New Zealand Legislation: Acts

5 Amendments to Rates Rebate Act 1973

• (1) Section 2(1) of the Rates Rebate Act 1973 is amended by repealing the definition of child and substituting the following definition:

  “child means a person under the age of 18 years who is not married or in a civil union or a de facto relationship.”

  (2) Section 2(1) of the Rates Rebate Act 1973 is amended by inserting in the definition of dependant, after the word “spouse” wherever it appears, the words “or partner”.

  (3) Section 2(1) of the Rates Rebate Act 1973 is amended by omitting from paragraph (b) of the definition of dependant, the words “or adoption”, and substituting the words “by or through a civil union or de facto relationship, or by adoption”.

  (4) Section 2(1) of the Rates Rebate Act 1973 is amended by inserting, after the definition of local authority, the following definition:

  “partner, in relation to any ratepayer, means the civil union partner or de facto partner of the ratepayer, being a civil union partner or de facto partner who, at the commencement of the rating year in respect of which an application for a rebate under this Act is made, ordinarily resides on the property in respect of which the rates are payable.”

  (5) Section 2(1) of the Rates Rebate Act 1973 is amended by repealing the definition of spouse, and substituting the following definition:

  “spouse, in relation to any ratepayer, means the wife or husband of the ratepayer, being a wife or husband who, at the commencement of the rating year in respect of which an application for a rebate under this Act is made, ordinarily resides on the property in respect of which the rates are payable.”

  (6) This section comes into force on 1 July 2006.