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Directory of Decisions
Children's Commissioner -
Manaakitia a Tatou Tamariki
|
| Jurisdiction
|
The
Commissioner's role is to act as a public advocate for children's
rights and interests. The Commissioner has special responsibilities to
investigate matters of child abuse and neglect, youth offending and the
actions of the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services. To this
end, the Commissioner can inquire into any matter affecting children
and young people in any service or organisation. |
| Governing
legislation |
Children's Commissioner Act 2003 |
Administering
body |
The
Children's Commission operates as an independent agency. |
| Contact details |
Office of the Commissioner for
Children, PO Box 5610, Wellington, New Zealand
Tel: 64 4 471 1410 or 0800 A CHILD / 0800 224 453
Fax: 64 4 471 1418
General enquiries: email directly from the website. |
Library holdings
of reports |
HU and CUL
(selected reports and occasional papers) |
Commerce Commission
|
| Jurisdiction |
Established
under the Commerce Act 1986 to bring about compliance with the Commerce
and Fair Trading Acts, which promote competition and fair trading in
New Zealand markets.
The Commission may investigate possible breaches of these acts as a
result of a complaint or on its own initiative. It does not have a
judicial role. If it believes that there has been a breach of these
Acts it can issue a warning, negotiate settlements or take court
action. It is the courts role to rule on whether there has been a
breach.
The Commission can grant authorisation of restrictive trade practices
on the grounds of public benefit. This gives businesses exemption from
the Commerce Act prohibitions on restrictive trade practices.
It also has a role in clearing or authorising certain business
acquisitions where market dominance is at issue. |
| Governing legislation |
Commerce Act
1986; Fair Trading Act 1986 |
Administering
body |
The New
Zealand Commerce Commission is an independent Crown agency. |
| Contact details |
Communications Officer, New Zealand
Commerce Commission,
PO Box 2351 Wellington, New Zealand
Tel: 64 4 924 3600
Fax: 64 4 924 3700 |
| Availability of decisions |
NZLII
(2004 onwards).
Selected summaries and full-text decisions, June 1997 to December 2005
from LINX.
Decisions for the years: 1997 and 2004 only are available via NZLII.
Also available from LexisNexis Judgment Service
(selected decisions 1986-1993). |
| Indexed by |
BriefCase, LINX
(1997 onwards) |
| Reported in |
NZAR, NZBLC
(1987-1991) |
Libraries holdings
of decisions |
HU (1992 onward); DUL
(1975 onward); AL
(1975 - 2005); WL
(1976 onward); CL
(1985 onward); CUL
(1975 onward) |
| Note |
Originally established under the
repealed Commerce Act 1975. |
Commissioner of Patents, Trade
Marks and Designs |
| Jurisdiction |
Deals with
issues such as objections to Patent grants, extensions of terms and
revocation of Patentsand Trade Marks. Also makes some decisions in
relation to Design matters. |
| Governing legislation |
Designs Act 1953; Patetents Act 1953; Trade Marks Act 2002 |
Administering
body |
Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand
which is a business unit of the Ministry
of Economic Development Manatū Ōhanga. |
| Contact details |
Intellectual Property Office of New
Zealand (IPONZ),
PO Box 30 687, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
Tel: 64 3 962 2602
Fax: 64 4 560 1691
General enquiries: info@iponz.govt.nz |
| Availability of decisions |
Decisions from 1953 onwards are
available in full text from the IPONZ website (under Information
Library) |
| Reported in |
IPR contains selected Intellectual
property decisions from the High Court and Court of Appeal, but does
not include Decisions of the Commissioner. Also reported in NZIPR. |
Library holdings
of reports |
HU |
| Note |
Intellectual property issues
regarding copyright are dealt with by the Copyright Tribunal. |
Domain Name Commissioner |
| Jurisdiction |
