New Zealand Legislation: Acts

This is a reprint of the Official Information Act 1982. The reprint incorporates all the amendments to the Act as at 1 July 2011, as specified in the list of amendments at the end of these notes.

Relevant provisions of any amending enactments that contain transitional, savings, or application provisions that cannot be compiled in the reprint are also included, after the principal enactment, in chronological order. For more information, see http://www.pco.parliament.govt.nz/reprints/ .

Under section 16D of the Acts and Regulations Publication Act 1989, reprints are presumed to correctly state, as at the date of the reprint, the law enacted by the principal enactment and by the amendments to that enactment. This presumption applies even though editorial changes authorised by section 17C of the Acts and Regulations Publication Act 1989 have been made in the reprint.

This presumption may be rebutted by producing the official volumes of statutes or statutory regulations in which the principal enactment and its amendments are contained.

A number of editorial conventions are followed in the preparation of reprints. For example, the enacting words are not included in Acts, and provisions that are repealed or revoked are omitted. For a detailed list of the editorial conventions, see http://www.pco.parliament.govt.nz/editorial-conventions/ or Part 8 of the Tables of New Zealand Acts and Ordinances and Statutory Regulations and Deemed Regulations in Force.

Section 17C of the Acts and Regulations Publication Act 1989 authorises the making of editorial changes in a reprint as set out in sections 17D and 17E of that Act so that, to the extent permitted, the format and style of the reprinted enactment is consistent with current legislative drafting practice. Changes that would alter the effect of the legislation are not permitted.

A new format of legislation was introduced on 1 January 2000. Changes to legislative drafting style have also been made since 1997, and are ongoing. To the extent permitted by section 17C of the Acts and Regulations Publication Act 1989, all legislation reprinted after 1 January 2000 is in the new format for legislation and reflects current drafting practice at the time of the reprint.

In outline, the editorial changes made in reprints under the authority of section 17C of the Acts and Regulations Publication Act 1989 are set out below, and they have been applied, where relevant, in the preparation of this reprint:

• •omission of unnecessary referential words (such as “of this section” and “of this Act”)

• •typeface and type size (Times Roman, generally in 11.5 point)

• •layout of provisions, including:

  • •indentation

  • •position of section headings (eg, the number and heading now appear above the section)

• •format of definitions (eg, the defined term now appears in bold type, without quotation marks)

• •format of dates (eg, a date formerly expressed as “the 1st day of January 1999” is now expressed as “1 January 1999”)

• •position of the date of assent (it now appears on the front page of each Act)

• •punctuation (eg, colons are not used after definitions)

• •Parts numbered with roman numerals are replaced with arabic numerals, and all cross-references are changed accordingly

• •case and appearance of letters and words, including:

  • •format of headings (eg, headings where each word formerly appeared with an initial capital letter followed by small capital letters are amended so that the heading appears in bold, with only the first word (and any proper nouns) appearing with an initial capital letter)

  • •small capital letters in section and subsection references are now capital letters

• •schedules are renumbered (eg, Schedule 1 replaces First Schedule), and all cross-references are changed accordingly

• •running heads (the information that appears at the top of each page)

• •format of two-column schedules of consequential amendments, and schedules of repeals (eg, they are rearranged into alphabetical order, rather than chronological).

Financial Reporting Amendment Act 2011 (2011 No 22): section 12

Financial Markets Authority Act 2011 (2011 No 5): section 82

National Library of New Zealand (Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa) Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 132): section 18

Rugby World Cup 2011 (Empowering) Act 2010 (2010 No 123): section 97

Judicial Conduct Commissioner and Judicial Conduct Panel (Deputy Commissioner and Disposal of Complaints) Amendment Act 2010 (2010 No 5): section 16

Immigration Act 2009 (2009 No 51): section 406(1) 

Māori Trustee Amendment Act 2009 (2009 No 12): section 30(1)

Criminal Disclosure Act 2008 (2008 No 38): section 38

New Zealand Geographic Board (Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa) Act 2008 (2008 No 30): section 38

Sentencing Council Act 2007 (2007 No 25): section 12

State-Owned Enterprises (Kordia Group Limited) Order 2007 (SR 2007/17): clause 3(2)

