Intermediate Outcomes - Key Steps Towards Delivering These Results

LINZ has three intermediate outcomes that will help us achieve the end outcomes listed above:

• an effective system for defining and transacting land
• convenient access to integrated land information, and
• effective and efficient management of Crown land and liabilities.

An effective system for defining and transacting land

This helps provide "certainty of New Zealand property rights and interests". There are two components to this.

Firstly LINZ is responsible for the regulatory framework that is used to define land by survey - giving definition of property rights in terms of legal authority and the physical extent of rights on the ground.

Secondly LINZ provides advice to Government about a range of regulations, including applications from overseas persons and organisations wanting to invest in land and assets in New Zealand. LINZ develops the regulatory framework and provides our primary customers with access to the information we hold. Our Landonline service supports this activity by delivering land information to our customers.

LINZ will monitor performance in this area by:

• conducting surveys to measure business confidence and customer satisfaction levels, and
• benchmarking our system against similar land transfer systems overseas, particularly those in Australian states.

Convenient access to integrated land information

This helps New Zealanders make better decisions about such things as:

• future land use, particularly resource management
• land investments, and
• where they can go to enjoy recreational activities.

LINZ will monitor performance in this area by:

• measuring changes in the availability of land information needed by the New Zealand economy and the ease with which this information can be found, and
• conducting surveys and measuring customer satisfaction levels.

Effective and efficient management of Crown land and liabilities

This helps ensure that "Crown assets are put to their best use".

LINZ regulates the management and disposal of the Crown's interest in land and property in accordance with the Public Works Act 1981 and the Land Act 1948. When government agencies buy and sell property we both make the legislation that enables this to take place, and also ensure that correct statutory decisions are made and that statutory requirements are complied with in a consistent manner.

We are also responsible for managing Crown land and property on its balance sheet in accordance with the regulatory framework. We control pests, plants and animals on this land and on Crown-owned river beds and lake beds.

The land we manage ranges from large pastoral leases to forests held in trust for Treaty of Waitangi settlements, to small plots of land. We also sometimes inherit land contaminated by its previous Crown owners and previous occupiers.

The diversity of our land portfolio means we must manage land in a manner that is appropriate to its type. For example, through the Tenure Review process we are obliged to:

• promote the ecologically sustainable management of high country land
• protect land with significant inherent values by retaining it in Crown ownership
• make it easier for the public to access high country land, and
• make it easier for leaseholders to freehold high country land not retained by the Crown.

In managing Crown land effectively and efficiently, LINZ is protecting New Zealanders' interests by ensuring that this land is put to best use. (This is the best use given Government's desired economic, social and environmental outcomes.)

In this context, effective and efficient management means:

• when the Crown disposes of land, landowners' rights are protected
• the Crown acquires land for a good reason
• landowners are fully aware of their rights and have the opportunity to negotiate on a reasonable and equal footing
• keeping land management costs as low as possible
• being a responsible landowner, landlord and neighbour, and
• protecting the Crown's interest by complying with laws and regulations affecting Crown land, and keeping accurate records of the land LINZ holds.

LINZ will monitor performance in this area by:

• conducting independent audits of government land and property transaction processes to measure transparency and statutory compliance, and
• seeking evidence of how we have collaborated with central and local government agencies to manage and resolve Crown land-related issues.

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