Deals with
issues such as objections to Patent grants, extensions of terms and
revocation of Patentsand Trade Marks. Also makes some decisions in
relation to Design matters. |
| Governing legislation |
Designs Act 1953; Patetents Act 1953; Trade Marks Act 2002 |
Administering
body |
Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand
which is a business unit of the Ministry
of Economic Development Manatū Ōhanga |
| Contact details |
Intellectual Property Office of New
Zealand (IPONZ),
PO Box 30 687, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
Tel: 64 3 962 2602
Fax: 64 4 560 1691
General enquiries: info@iponz.govt.nz |
| Availability of decisions |
Decisions from 1953 onwards are
available in full text from the IPONZ website (under Information
Library) |
| Reported in |
IPR
contains selected Intellectual property decisions from the High Court
and Court of Appeal, but does not include Decisions of the
Commissioner. Also reported in NZIPR. |
Library holdings
of reports |
HU |
| Note |
Intellectual property issues
regarding copyright are dealt with by the Copyright Tribunal |
Electricity and Gas Complaints
Commissioner
|
| Jurisdiction |
Provides
a forum where consumers can access an independent dispute resolution
service for complaints about their electricity or gas lines or retail
companies. |
| Governing legislation |
The Commission is an independent
organization. |
| Contact details |
Electricity
and Gas Complaints Commission, FreePost 192682,
PO Box 6144, Wellington
Tel: 64 4 460 8860
Fax: 64 4 460 8879
General enquiries: info@electricitycommission.govt.nz |
| Availability of decisions |
Case Notes include a brief summary
of decisions. |
| Note |
The
Office is funded by member companies, but remains independent of the
industry in its investigation processes and decision-making. |
Gambling Commission New Zealand |
| Jurisdiction |
The Commission hears casino licensing applications, and appeals on licensing and enforcement decisions made by the Secretary of Internal Affairs in relation to gaming machines and other non-casino gambling activities. The Gambling Commission has the powers of a Commission of Inquiry. |
| Governing legislation |
Gambling Act 2003; the Commission's website includes links to other relevant legislation. |
Administering
body |
The Gambling Commission is an independent statutory decision-making body. |
| Contact details |
Gambling Commission New Zealand, PO Box 3310, Shortland Street, Auckland
Tel: 64 9 300 1113
Fax: 64 9 300 1118
Email: info@gamblingcom.govt.nz |
| Availability of decisions |
Available from the Commission's website |
| Notes |
Replaces the Casino Control Authority |
Human Rights Commission - Te
Kahui Tika Tangata |
| Jurisdiction |
The Human Rights Commission is a
statutory body that administers the Human Rights Act 1993. The
Commission's primary functions are: to advocate and promote respect
for, and an understanding and appreciation of, human rights in New
Zealand society; and to encourage the maintenance and development of
harmonious relations between individuals and among the diverse groups
in New Zealand society. |
| Governing legislation |
Human Rights Act 1993 |
Administering
body |
The Human
Rights Commission is an independent statutory body. |
| Contact details |
Office of Human Rights Proceedings, PO Box 6751,
Wellesley Street, Auckland, New Zealand
Tel: 64 9 309 0874
Fax: 64 9 377 3593 |
| Availability of decisions |
Proceedings brought by the
Commission are heard by the Human
Rights Review Tribunal; selected Case notes
are available on the Human Rights Commission website. |
| Notes |
Prior to 1 January 2002,
the Human Rights Commission had the legal authority to form opinions as
to whether a complaint had substance, that is, that there had been a
breach of the Human Rights Act 1993 (HRA). Amendments to that
Act, which came into force on January 1 2002, mean that the Commission
no longer has the legal authority to form an opinion that there had
been a breach of the HRA.
