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Parliament Bill

Salaries, allowances, expenses, and services for members and others - Purposes and interpretation - Interpretation

60: Interpretation of this Part

You could also call this:

"What special words mean in this law"

This part of the proposed law explains what certain words mean. You will see these words used in the rest of the law. They help you understand what the law is talking about. When you see the word "accommodation expenses", it means money spent on a place to live. This can include rent, or other costs like power and water. You might also see "adult dependant", which is explained in section 61. There are many other words explained here, like "authorised funding and services", "category", and "chief executive responsible for Ministerial Services". You can find their meanings in this part of the law. Some words, like "constituency candidate" and "list candidate", are explained in the Electoral Act 1993. Other words, like "election advertisement" and "electioneering", are also defined. You can find their meanings in section 64 and section 65. The law also explains what "eligible candidate", "family member", and "former member" mean. You will also see words like "ministerial purpose" and "parliamentary purpose". These refer to the work that Ministers and members of Parliament do. The law explains what these words mean and how they are used. Some other important words are "public money", "publication", and "publish". These are explained in the law, along with "referendum advertisement" and "regulated period". Finally, you might see "travel expenses", which includes money spent on trips, like flights and hotels.

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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=LMS804043.

Topics:

Government and voting > ElectionsGovernment and voting > Government departmentsMoney and consumer rights > Taxes

59: Purposes of this Part and Schedule 3, or

"This part of the bill helps MPs do their jobs and keeps people's trust in Parliament."

61: Meaning of adult dependant, or

"Who is an adult dependant and what does it mean?"

Part 4Salaries, allowances, expenses, and services for members and others
Purposes and interpretation: Interpretation

60Interpretation of this Part

In this Part and in Schedule 3, unless the context otherwise requires,—
accommodation expenses, in relation to a person, includes—
1. the payment of money or an allowance for accommodation; and
2. additional costs that are—
  1. associated with, or incidental to, accommodation of the person; and
  2. not provided for under any other determination made under this Part; and
3. any other means of meeting the accommodation needs of the person
adult dependant has the meaning given to it by section 61
authorised funding and services has the meaning given to it by section 62
category, in relation to expenses or services, means a grouping of similar or related expenses or services
chief executive responsible for Ministerial Services—
1. means the chief executive of the department responsible for the administration of services provided to Ministers; and
2. includes a person nominated to act as the representative of that chief executive
constituency candidate has the meaning given to it by section 3(1) of the Electoral Act 1993
department responsible for Ministerial Services means the department that is, with the authority of the Prime Minister, responsible for the administration of services provided to Ministers
dependent child has the meaning given to it by section 63
disability has the meaning given to it by section 21(1)(h) of the Human Rights Act 1993
election advertisement has the meaning given to it by section 64
electioneering has the meaning given to it by section 65
eligible candidate means a person to whom section 66(2), (4), or (6) applies
family member has the meaning given to it by section 67
former member means a person who was a member before the 1999 general election, once they are no longer a member
government-initiated referendum means a binding or indicative referendum initiated by the Government
list candidate has the meaning given to it by section 3(1) of the Electoral Act 1993
ministerial purpose—
1. means a purpose connected with—
  1. a Minister’s performance of their role and functions as a Minister of the Crown; or
  2. a Parliamentary Under-Secretary’s performance of their role and functions as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary; but
2. does not include a purpose connected with electioneering
ordinary member rate—
1. means the basic salary for a member of Parliament specified in a determination made under section 70(1); but
2. does not include any other salary specified in that determination
parliamentary purpose—
1. means a purpose connected with—
  1. a member’s performance of their role and functions as a member; or
  2. a party’s performance of those functions of the party that are directly connected to its activities in Parliament; or
  3. an eligible candidate’s performance of their role and functions as an eligible candidate; but
2. does not include a purpose connected with electioneering
partner means a civil union or de facto partner
previous ordinary member rate means the ordinary member rate that was payable as at polling day
public money has the meaning given to it by section 2(1) of the Public Finance Act 1989
publication has a corresponding meaning to publish
publish, in relation to an election advertisement or a referendum advertisement,—
1. has the meaning given to it by section 3D of the Electoral Act 1993; and
2. includes publication both in and outside New Zealand
referendum advertisement means an advertisement in any medium that may reasonably be regarded as encouraging or persuading voters to vote, or not to vote, in a particular way in a government-initiated referendum
regulated period,—
1. in relation to a general election, has the meaning given to it by section 3B of the Electoral Act 1993; and
2. in relation to a by-election, has the meaning given to it by section 3BA of the Electoral Act 1993; and
3. in relation to a government-initiated referendum, means the period (if any) specified in legislation as being the regulated period for the referendum
travel expenses, in relation to a person, includes—
1. the payment of money or an allowance for the person’s travel; and
2. additional costs that are—
  1. associated with, or incidental to, the person’s travel; and
  2. not provided for under any other determination made under this Part; and
3. any other means of meeting the travel needs of the person.