This page last modified 16 September 1998
ANALYSIS
Title
1. Short Title
2. New sections inserted
24AA. Guardians of the Queen's Chain
24AB. Authority to investigate Queen's Chain
A BILL INTITULED
An Act to protect the Queen's
Chain by--
(a) Establishing Guardians of the Queen's Chain; and
(b) Making the Minister of Conservation publicly accountable through
the Guardians for the exercise of certain powers in relation to
marginal strips; and
(c) Requiring the Minister of Conservation to gain the prior approval
of the Guardians to any exercise under Part IVA of the Conservation
Act 1987 of a power to reduce, waive, exchange, grant easements
over, or appoint managers for, marginal strips; and
(d) Authorising the New Zealand Conservation Authority to investigate
how the Queen's Chain might be further protected and how it might
be extended
BE IT ENACTED by the Parliament of New Zealand as follows:
1. Short Title--This Act may be cited as the Queen's Chain Protection
Act 1993, and shall be read together with and deemed part of the
Conservation Act 1987 (hereinafter referred to as the principal
Act).
2.
New sections inserted--The principal Act is hereby amended by
inserting, before section 24A, the following sections:
"24AA. Guardians of the Queen's Chain--(l) There are hereby established Guardians of the Queen's Chain.
"(2) In any particular locality, the Guardians of the Queen's Chain shall be the members of the Conservation Board appointed under Part IIA of this Act, and, subject to this section, the provisions of that Part shall apply accordingly.
"(3) The functions of the Guardians of the Queen's Chain shall be,--
"(a) To protect the Queen's Chain and the interests of the public in it; and
"(b) In particular, to examine, and make a recommendation to the Minister on, any proposed exercise by the Minister of a power referred to in subsection (4) of this section.
"(4) The Minister shall refer to the appropriate Guardians any proposal to exercise any of his or her powers under sections 24A, 24B, 24E, 24H, or 24I of this Act. The Minister shall not exercise any such power except on the recommendation of the Guardians.
"(5) Before making any recommendation to the Minister pursuant to subsection 4 of this section, the Guardians shall consider the grounds given by the Minister and such other material as they see fit. The proceedings of the Guardians shall be conducted in public.
"(6) The Guardians in each locality shall in each year make a report to the New Zealand Conservation Authority on their consideration of all proposed exercises of power by the Minister during the year, and on their other activities (if any).
"24AB. Authority to investigate Queen's Chain--The New Zealand Conservation Authority may inquire into, and make recommendations to the Minister from time to time on, the further protection of marginal strips, and on means of extending public access along the coast and the edge of rivers and lakes, and for those purposes may--"(a) Co-operate with the Guardians; and
"(b) Co-opt suitable persons to any committee of the Authority."