Official Information Act (Schedule 1) Order 2006 (SR 2006/321)

Overseas Investment Act 2005 (2005 No 82): section 75

Fiordland (Te Moana o Atawhenua) Marine Management Act 2005 (2005 No 36): section 29

Crown Entities Act 2004 (2004 No 115): section 200

Resource Management (Waitaki Catchment) Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 77): section 12

Judicial Conduct Commissioner and Judicial Conduct Panel Act 2004 (2004 No 38): section 35

New Zealand Symphony Orchestra Act 2004 (2004 No 20): section 36

Education (Disestablishment of Early Childhood Development Board) Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 14): section 7(a)

Official Information Amendment Act 2003 (2003 No 90)

Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (2003 No 48): section 175(1)

State Sector Amendment Act 2003 (2003 No 41): section 14(1)

Wool Industry Restructuring Act 2003 (2003 No 40): section 62(1)

New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Act 2003 (2003 No 27): section 84

Māori Television Service (Te Aratuku Whakaata Irirangi Māori) Act 2003 (2003 No 21): section 58

National Library of New Zealand (Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa) Act 2003 (2003 No 19): section 47

Hop Industry Restructuring Act 2003 (2003 No 16): section 12(1)

Government Communications Security Bureau Act 2003 (2003 No 9): section 30

Racing Act 2003 (2003 No 3): section 69(1)

Remuneration Authority (Members of Parliament) Amendment Act 2002 (2002 No 54): section 4(1)

Victims' Rights Act 2002 (2002 No 39): section 53

Parole Act 2002 (2002 No 10): section 125

Official Information (First Schedule) Order 2002 (SR 2002/384)

Public Trust Act 2001 (2001 No 100): section 170(1)

Education Standards Act 2001 (2001 No 88): sections 83, 94(a)

Dairy Industry Restructuring Act 2001 (2001 No 51): section 165(4)

Apple and Pear Industry Restructuring Act Repeal Act 2001 (2001 No 50): section 10(2)

Fishing Industry Board Repeal Act 2001 (2001 No 34): section 5(3)

State-Owned Enterprises (Landcorp Farming Limited) Order 2001 (SR 2001/23): clause 4

New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act 2000 (2000 No 91): section 111(1)

Alcohol Advisory Council Amendment Act 2000 (2000 No 25): section 25(1)

Parliamentary Service Act 2000 (2000 No 17): section 38

Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act 2000 (2000 No 14): section 41

Education (Change of Name of Education Entities) Order 2000 (SR 2000/117): clause 4(1)

Children's Health Camps Board Dissolution Act 1999 (1999 No 141): section 7

Apple and Pear Industry Restructuring Act 1999 (1999 No 96): section 27(2)

Kiwifruit Industry Restructuring Act 1999 (1999 No 95): section 28

Mental Health Commission Act 1998 (1998 No 5): section 14

Meat Board Act 1997 (1997 No 105): section 82(1)

State-Owned Enterprises (Solid Energy New Zealand Limited) Order 1997 (SR 1997/277): clause 3

Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 (1996 No 30): section 149

State-Owned Enterprises (Crown Forestry Management Limited) Order 1996 (SR 1996/122): clause 3

Radio New Zealand Act (No 2) 1995 (1995 No 53): section 2

Radio New Zealand Act 1995 (1995 No 52): section 20

Department of Justice (Restructuring) Act 1995 (1995 No 39): section 10(3)

Veterinarians Act 1994 (1994 No 107): section 75(5)

Finance Act 1994 (1994 No 73): section 7(1)

Company Law Reform (Transitional Provisions) Act 1994 (1994 No 16): section 2

Southland Electricity Act 1993 (1993 No 147): section 34

Takeovers Act 1993 (1993 No 107): section 49

Financial Reporting Act 1993 (1993 No 106): section 35

Human Rights Act 1993 (1993 No 82): section 145

Official Information Amendment Act 1993 (1993 No 36)

Electricity Act 1992 (1992 No 122): section 56(1)

Housing Restructuring Act 1992 (1992 No 76): section 41

Racing Amendment Act 1992 (1992 No 41): section 41

Official Information Amendment Act 1992 (1992 No 24)

