Our responsibility to contribute to an efficient, effective and safe land transport system in the public interest is set out in the Land Transport Management Act 2003.
This and other legislation, such as the Land Transport Act 1998, determines our roles and provides the authority for us to act. Other forms of legislation—regulations and rules—set out our powers for a range of activities, from establishing toll roads to implementing driver and vehicle requirements.
Under legislation—the Land Transport Management Act 2003—we have the following responsibilities:
Land Transport Management Act 2003(external link)
(a) to contribute to an effective, efficient, and safe land transport system in the public interest;
(b) to contribute to establishing, implementing, operating, delivering, monitoring, and enforcing the regulation of the land transport system;
(c) to publish its regulatory strategy in accordance with section 96A;
Land Transport Management Act 2003, section 96A(external link)
(d) to appoint and oversee the performance of the Director, including by ensuring that the Director performs efficiently and effectively;
(e) to issue warnings, reports, and guidance, and to comment about any regulatory matter relating to the land transport system and its participants or any other persons engaged with it;
(f) to manage and oversee regulatory requirements for land transport, including maintaining and preserving records and documents concerning activities within the land transport system and providing and maintaining registers;
(g) to investigate and review accidents and incidents involving transport on land in its capacity as the responsible safety authority (subject to any limitations set out in the Transport Accident Investigation Commission Act 1990);
Transport Accident Investigation Commission Act 1990(external link)
(h) to manage the State highway system (including its planning, funding, design, supervision, construction, maintenance, and operation) in accordance with this Act and the Government Roading Powers Act 1989;
Government Roading Powers Act 1989(external link)
(i) to oversee the planning, operation, implementation, and delivery of public transport (including issuing guidelines for regional public transport plans);
(j) to manage funding of the land transport system, including:
(i) administering land transport revenue; and
(ii) auditing the performance of approved organisations in relation to activities approved by the Agency; and
(iii) auditing the operation of the land transport disbursement accounts of those organisations:
(k) to assist, advise, and co-operate with approved organisations;
(l) to assist, advise, and co-operate with KiwiRail in relation to KiwiRail’s role in preparing each rail network investment programme;
(m) to monitor and report to the Minister on the matters set out in section 102A;
Land Transport Management Act 2003, section 102A(external link)
(n) to deliver, or manage the delivery of, activities relating to research, education, and training in relation to the land transport system;
(o) to deliver, or manage the delivery of, activities for ticketing systems and payments in relation to the land transport system;
(p) to issue reports and guidance and to comment about any matter relating to the land transport system and its participants or any other persons engaged with it;
(q) to advise, assist, or co-operate with any government agency or local government agency when requested to do so by the Minister, but only if the Minister and the Agency are satisfied that the performance of the Agency’s functions and duties will not be compromised;
(r) to advise, assist, or co-operate with other specified agencies and overseas agencies (including under section 109B);
Land Transport Management Act 2003, section 109B(external link)
(s) to provide the Minister with any advice relating to the Agency’s functions that the Minister requests;
(t) to carry out any other functions relating to land transport that the Minister directs in accordance with section 112 of the Crown Entities Act 2004;
Crown Entities Act 2004, section 112(external link)
(u) to carry out the Agency’s functions, powers, and duties under other provisions of this Act or any other Act.
There are many acts, regulations and rules that govern what we do and how we do it.
Listed below are just some of the main pieces of legislation that shape our business and activities.
You can read and download New Zealand acts, bills, and regulations free of charge from the New Zealand Legislation website.
New Zealand Legislation website(external link)
The following two rules are available on the New Zealand legislation website.
Other rules are available in the Resources section of this website.
The Waka Kotahi prosecution policy includes a summary of the legislation which we are empowered to enforce, and sets requirements to guide staff in deciding when it is appropriate to initiate a prosecution for an offence.
