5Interpretation

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

   administering authority means the administering authority for a multi-member Emergency Management Committee described in section 37

   aircraft has the same meaning as in section 5 of the Civil Aviation Act 2023

   area—

   1. means all the districts and regions of the local authorities that are members of one Emergency Management Committee; and
   2. extends to—
      1. the landward boundary of the territorial authorities of the Emergency Management Committee; and
      2. the seaward boundary of the regional councils or unitary authorities of the Emergency Management Committee

   chief executive means the chief executive of the department

   constable, in Part 4, includes any person acting under the authority of a constable

   Controller means any of the following:

   1. the National Controller:
   2. a Regional Controller:
   3. a District Controller:
   4. a Local Controller

   Crown organisation has the same meaning as in section 4 of the Crown Organisations (Criminal Liability) Act 2002

   Director-General of Emergency Management or Director-General means the chief executive

   disproportionately affected community means a community that has existing vulnerabilities or specific needs that mean that it is likely to be affected more significantly in the case of an emergency

   district has the same meaning as in section 5(1) of the Local Government Act 2002

   District Controller means a person appointed as a District Controller under section 52

   District Recovery Manager means a person appointed as a District Recovery Manager under section 61

   emergency has the meaning set out in section 6(1)

   emergency ambulance service means an organisation that the Minister identifies as an emergency ambulance service by notice in the Gazette

   emergency management—

   1. means the application of knowledge, measures, and practices that—
      1. are necessary or desirable for the safety of the public or property; and
      2. are designed to guard against, prevent, reduce, recover from, or overcome any hazard, harm, or loss that may be associated with any emergency; and
   2. includes planning, organising, co-ordinating, and implementing those measures, knowledge, and practices

   Emergency Management Committee or Committee means a Committee continued in accordance with section 23 or established or re-established under section 35

   Emergency Management Co-ordinating Executive Group or Co-ordinating Executive Group means a Group established under section 39

   emergency management plan means—

   1. a national emergency management plan; or
   2. a regional emergency management plan

   emergency services means the following services:

   1. the New Zealand Police:
   2. Fire and Emergency New Zealand:
   3. emergency ambulance services:
   4. providers of health services

   essential infrastructure has the meaning set out in section 7(1)

   essential infrastructure provider has the meaning set out in section 7(1)

   hazard means something that may cause, or contribute substantially to the cause of, an emergency

   health services means personal health services and public health services within the meaning of those terms in section 4 of the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022

   lead agency means a government agency identified in the national emergency management plan as the lead agency in respect of emergencies caused or contributed to by a particular hazard

   local authority has the same meaning as in section 5(1) of the Local Government Act 2002

   Local Controller means a person appointed as a Local Controller under section 54

   Local Recovery Manager means a person appointed as a Local Recovery Manager under section 63

   local transition period means a local transition period declared under section 145

   multi-member Emergency Management Committee has the meaning set out in section 25(2)

   National Controller means the person who is the National Controller in accordance with section 19

   national emergency management plan or national plan means a plan made by regulations made under section 82

   national emergency management strategy means a strategy completed under section 77

   National Recovery Manager means the person who is the National Recovery Manager under section 20

   national significance, in relation to an occurrence or a thing, includes, without limitation, any case where the Minister or the Director-General considers that at least 1 of the following applies:

   1. there is widespread public concern or interest:
   2. there is likely to be significant use of resources:
   3. it is likely that the area of more than 1 Emergency Management Committee will be affected:
   4. it affects, is likely to affect, or is relevant to New Zealand's international obligations:
   5. it results or is likely to result in or contribute to significant or irreversible changes to the environment (including the global environment)

   national transition period means a national transition period declared under section 142

   owner, in relation to a structure, includes a person who owns part of the structure

   provider of health services means a provider as defined in section 4 of the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022 who provides services within the meaning of paragraphs (a) and (b) of the definition of services in section 4 of that Act

   public place—

   1. means a place that, at any material time, is open to or is being used by the public,—
      1. whether free or on payment of a charge; and
      2. whether or not an owner or occupier of the place is lawfully entitled to exclude or reject any person; and
   2. includes, without limitation, an aircraft, hovercraft, ship or ferry or other vessel, train, or vehicle carrying or available to carry passengers for reward

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

   recovery means the co-ordinated efforts and processes used to bring about the immediate, medium-term, and long-term holistic regeneration and enhancement of a community following an emergency

   recovery activity has the meaning set out in section 8

   Recovery Manager means any of the following:

   1. the National Recovery Manager:
   2. a Regional Recovery Manager:
   3. a District Recovery Manager:
   4. a Local Recovery Manager

   region has the same meaning as in section 5(1) of the Local Government Act 2002

   Regional Controller means a person appointed as a Regional Controller under section 51 or 53

   regional council has the same meaning as in section 5(1) of the Local Government Act 2002

   regional emergency management plan or regional plan means a plan prepared and approved under section 90

   regional emergency management planning standard means a standard issued under section 100

   Regional Recovery Manager means a person appointed as a Regional Recovery Manager under section 60 or 62

   regulations means regulations made under this Act

   relevant legislation—

   1. means legislation that may be relevant to emergency management; and
   2. includes the legislation specified in Schedule 2, to the extent that it is relevant to emergency management

   representative—

   1. means an elected member of a local authority; and
   2. includes an elected member of a community board established under section 49 of the Local Government Act 2002

   risk means the likelihood and consequences of a hazard

   road has the same meaning as in section 2(1) of the Land Transport Act 1998

   rules means rules made under this Act

   sector response plan means a plan developed and approved under section 104

   ship has the same meaning as in section 2(1) of the Maritime Transport Act 1994

   state of emergency means—

   1. a state of national emergency; or
   2. a state of local emergency

   state of local emergency means a state of local emergency declared under section 113

   state of national emergency means a state of national emergency declared under section 109

   territorial authority has the same meaning as in section 5(1) of the Local Government Act 2002

   transition period means—

   1. a national transition period; or
   2. a local transition period

   unitary authority has the same meaning as in section 5(1) of the Local Government Act 2002

   unitary authority Emergency Management Committee has the meaning set out in section 25(4)

   vehicle has the same meaning as in section 2(1) of the Land Transport Act 1998

   ward has the same meaning as in section 5(1) of the Local Electoral Act 2001.