New Zealand Export-Import Corporation Dissolution Act 1992 (1992 No 23): section 7

State-Owned Enterprises Order 1992 (SR 1992/181): clause 4

Privacy Commissioner Act 1991 (1991 No 126): section 37

New Zealand Planning Council Dissolution Act 1991 (1991 No 97): section 8

Finance Act 1991 (1991 No 93): sections 6, 9(1), 12(1), 19, 22

Legal Services Act 1991 (1991 No 71): section 159(1)

Animal Control Products Limited Act 1991 (1991 No 36): section 19

Official Information Order 1991 (SR 1991/130)

Health Research Council Act 1990 (1990 No 68): section 58

Education Amendment Act 1990 (1990 No 60): section 50(1), (4)

State-Owned Enterprises Amendment Act (No 2) 1990 (1990 No 49): section 4(1)

Conservation Law Reform Act 1990 (1990 No 31): section 37

Finance Act 1990 (1990 No 20): section 5

New Zealand Council for Postgraduate Medical Education Act Repeal Act 1990 (1990 No 10): section 4(e)

Education Amendment Act 1989 (1989 No 156): section 49(6)

Regulations (Disallowance) Act 1989 (1989 No 143): section 11

Meat Export Control Amendment Act 1989 (1989 No 132): sections 4(3), 12(1)(d)

Phosphate Commission of New Zealand Dissolution Act 1989 (1989 No 131): section 2(4)

Tourist Hotel Corporation of New Zealand Act 1989 (1989 No 130): sections 16, 17(1)

Official Information Amendment Act 1989 (1989 No 122)

Gaming and Lotteries Amendment Act 1989 (1989 No 118): section 6(4)

Education Act 1989 (1989 No 80): section 142(2)

Waterfront Industry Restructuring Act 1989 (1989 No 66): section 51(e)

Broadcasting Act 1989 (1989 No 25): section 88

Waterfront Industry Reform Act 1989 (1989 No 6): section 37

Poultry Board Act Repeal Act 1989 (1989 No 4): section 4(4)

Post Office Bank Amendment Act 1988 (1988 No 173): section 3

Testing Laboratory Registration Amendment Act 1988 (1988 No 167): section 11

Wool Testing Authority Dissolution Act 1988 (1988 No 166): sections 25(1), 27(2)

State-Owned Enterprises Amendment Act (No 4) 1988 (1988 No 162): section 9

Broadcasting Amendment Act (No 2) 1988 (1988 No 161): section 15

New Zealand Trade Development Board Act 1988 (1988 No 160): section 12(2)

Shipping Corporation of New Zealand Act Repeal Act 1988 (1988 No 154): section 5

War Pensions Amendment Act 1988 (1988 No 148): section 10(4)

Consumer Council Act Repeal Act 1988 (1988 No 144): section 9

Development Finance Corporation of New Zealand Amendment Act 1988 (1988 No 141): section 15(1), (4)

Finance Act (No 2) 1988 (1988 No 128): sections 15, 21, 25

Canterbury Provincial Buildings Vesting Amendment Act 1988 (1988 No 106): section 2(6)

Port Companies Act 1988 (1988 No 91): section 41(2)

State Sector Act 1988 (1988 No 20): section 90(d)

Milk Act 1988 (1988 No 13): section 27(2)

Finance Act 1987 (1987 No 200): sections 13(1)(c), (5), 14(1)(d)

Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (1987 No 174): section 57(1)

Victims of Offences Act 1987 (1987 No 173): section 16

State-Owned Enterprises Amendment Act 1987 (1987 No 117): section 11(1)

Temporary Safeguard Authorities Act 1987 (1987 No 88): section 11

New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament, and Arms Control Act 1987 (1987 No 86): section 27

Immigration Act 1987 (1987 No 74): section 151(1)

Official Information Amendment Act 1987 (1987 No 8)

Wheat Board Amendment Act 1986 (1986 No 25): section 14(2)

Parliamentary Service Act 1985 (1985 No 128): section 71(1)

Official Information Amendment Act 1983 (1983 No 83)

Official Information Act 1982 (1982 No 156): section 53(a), (b)