The New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa (NZGB) has authority over geographical and hydrographic names within New Zealand and its territorial waters.[2] This includes the naming of small urban settlements, localities, mountains, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, harbours and natural features and may include researching local Māori names. It has named many geographical features in the Ross Sea region of Antarctica. It has no authority to alter street names (a local body responsibility) or the name of any country.[3]
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The board was established by the New Zealand Geographic Board Act 1946, which has since been replaced by the New Zealand Geographic Board (Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa) Act 2008.[4] Although an independent institution, it is responsible to the Minister for Land Information.
The NZGB secretariat is part of Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) and provides the board with administrative and research assistance and advice.[5]
The New Zealand Geographic Board succeeded an honorary Geographical Advisory Board that had been set up in 1924[6] under the direction of the Minister of Land.[7] That board had seven members, including Herbert Williams, Elsdon Best and Johannes C. Andersen.[8]
Under the New Zealand Geographic Board (Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa) Act 2008, the board comprises the Surveyor-General of New Zealand (appointed by LINZ) as chair, the National Hydrographer (appointed by LINZ) and eight other members nominated by the Minister for Land Information. The ministerial appointees include two persons recommended by the Minister of Māori Development and representatives of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, the New Zealand Geographical Society, the Federated Mountain Clubs of NZ, and Local Government New Zealand.[4]
As of November 2020[update], the ten board members are:[5]
- Anselm Haanen (Surveyor-General, Chairperson)
- Shaun Barnett (nominated by Federated Mountain Clubs)
- Jenni Vernon (nominated by the Minister for Land Information
- Gary Shane Te Ruki (nominated by the Minister for Māori Development)
- Robin Kearns (nominated by the New Zealand Geographical Society Inc)
- Chanel Clarke (nominated by the Minister for Māori Development)
- Adam Greenland (National Hydrographer at LINZ)
- Professor Merata Kawharu (nominated by the Minister for Land Information)
- Bonita Bigham (nominated by Local Government New Zealand)
- Paulette Tamati-Elliffe (nominated by Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu)
Under Section 32 of the 2008 Act, official place names must be used in all official documents, a term which includes both documents produced by government entities and some documents produced by non-government entities, such as scientific publications and information for tourists. Section 33 of the Act enables enforcement of the requirement by granting the New Zealand Geographic Board the right to seek an injunction from the high court with heavy penalties for non-compliance, but as of 2018 this power has not been used, with the Board instead preferring to liaise directly with offenders to correct non-compliance.[17]
These powers have proven ineffective in some cases, such as with overseas open source services such as Google Maps.[17]