5Interpretation

1. 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 125

   Clerk means the Clerk of the House of Representatives appointed under section 101

   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 112 or 131, 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 49(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 111

   officer of the House,—

   1. in sections 34 and 38, 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 112

   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 142

   parliamentary precincts has the meaning given to it in section 52

   parliamentary security officer means a person appointed as a parliamentary security officer under section 135

   Parliamentary Service means the Parliamentary Service continued under section 122

   Parliamentary Service Commission means the Parliamentary Service Commission continued under section 153

   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.