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This page is about a bill. That means that it's not the law yet, but some people want it to be the law. It could change quickly, and some of the information is just a draft.

Offshore Renewable Energy Bill

Administration and enforcement - Administration - Registers, records, and use of information

118: Sharing of information with agencies

You could also call this:

"Agencies can share information to help each other do their job, while keeping personal info secret"

Illustration for Offshore Renewable Energy Bill

The government wants to change the law so that some agencies can share information with each other. You need to know that the Minister or the chief executive can give information to certain agencies if it will help them do their job. They can also get information from these agencies if it will help them.

The agencies that can share information include the Department of Conservation, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and the Electricity Authority. When information is shared, the Minister, chief executive, or agency can set conditions on how it is used. They can say how the information is stored, used, or accessed.

If an agency gets information from someone else, it must keep that information secret. It can only share the information with others if it is for a good reason, like to help with an investigation. The agency can also share the information if the person it is about says it is okay, or if a court says it has to. You should know that this change to the law does not affect the Privacy Act 2020, which is a law that protects people's personal information.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS992296.

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Part 4Administration and enforcement
Administration: Registers, records, and use of information

118Sharing of information with agencies

  1. Subject to any legislation,—

  2. the Minister or the chief executive may provide an agency referred to in subsection (2) with any information, or a copy of any document, that the Minister or chief executive—
    1. holds in relation to the performance or exercise of the Minister’s or chief executive’s functions, duties, or powers under this Act; and
      1. considers may assist the agency in the performance or exercise of the agency’s functions, duties, or powers under any legislation; and
      2. an agency referred to in subsection (2) may provide the Minister or chief executive with any information, or a copy of any document, that it—
        1. holds in relation to the performance or exercise of its functions, duties, or powers under or in relation to any legislation; and
          1. considers may assist the Minister or the chief executive in the performance or exercise of its functions, duties, or powers under this Act.

          2. The agencies for the purposes of subsection (1) are the following:

          3. the Department of Conservation:
            1. the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet:
              1. the Electricity Authority:
                1. the Environmental Protection Authority:
                  1. the Government Communications Security Bureau:
                    1. Land Information New Zealand:
                      1. Maritime New Zealand:
                        1. the Ministry for the Environment:
                          1. the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade:
                            1. the New Zealand Defence Force:
                              1. the New Zealand Police:
                                1. the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service:
                                  1. WorkSafe New Zealand:
                                    1. a consent authority:
                                      1. any other agency in New Zealand that holds information that relates to activities to which this Act applies.

                                        1. If subsection (1) applies, the Minister, chief executive, or agency (as the case may be) may impose conditions relating to the provision of any information or document, including conditions relating to—

                                        2. the storage and use of, or access to, anything provided:
                                          1. the copying, returning, or disposing of copies of any documents provided.

                                            1. An agency referred to in subsection (2) must not disclose any information provided to it under this section to any other person or organisation unless—

                                            2. the disclosure is for the purposes of, or in connection with, the performance or exercise of any function, duty, or power conferred or imposed on the agency by a specified Act; or
                                              1. the information is publicly available; or
                                                1. the disclosure is with the consent of the person to whom the information relates, or to whom the information is confidential; or
                                                  1. the disclosure is in connection with proceedings, or any investigation or inquiry for proceedings, for an offence against this Act or any other enactment; or
                                                    1. disclosure is required by another enactment; or
                                                      1. disclosure is required by a court of competent jurisdiction.

                                                        1. Nothing in this section limits the Privacy Act 2020.

                                                        2. This section applies despite anything to the contrary in any contract, deed, or document.