2 Interpretation
  • (1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—

    annual financial statements of the Government means the annual consolidated financial statements for the Government reporting entity prepared under section 27

    asset means an asset that is defined, recognised, and measured in accordance with generally accepted accounting practice

    Auditor-General has the meaning given to it by section 4 of the Public Audit Act 2001

    bank, in relation to a bank operating within New Zealand, means the Reserve Bank of New Zealand or a registered bank under the Reserve Bank of New Zealand Act 1989

    benefit means an amount of public money provided by the Crown for the benefit of some person

    borrow money

    • (a) includes—

      • (i) entering into hire purchase agreements or agreements that are of the same or a substantially similar nature; and

      • (ii) entering into finance lease arrangements or arrangements that are of the same or a substantially similar nature; and

      • (iii) accepting debt on assignment from other persons; but

    • (b) does not include the purchase of goods or services on credit, or the obtaining of an advance, through the use of a credit card or by a supplier supplying credit for the purchase of goods or services, for a period of 90 days or less from the date the credit card is used or the credit is supplied

    borrowing expenses means any interest or other financing expenses in respect of any loan or under any public security

    Budget means the Minister's statement in moving the second reading of the first Appropriation Bill for a financial year

    capital expenditure means the costs of assets acquired or developed (including tangible, intangible, or financial assets and any ownership interest in entities, but excluding inventories)

    carrying amount has the meaning given to it under generally accepted accounting practice

    chief executive means,—

    • (a) in the case of a department, the head of the department and includes a chief executive appointed under the State Sector Act 1988:

    • (b) in the case of a Crown entity, the chief executive officer of the Crown entity:

    • (c) in the case of an Office of Parliament, the head of the Office concerned

    class of outputs or class means a grouping of similar outputs

    commitment means future expenses and liabilities to be incurred on contracts that have been entered into at balance date

    company means a company within the meaning of the Companies Act 1955, or the Companies Act 1993, as the case may be

    Crown or the Sovereign

    • (a) means the Sovereign in right of New Zealand; and

    • (b) includes all Ministers of the Crown and all departments; but

    • (c) does not include—

      • (i) an Office of Parliament; or

      • (ii) a Crown entity; or

      • (iii) a State enterprise named in Schedule 1 of the State-Owned Enterprises Act 1986

    Crown Bank Account means any of the bank accounts opened and maintained under section 65R

    Crown entity has the meaning given to it by section 7(1) of the Crown Entities Act 2004

    department

    • (a) means—

      • (i) a department or instrument of the Government or any branch or division of the Government; or

      • (ii) the Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives; or

      • (iii) the Parliamentary Service; but

    • (b) does not include—

      • (i) a body corporate or other legal entity that has the power to contract; or

      • (ii) an Office of Parliament

    Departmental Bank Account means any of the bank accounts opened, maintained, and operated under section 65S

    departmental revenue means revenue generated by a department or an Office of Parliament resulting from the supply by the department or Office of goods, services, rights, or money to other parties, including the Crown

    derivative transaction means—

    • (a) a transaction that is a rate swap transaction, swap option, basis swap, forward rate transaction, interest rate option, foreign exchange transaction, cap transaction, floor transaction, collar transaction, currency swap transaction, cross-currency rate swap transaction, currency option, commodity swap, commodity option, equity or equity index swap, equity or equity index option, bond option, credit protection transaction, credit swap, credit default swap, credit default option, total return swap, credit spread transaction, forward purchase or sale of a security, or commodity or other financial instrument or interest (including an agreement or option that relates to any of these transactions); or

    • (b) a transaction that is similar to any transaction referred to in paragraph (a) that—

      • (i) is currently, or in the future becomes, recurrently entered into in the financial markets; and

      • (ii) is a forward, swap, future, option, or other derivative on 1 or more rates, currencies, commodities, equity securities or other equity instruments, debt securities or other debt instruments, economic indices or measures of economic risk or value, environmental or climatic variable, or other benchmarks against which payments or deliveries are to be made

    Estimates means a statement in any form that—

    • (a) describes and supports the appropriations being sought in the first Appropriation Bill that relates to a financial year; and

    • (b) contains the information referred to in section 14

    expenses means expenses measured in accordance with generally accepted accounting practice; and includes costs

    financial year means a period of 12 months commencing on 1 July and ending with 30 June

    forecast financial statements means a set of statements that consists of—

    • (a) a forecast statement of financial performance; and

    • (b) a forecast statement of financial position; and

    • (c) a forecast statement of cash flows; and

    • (d) any other forecast financial statement required by generally accepted accounting practice; and

