The New Zealand government transport sector includes the Minister and Associate Minister of Transport, the Ministry of Transport, four Crown entities and three State-owned enterprises. These entities and their functions are explained below.
Overview of the New Zealand Government transport sector
New Zealand Government transport sector
The Minister and Associate Minister of Transport
Hon David BennettAssociate Minister of Transport
The Ministry of Transport
Policy advice, contract management, air services agreements, legislation, Vote Transport administration and monitoring Crown entity performance.
Crown entities
The Ministry provides Crown entity performance oversight to the following transport Crown entities:
Civil Aviation Authority
Safety rules, licensing, standards enforcement and aviation security service
Maritime New Zealand
Safety rules, licensing standards enforcement and marine environment protection
NZ Transport Agency
Land transport rules, licensing standards enforcement, land transport funding
A relationship protocol exists between the Ministry and the NZ Transport Agency. It sets out how the two organisation expect to work together. A constructive and effective partnership with the NZ Transport Agency is critical to a mutual success as organisations, and the protocol is an important expression of how the Ministry and the NZ Transport Agency work together.
Ministry of Transport/NZ Transport Agency protocol (PDF, 96kb)
Transport Accident Investigation Commission
Independent investigation of transport accidents
View the Monitoring arrangements for transport sector Crown entities
Local government
Local authorities own, maintain and develop New Zealand's local road network and perform important regulatory transport functions. Local government fund land transport infrastructure and public transport services alongside central government, and is responsible for transport planning and land-use planning. Some local authorities own seaports and airports, or share ownership with the Crown.
State-owned enterprises with transport functions
Airways Corporation of New Zealand Limited
Provides air navigation and air traffic management services on a commercial basis. It is also responsible for air traffic services in 30 million square kilometres of international airspace managed by New Zealand.
Meteorological Service of New Zealand Limited (MetService)
Provides public weather forecasting services and provides meteorological information for international air navigation under contract to the Civil Aviation Authority.
New Zealand Railways Corporation (KiwiRail)
Trading as KiwiRail Group. KiwiRail manages the rail and ferry businesses owned by the New Zealand government.