Incorporates the Office of the Race Relations Commissioner (formerly
Race Relations Conciliator). |
|
Parliamentary Commissioner for
the Environment - Te Kaitiaki Taiao a Te Whare Paremata
|
| Jurisdiction |
To review and provide advice on
environmental issues and the system of agencies and processes
established by the Government to manage the environment. The
Commissioner may investigate any matter where the environment may be,
or has been adversely affected; assess the capability, performance and
effectiveness of the New Zealand system of environmental management;
and provide advice and information that will assist people to maintain
and improve the quality of the environment. The Commissioner discusses
with decision-makers in relevant public authorities the issues
identified by particular investigations and the ways in which these can
be addressed. |
| Governing legislation |
Environment Act 1986 |
Administering
body |
Operates independently of executive
government. |
| Contact details |
Parliamentary Commissioner for the
Environment,
PO Box 10-241, Wellington, New Zealand
Tel: 64 4 471 1669
Fax 64 4 495 8350
Email: pce@pce.govt.nz |
| Availability of reports |
Selected reports (1997 onward) are
available from the Commission's website |
Library holdings
of reports |
HU
(selected holdings) |
Privacy Commissioner - Te Mana
Matapono Matatapu |
| Jurisdiction |
Enquires into any practice,
procedure, technical development or enactment of legislation which may
lead to infringement of individual privacy. This can involve receiving
representations from the public on such matters; reporting to the Prime
Minister on matters affecting individual privacy; educating the public
in such matters and developing Privacy Codes of Practice for specific
industries, agencies and types of personal information. |
| Governing legislation |
Privacy Act 1993 |
Administering
body |
The Privacy
Commission is an independent government funded
agency. |
| Contact details |
Privacy Commissioner Te Mana
Matapono Matatapu, PO Box 466,
Auckland, New Zealand
Tel: 64 9 302 8655
Fax 64 9 302 2305
Email: enquiries@privacy.org.nz
|
| Availability of decisions |
Proceedings brought by the Privacy
Commissioner are heard by the Human
Rights Review Tribunal (formerly the Complaints Review
Tribunal). Selected Decisions (1998 onwards) are available
through AustLII,
while Case Notes are available from the Privacy
Commission website (1994 onwards) and NZLII
(1996 onwards). Note: no Case Notes were released
in the 2000 calendar year. |
| Indexed by |
Decisions of the Human Rights Review Tribunal
(and the former Complaints Review Tribunal) are indexed by BriefCase. |
Library holdings
of publications |
HU (Case notes 1993-1998);
Complaints Review Tribunal privacy cases 1993-2001); codes of practice;
annual report; Private Word (newsletter); CUL (issues sheets, fact
sheets, Complaints Review Tribunal privacy cases 1993 - 1997) |
| Note |
A Privacy Commissioner was
originally established under the repealed Privacy Commissioner Act 1991. |
Retirement Commissioner
|
| Jurisdiction |
The Retirement
Commission was established in 1995, mainly to establish an
understanding of public concerns and knowledge of retirement income
issues. With the passing of the Retirement Villages Act in 2003 the
Commission's role expanded to include monitoring the effects of the
Act, promote education and publish information, approve members of a
disputes panel, and consulting and making recommendations on a Code of Practice to cover all
retirement villages. |
| Governing legislation |
NZ Superannuation and Retirement
Income Act 2001; Retirement Villages Act 2003 |
Administering
body |
Ministry
of Social Development |
| Contact details |
Retirement Commission, PO Box 12-148, Wellington, New Zealand
Tel: +64 4 499 7396
Fax: +64 499 7397
Office email: office@retirement.org.nz |
| Availability of decisions |
The Commission website includes links to decisions that disputes panels have made since the dispute resolution provisions
of the Retirement Villages Act 2003 came into force on 1 October
2006. The first decision was made in March 2007. |
Transport Accident
Investigation Commission - Te Komihana Tirotiro Aitua Waka
|
| Jurisdiction |
Determines only
the circumstances and causes of accidents and incidents (as opposed to
ascribing blame to any person) with a view to avoiding future
occurrences. |
Governing
legislation |
Transport Accident Investigation
Commission Act 1990 |
Administering
body |
The Commission is an independent
Crown Entity. |
| Contact details |
Transport Accident Investigation Commission,
PO Box 10 323, Wellington 6036, NZ
Tel: 64 4 473 3112
Fax: 64 4 499 1510
Email: inquiries@taic.org.nz |
| Availability of decisions |
All TAIC reports published after 1
December 2001 are available as pdf files free of charge from the TAIC
website, as well as summaries and selected full text reports from about
1990 onwards. |
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