    • (e) any other forecast financial statement required for a reporting entity by any regulations made, or instructions issued, under this or any other Act

    generally accepted accounting practice means—

    • (a) financial reporting standards (within the meaning of section 2 of the Financial Reporting Act 1993) so far as those standards apply to the Crown or the department or the Office of Parliament or the Crown entity, as the case may be:

    • (b) in relation to matters for which no provision is made in financial reporting standards (within the meaning of section 2 of the Financial Reporting Act 1993) and which are not subject to any applicable rule of law, accounting policies that—

      • (i) are appropriate in relation to the Crown or the department or the Office of Parliament or the Crown entity, as the case may be; and

      • (ii) have authoritative support within the accounting profession in New Zealand

    Government means the Executive Government of New Zealand

    Government reporting entity means—

    • (a) the Sovereign in right of New Zealand; and

    • (b) the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the Government of New Zealand

    impact means the contribution made to an outcome by a specified set of outputs, or actions, or both

    intelligence and security department means—

    • (a) the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service; or

    • (b) the Government Communications Security Bureau

    liability means a liability that is defined, recognised, and measured in accordance with generally accepted accounting practice

    local authority means a local authority within the meaning of the Local Government Act 2002

    Minister means the Treasurer, or other Minister of the Crown who, under the authority of any warrant or with the authority of the Prime Minister, is for the time being responsible for the administration of this Act or particular provisions of this Act

    mixed ownership model company has the meaning set out in section 45P

    multi-class output expense appropriation has the meaning given to it by section 7(3)(b)

    Office of Parliament means the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (and that Commissioner's office), the Office of Ombudsmen, and the Auditor-General

    operating surplus means the amount by which departmental revenue exceeds the expenses of a department

    other expenses means any expenses incurred by the Crown, a department, or an Office of Parliament that are other than—

    • (a) output expenses; or

    • (b) benefits or other unrequited expenses; or

    • (c) borrowing expenses

    outcome

    • (a) means a state or condition of society, the economy, or the environment; and

    • (b) includes a change in that state or condition

    output expenses

    • (a) includes the full cost of producing and supplying outputs measured in accrual accounting terms; and

    • (b) includes the full allocation of overhead costs

    outputs

    • (a) means goods or services that are supplied by a department, Crown entity, Office of Parliament, or other person or body; and

    • (b) includes goods or services that a department, Crown entity, Office of Parliament, or other person or body has agreed or contracted to supply on a contingent basis, but that have not been supplied

    principles of responsible fiscal management has the meaning given to it by section 26G(1)

    public money means all money received by the Crown, including the proceeds of all loans raised on behalf of the Crown, and any other money that the Minister or the Secretary directs to be paid into a Crown Bank Account or Departmental Bank Account and any money held by an Office of Parliament; but does not include money held in trust as trust money or money received and held by Crown entities

    public security means any security issued under section 63 or any provision of any other Act; and includes any loan or credit agreement, guarantee, indemnity, bond, note, debenture, bill of exchange, Treasury bill, Government stock, and any other security representing part of the public debt of New Zealand

    remeasurements

    • (a) means revisions of prices or estimates that result from revised expectations of future economic benefits or obligations that change the carrying amounts of assets or liabilities; but

    • (b) does not include—

      • (i) revisions that result from transactions or events that give rise to the initial recognition of assets or liabilities in the reporting period; or

      • (ii) revisions that result from transactions or events directly attributable to actions or decisions taken by the Crown; or

      • (iii) expenses that arise from the consumption of assets during the reporting period; or

      • (iv) interest income or interest expenses

    responsible Minister means,—

    • (a) in relation to a department, the Minister or Ministers for the time being responsible for the financial performance of the department:

    • (b) in relation to an organisation named or described in Schedule 4, the Minister or Ministers for the time being responsible for the financial performance of that organisation:

    • (c) in relation to an Office of Parliament, to the Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives, or to the Parliamentary Service, the Speaker

    • (d) [Repealed]

    Secretary means the Secretary to the Treasury, being the chief executive of the Treasury

    Speaker means—

    • (a) the Speaker of the House of Representatives; or

    • (b) on the dissolution or expiration of Parliament until the first meeting of the new Parliament, the person holding the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives at the time of the dissolution or expiration, or, if there was at that time a vacancy in the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives or if the person holding that office at that time dies, the person holding the office of Deputy Speaker at the time of the dissolution or expiration

    subsidiary has the same meaning as in sections 158 and 158A of the Companies Act 1955 or sections 5 and 6 of the Companies Act 1993, as the case may require

    Supplementary Estimates means a statement in any form that—

    • (a) is presented to the House of Representatives in accordance with section 16; and

