill mentions something called a "consistency accountability statement". This is a report that checks if new laws follow good rules for making laws. The person in charge of the group making the law writes this report.

There are some laws that this bill doesn't apply to. These are called "excluded Acts" and include things like Treaty settlement Acts and private Acts.

The bill also defines who is responsible for different parts of making laws. There's a "responsible agency" and a "responsible Minister" for each new law or change to a law.

The "principles of responsible regulation" are important rules for making good laws. These are explained in another part of the bill.

There's a special Minister and Ministry in charge of this bill. They're called the "regulatory standards Minister" and "regulatory standards Ministry".

The bill also explains some other terms like "contract", "maker", and "rules of court" to help you understand what they mean in this law.

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 It might be out of date or be missing some parts.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=LMS1016454.

Topics:
Government and voting > Government departmentsBusiness > Industry rules
Previous

4: Overview, or

"What this bill is all about"

Next

6: Transitional, savings, and related provisions, or

"Rules for changing from the old law to the new law"

Part 1Preliminary provisions

5Interpretation

  1. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—

    administering agency has the same meaning as in section 5(1) of the Legislation Act 2019

      board means the Regulatory Standards Board established under section 28

        central government entity means—

        1. a department (within the meaning of section 2(1) of the Public Finance Act 1989):
          1. the Reserve Bank of New Zealand:
            1. a Crown entity that is a statutory entity (as those terms are defined in section 7(1) of the Crown Entities Act 2004)

              consistency accountability statement means,—

              1. in relation to subpart 2 of Part 2, a statement from the chief executive of the responsible agency for a Bill, Government amendment, or secondary legislation that—
                1. confirms that the agency has reviewed the Bill, Government amendment, or secondary legislation, and its process for developing it, for consistency with the principles of responsible regulation; and
                  1. summarises any inconsistency with the principles that is identified in the review; and
                  2. in relation to subpart 3 of Part 2, a statement from the chief executive of the responsible agency for an Act or secondary legislation that—
                    1. confirms that the agency has reviewed the Act or secondary legislation for consistency with the principles of responsible regulation; and
                      1. summarises any inconsistency with the principles that is identified in the review

                      contract, in Part 3, does not include an employment agreement (within the meaning of section 5 of the Employment Relations Act 2000)

                        excluded Act means—

                        1. a Treaty settlement Act; or
                          1. any other Act that has been enacted from a Bill of a kind referred to in section 10; or
                            1. a private Act or a local Act; or
                              1. the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011 or Ngā Rohe Moana o Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Porou Act 2019

                                Government amendment has the meaning set out in the rules and practice of the House of Representatives

                                  maker, in relation to any secondary legislation, has the same meaning as in section 5(1) of the Legislation Act 2019

                                    member, in subpart 7 of Part 2 and Schedule 2, means a member of the board

                                      non-public service agency means an agency or a person other than a public service agency

                                        principles of responsible regulation means the principles set out in section 8

                                          public service agency has the same meaning as in section 5 of the Public Service Act 2020

                                            regulatory standards Minister means the Minister of the Crown who, under the authority of a warrant or with the authority of the Prime Minister, is responsible for the administration of this Act

                                              regulatory standards Ministry means the department or Ministry that, with the authority of the Prime Minister, is responsible for the administration of this Act

                                                responsible agency means,—

                                                1. in the case of a Bill or Government amendment, the central government entity primarily involved in developing the Bill or Government amendment (excluding the Parliamentary Counsel Office, unless that office will also be the administering agency for the resulting Act); or
                                                  1. in the case of an Act or secondary legislation, the administering agency for the legislation

                                                    responsible Minister means,—

                                                    1. in the case of a Bill or Government amendment, the Minister of the Crown who, under the authority of any warrant or with the authority of the Prime Minister, is primarily responsible for the development of the Bill or Government amendment; or
                                                      1. in the case of an Act, the Minister of the Crown who, under the authority of a warrant or with the authority of the Prime Minister, is responsible for the administration of the Act

                                                        rules of court includes rules of practice or procedure of any court or tribunal

                                                          Treaty settlement Act means—

                                                          1. an Act listed in Schedule 3 of the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975; and
                                                            1. any other Act that provides redress for Treaty of Waitangi claims, including an Act that provides collective redress or participation arrangements for claimant groups whose claims are, or are to be, settled by other legislation

                                                              Treaty settlement Bill means—

                                                              1. a Bill that, if enacted, will be listed in Schedule 3 of the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975; and
                                                                1. any other Bill that provides redress for Treaty of Waitangi claims, including a Bill that provides collective redress or participation arrangements for claimant groups whose claims are, or are to be, settled by other legislation.