The Department of Internal Affairs

Te Tari Taiwhenua | Department of Internal Affairs

Building a safe, prosperous and respected nation



Related law and policies

Consolidated Lake Taupō Navigation Safety Bylaw 2017

The up to date version of the Lake Taupō Navigation Safety Bylaw 2017 which incorporates the 2019 and 2020 amendments.

The Lake Taupō Navigation Safety Amendment Bylaw 2020

The Lake Taupō Navigation Safety Amendment Bylaw 2020 came into effect on 8 June 2020.

The changes to the 2017 Bylaw are:

1. Section 2.15 has been amended to remove the requirement for personal watercraft (jet ski) to be registered with the Lake Taupō Harbourmaster rather than a regional council. Jet ski used on Lake Taupō must now be registered directly with a regional council.
2. The Waihaha Bay access lane has been removed.
3. An area reserved for swimming has been added in Pukawa Bay. Reserved swimming areas are marked with white and black banded posts ashore, and white buoys with black writing in the water.

On the 8 June 2020, the Lake Taupō Navigation Safety Bylaw 2017 will be revoked, and a consolidated Lake Taupō Navigation Safety Bylaw 2020 will be published including these changes.

The Department has proactively released its advice to the Minister of Local Government on the Bylaw changes. The advice can be found here: Proactive Releases

The Lake Taupō Navigation Safety Admendment Bylaw 2019

The Lake Taupō Navigation Safety Amendment Bylaw 2019 came into effect on 1 November 2019.

The bylaw was amended to add the following requirements:

Requirement for mooring permit

(1) No person may place or maintain a mooring in the lake except under the authority of a mooring permit and in accordance with any conditions of the permit.

(2) The harbourmaster may,—

(a)on application, issue a mooring permit; and

(b) include in the mooring permit any conditions of mooring that are reasonably necessary to protect the mooring or to ensure maritime safety.

 Transfer or modification of mooring permit

(1) A mooring permit may not be transferred, assigned, or hired under any rule of law or equity.

(2) A purported transfer, assignment, or hiring of a mooring permit is void.

From 1 November 2019, the fee for a one-year mooring permit will be $232.

The Lake Taupō Navigation Safety Bylaw 2017

The Lake Taupō Navigation Safety Bylaw 2017 came into effect 12 April 2017.

The Bylaw applies to all the waters of Lake Taupō, the navigable rivers and streams flowing into that lake, the tailrace from the Tokaanu power station, and the waters of the Waikato River between Lake Taupō and the Huka Falls, collectively referred to as 'the Lake’.

The Bylaw is aimed at assisting in the safety of users on the Lake.  It sets out safe practices for users engaged in towing, swimming, boating and other water related activities on the Lake.

Instant fines of $200 per infringement may be given for offences against the Bylaw and more serious offences may be prosecuted.

The previous Lake Taupō Navigation Safety Bylaw 2010 has been revoked.

The two main changes from the 2010 Bylaw are:

1. Mandatory wearing of lifejackets in vessels 6 meters or less in length overall (LOA), whilst making way.

  • Up until now you only had to carry lifejackets of the correct size for everyone on-board. This particular ‘old rule’ still stands for every vessel in excess of 6 meters length overall.

2. Mandatory carriage of at-least one form of communications on all vessels, that:

  • Is able to communicate with a person ashore.
  • Has enough ‘battery life’ for your entire voyage.
  • Has adequate ‘coverage’ in the area you will be operating.
  • If your vessel is less than 6 meters LOA, your communication device must be waterproof or in a waterproof container (cellphone in a ziplock bag is suitable, providing it meets the 3 requirements above).
  • If you are a ‘group’ of vessels (i.e. a group of kayakers, either commercial or not), only one person needs to carry the communications on behalf of the group.
  • ‘Voice’ communications is acceptable for vessels close to shore i.e.
    • Children on a kayak at the beach able to yell to parents / caregivers ashore.
    • A person rowing from their parent vessel to shore (or back), where they can yell to a person on the parent vessel, or to a person who is ashore.

The 2017 Bylaw changes provide a set of rules that are more effective for navigation safety purposes and are aimed at assisting in public safety on the Lake.

The changes are consistent with similar Bylaw changes introduced by other Regional Councils such as the Waikato Regional Council.

Safety patrols and enforcement officers will begin informing boat operators about the new Bylaw.  Once the education period is over, infringement notices will be issued to offenders.

The Habourmaster’s Office provides information to boat users and stakeholders on the Department’s website, the Harbourmaster’s facebook page, local media and / or public notices and via the Taupō Moana Boating Guide (PDF, 600KB)

Lake Taupō Navigation Safety Bylaw Revocation Notice 2017

1. Pursuant to sections 33M and 33W(4) of the Maritime Transport Act 1994, on 15 March 2017, the Lake Taupō Navigation Safety Bylaw 2017 was made, and takes effect from 12 April 2017.

2. Pursuant to sections 33M and 33W(4) of the Maritime Transport Act 1994, the Lake Taupō Navigation Safety Bylaw 2010 is revoked with effect from 12 April 2017.

Regulatory Impact & Agency Disclosure Statement 2012

Analysis for an Order in Council under the Local Government Act 1974 to set new regulations to increase fees on a full cost recovery basis for the use of Crown-owned boating facilities on Lake Taupō.

Other statutory and legal policies

Section 33M of the Maritime Transport Act 1994 provides that a regional council may make bylaws to regulate and control waters in its region for the purpose of navigation safety.

Section 33W(4) provides that the Minister of Local Government (or the Associate Minister of Local Government as the case may be) may make bylaws in accordance with section 33M for navigation safety on Lake Taupō.

A deed entered into in 1992 between the Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board and the Crown set out the Crown’s specific rights to control and legislate in respect of navigation safety on Lake Taupō. Under the terms of that deed the ownership of the beds of waters are vested in Ngāti Tūwharetoa, and were set out to be managed and administered in partnership between the Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board and the Crown.

A revised deed was signed between the Crown and the Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board in 2007. Under the revised deed (specifically clause 3.3) the Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board acknowledges the right of the Crown to control and legislate in respect of water, including its use and quality, public safety, public health, navigation and recreation.

Regulation through a bylaw is common practice and proposed amendments to a bylaw need to be widely available and accessible. Navigation safety bylaws work efficiently for regional councils, as many are based on maritime rules, which in turn have been based on well tested international maritime conventions. Bylaws provide a means of converting those international conventions into workable maritime rules for a local area. Bylaws are an effective way of encouraging good boating practice and can be tailored to suit local geography and conditions.

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