    • (b) contains the information referred to in section 17

    Treasury means the department of that name and, in relation to any particular function, duty, or power, means the Secretary; and includes any person for the time being authorised, by the Secretary or otherwise, to exercise that function, duty, or power

    Treasury instructions means Treasury instructions issued under section 80

    Trust Bank Account means a Trust Bank Account established under Part 7

    trust money means trust money within the meaning of section 66(1)

    type, in relation to an appropriation, means any of the types of appropriations specified in section 7(1)

    Vote means an appropriation or a grouping of appropriations that is—

    • (a) the responsibility of a designated Minister or Ministers and administered by 1 department; or

    • (b) the responsibility of the Speaker and administered by—

      • (i) an Office of Parliament; or

      • (ii) the Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives; or

      • (iii) the Parliamentary Service

    working day means any day except—

    • (a) Saturday, Sunday, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Anzac Day, the Sovereign's birthday, Labour Day, Waitangi Day; and

    • (b) the day observed as anniversary day in Wellington; and

    • (c) a day in the period commencing on 25 December in one year and ending on 15 January in the next year.

    (2) [Repealed]

    (3) [Repealed]

    (4) [Repealed]

    (5) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, where this Act provides that a power may be exercised by both the Minister and the Secretary, the power may be exercised by the Secretary only in so far as the Minister has not otherwise directed.

    Section 2: substituted, on 1 July 1994, by section 3(1) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 1994 (1994 No 18).

    Section 2(1) annual financial statements of the Crown: repealed, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(1) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) annual financial statements of the Government: inserted, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(1) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) asset: inserted, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(1) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) Audit Office: repealed, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(1) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) Auditor-General: inserted, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(1) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) borrow money: inserted, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(2) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) borrowing expenses: amended, on 12 December 2000, by section 3 of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2000 (2000 No 78).

    Section 2(1) Budget: inserted, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(3) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) capital contribution: repealed, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(4) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) capital expenditure: inserted, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(4) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) carrying amount: inserted, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(4) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) contingent liability: repealed, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(5) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) cost: repealed, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(5) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) Crown Bank Account: substituted, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(7) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) Crown entity: substituted, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(8) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) Crown entity group: repealed, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(8) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) Crown or Her Majesty: repealed, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(6)(a) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) Crown or the Sovereign: inserted, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(6)(a) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) Crown or the Sovereign paragraph (a): amended, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(6)(b) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) department: substituted, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(9) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) Departmental Bank Account: substituted, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(10) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) derivative transaction: inserted, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(11) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) Estimates: substituted, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(12) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) forecast financial statements: inserted, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(13) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) generally accepted accounting practice paragraph (a): amended, on 1 July 2011, by section 12 of the Financial Reporting Amendment Act 2011 (2011 No 22).

    Section 2(1) generally accepted accounting practice paragraph (b): amended, on 1 July 2011, by section 12 of the Financial Reporting Amendment Act 2011 (2011 No 22).

    Section 2(1) Government reporting entity: inserted, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(14) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) impact: inserted, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(14) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) intelligence and security department: inserted, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(14) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) liability: substituted, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(15) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) local authority: substituted, on 1 July 2003, by section 262 of the Local Government Act 2002 (2002 No 84).

    Section 2(1) Minister: substituted, on 25 June 1997, by section 2 of the Treasurer (Statutory References) Act 1997 (1997 No 20).

    Section 2(1) mixed ownership model company: inserted, on 30 June 2012, by section 5 of the Public Finance (Mixed Ownership Model) Amendment Act 2012 (2012 No 45).

    Section 2(1) Mode B: repealed, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(16) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) Mode C: repealed, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(16) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) multi-class output expense appropriation: inserted, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(17) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) Office of Parliament: amended, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(18) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) Office of Parliament: amended, on 1 July 2001, by section 53 of the Public Audit Act 2001 (2001 No 10).

    Section 2(1) other expenses: substituted, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(19) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) outcome: substituted, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(20) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) output expenses: inserted, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(20) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) outputs: substituted, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(20) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) principles of responsible fiscal management: inserted, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(20) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) public security: amended, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(21) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) purchased: repealed, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(22) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) raising a loan: repealed, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(22) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) remeasurements: inserted, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(23) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) responsible Minister paragraph (b): substituted, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(24) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) responsible Minister paragraph (c): substituted, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(24) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) responsible Minister paragraph (d): repealed, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(24) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) Supplementary Estimates: substituted, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(25) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) trading revenue: repealed, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(26) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) type: inserted, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(27) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) Vote: substituted, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(28) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(1) working day: added, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(29) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(2): repealed, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(30) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(3): repealed, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(30) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).

    Section 2(4): repealed, on 25 January 2005, by section 5(30) of the Public Finance Amendment Act 2004 (2004 No 113).