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Privacy Act 2020

Preliminary provisions - Interpretation and related matters

8: Meaning of New Zealand agency

You could also call this:

"What is a New Zealand agency under the Privacy Act 2020?"

Illustration for Privacy Act 2020

In the Privacy Act 2020, a New Zealand agency is you if you live in New Zealand. It also includes public sector agencies and private sector agencies in New Zealand. A court or tribunal is a New Zealand agency, but only when it is not doing its judicial work. You are not a New Zealand agency if you are the Sovereign or the Governor-General. The House of Representatives and members of Parliament are also not New Zealand agencies. The Parliamentary Service is not a New Zealand agency, except when dealing with personal information about its employees or information obtained by parliamentary security officers under Part 7 of the Parliament Act 2025. Some other things are not New Zealand agencies, like an Ombudsman or a news entity when it is doing news work. An inquiry or a board of inquiry is also not a New Zealand agency. This helps you understand what a New Zealand agency is under the Privacy Act 2020.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS272745.

Topics:
Rights and equality > Privacy
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Part 1Preliminary provisions
Interpretation and related matters

8Meaning of New Zealand agency

  1. In this Act, New Zealand agency—

  2. means—
    1. an individual who is ordinarily resident in New Zealand; or
      1. a public sector agency; or
        1. a New Zealand private sector agency; or
          1. a court or tribunal, except in relation to its judicial functions; but
          2. does not include—
            1. the Sovereign; or
              1. the Governor-General or the Administrator of the Government; or
                1. the House of Representatives; or
                  1. a member of Parliament in their official capacity; or
                    1. the Parliamentary Service Commission; or
                      1. the Parliamentary Service, except in relation to the following personal information:
                        1. personal information about any employee or former employee of the Parliamentary Service in their capacity as an employee:
                          1. personal information obtained by a parliamentary security officer under Part 7 of the Parliament Act 2025; or
                          2. an Ombudsman; or
                            1. an inquiry; or
                              1. a board of inquiry or court of inquiry appointed under any Act to inquire into a specified matter; or
                                1. a news entity, to the extent that it is carrying on news activities.

                                Notes
                                • Section 8(b)(vi): replaced, on , by section 45 of the Parliament (Repeals and Amendments) Act 2025 (2025 No 63).