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Parliament Bill

Preliminary provisions

5: Interpretation

You could also call this:

"What special words mean in the Parliament Bill"

This part of the bill explains what certain words mean. You need to understand these words to know what the bill is talking about. The bill is talking about things like Parliament, the House of Representatives, and the people who work there. The bill says what it means by words like 'allowance', 'by-election', and 'chief executive'. You can find the meanings of these words in other laws, like the Remuneration Authority Act 1977 and the Electoral Act 1993. The bill also explains what it means by words like 'committee', 'department', and 'employee'. The bill talks about the people who work in Parliament, like the Clerk, the Deputy Clerk, and the chief executive. It also talks about the different groups that work in Parliament, like the Office of the Clerk and the Parliamentary Service. You can find more information about these groups in other parts of the bill, like section 102 and section 112. The bill explains what it means by words like 'parliamentary precincts', 'parliamentary security officer', and 'proceedings in Parliament'. You can find the meanings of these words in other laws, like the Electoral Act 1993 and the Remuneration Authority Act 1977. The bill also talks about the people who are in charge of Parliament, like the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker. The bill says what it means by words like 'party', 'period following a general election', and 'polling day'. You can find the meanings of these words in other laws, like the Electoral Act 1993. The bill also explains what it means by words like 'remuneration' and 'Remuneration Authority'. You can find more information about these words in the Remuneration Authority Act 1977. The bill talks about the people who work in Parliament and what they do. It also talks about the different groups that work in Parliament and how they are organised. You can find more information about these groups and what they do in other parts of the bill.

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This page was last updated on 9 November 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS803880.

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4: Outline of this Act, or

"What's in the Parliament Bill?"

6: Status of guide or outline provisions, or

"What guide or outline parts of the law mean"

Part 1Preliminary provisions

5Interpretation

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—
allowance has the meaning given to it by section 2 of the Remuneration Authority Act 1977
by-election has the meaning given to it by section 3(1) of the Electoral Act 1993
chief executive means the chief executive of the Parliamentary Service appointed under section 126
Clerk means the Clerk of the House of Representatives appointed under section 102
collective agreement has the meaning given to it by section 5 of the Employment Relations Act 2000
committee means a committee, or subcommittee of a committee, of the House of Representatives
department has the meaning given to it by section 5 of the Public Service Act 2020
Deputy Clerk means the Deputy Clerk of the House of Representatives
Deputy Speaker means the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives
employee, in relation to the parliamentary agencies,—
1. means a person appointed as an employee under section 113 or 132, whether paid by salary, wages, or otherwise; and
2. includes employees on fixed-term employment agreements; but
3. does not include the Clerk or the chief executive
employment agreement—
1. means a contract of service; and
2. includes an employee’s terms and conditions of employment in—
  1. a collective agreement; or
  2. a collective agreement together with any additional terms and conditions of employment; or
  3. an individual employment agreement
general election has the meaning given to it by section 3(1) of the Electoral Act 1993
head, in relation to a parliamentary agency, means—
1. the Clerk, in relation to the Office of the Clerk; and
2. the chief executive, in relation to the Parliamentary Service
House of Representatives means the House of Representatives continued under section 10 of the Constitution Act 1986
member means a member of the House of Representatives known, in accordance with section 10(4) of the Constitution Act 1986 and section 27 of the Electoral Act 1993, as a member of Parliament
member with authority to act as Speaker has the meaning given to it in section 48(3)
Minister means a Minister of the Crown
Minister Responsible for Ministerial Services means the Minister who is, with the authority of the Prime Minister, responsible for the administration of services provided to Ministers
Office of the Clerk means the Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives continued under section 112
officer of the House,—
1. in sections 33 and 37, means any of the following:
  1. the Clerk:
  2. the Deputy Clerk:
  3. a Clerk-Assistant of the House of Representatives:
  4. the Serjeant-at-Arms; and
2. in the rest of this Act, means the following persons:
  1. the Clerk:
  2. a person appointed as an employee of the Office of the Clerk under section 113
Parliament means the Parliament of New Zealand described in section 14(1) of the Constitution Act 1986
parliamentary agency or agency means—
1. the Office of the Clerk; and
2. the Parliamentary Service
Parliamentary Corporation means the body corporate continued under section 143
parliamentary precincts has the meaning given to it in section 51
parliamentary security officer means a person appointed as a parliamentary security officer under section 136
Parliamentary Service means the Parliamentary Service continued under section 123
Parliamentary Service Commission means the Parliamentary Service Commission continued under section 154
party means a political party for the time being recognised as a party for parliamentary purposes in accordance with the rules and practice of the House of Representatives
period following a general election means the period of time—
1. starting with the close of polling day at a general election; and
2. ending with the first meeting of the House of Representatives after that general election
polling day has the meaning given to it by section 3(1) of the Electoral Act 1993
proceedings in Parliament has the meaning given to it by section 13
remuneration has the meaning given to it by section 2 of the Remuneration Authority Act 1977
Remuneration Authority means the Remuneration Authority established under section 4(1) of the Remuneration Authority Act 1977
Speaker—
1. means the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and
2. includes the following persons, when they are performing a function or duty or exercising a power of the Speaker:
  1. the Deputy Speaker:
  2. a member with authority to act as Speaker
vacating member means a person who, at the close of a polling day, vacates the office of member under section 54(1)(b) or (2)(b) of the Electoral Act 1993.