Resource material › Our Policy Advice Areas › General Policy

The Department's Policy group is responsible for providing administrative and strategic policy advice to the Minister of Internal Affairs and the Government for a number of different Acts. See also: Identity Policy.

Legislation

Boxing and Wrestling Act 1981

The Department administers the Boxing and Wrestling Act 1981. View a list of Boxing/wrestling associations approved by the Minister of Internal Affairs.

Inquiries Act 2013

• This Act provides for the Government to establish government and public inquiries into matters of public importance and provides inquiries with the powers they may need to do their job
• The Act also extends these powers to Royal Commissions established under the Letters Patent
• The Act was developed as a result of work undertaken by the Law Commission. For the Law Commission’s report, please see the Law Commission's website
• For guidelines and links to recent inquiries, please see Public and Government Inquiries
• A number of other enactments provide for bodies to have the powers of a commission of inquiry under the Commissions of Inquiry Act 1908, which is also administered by the Department

The Inquiries Bill was introduced to the House in 2008, but was put on hold for the duration of the Royal Commission of Inquiry on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy and Royal Commission of Inquiry into Building Failure Caused by Canterbury Earthquakes. In June 2013, Cabinet agreed to make a number of improvements to the Bill in light of lessons learned from those royal commissions. The following Cabinet paper and minute relating to that decision have been proactively released by the Minister of Internal Affairs.

• Cabinet paper and minute (pdf 1Mb)

Commonwealth Games Symbol Protection Act 1974

• This Act protects the 1974 Christchurch Commonwealth Games Symbol from misuse and provides that the Minister of Internal Affairs must consent before the symbol can be used
• If you would like to use the symbol, please contact the Minister of Internal Affairs by writing freepost c/o Parliament Buildings, Wellington

Time Act 1974

• The Act specifies that New Zealand standard time is set 12 hours ahead of Universal Co-ordinated Time (often known as Greenwich Mean Time) and that the Chatham Islands is 45 minutes ahead of the rest of New Zealand
• The Act also provides the power to set a period of New Zealand daylight time, where clocks move forward one hour
• For more information, please see Daylight Saving
  • Attitudes Towards the Daylight Saving Extension - Final Report (3 September 2008) (PDF, 1.7MB)