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New Zealand law explained for everyone

Child Support Act 1991

Departure from formula assessment of child support initiated by Commissioner

96ZF: Restriction on publication of reports of proceedings

You could also call this:

“Keeping court reports private unless allowed”

You cannot publish a report about any proceedings under this part of the law without permission from the Commissioner or the Family Court. The Commissioner or the Family Court can give permission with or without conditions.

If you publish a report without permission, you are breaking the law. If you are an individual, you could go to jail for up to 3 months or pay a fine of up to $2,000. If you are a company, you could pay a fine of up to $10,000.

There are some exceptions to this rule. You can publish a report if it’s in a professional or technical publication that is meant for lawyers, government employees, relationship counsellors, mediators, or social workers.

Even though there are rules about keeping tax information secret, you can still publish a report about these proceedings if you have permission from the Commissioner or the Family Court, or if it fits the exceptions mentioned above.

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This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM255311.

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96ZE: Commencement of determinations, or

"When decisions about child support start to work"

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96ZG: Application of certain provisions in Part 6A to proceedings under this Part, or

"Rules for changes to child support calculations and hearings"

Part 6B Departure from formula assessment of child support initiated by Commissioner

96ZFRestriction on publication of reports of proceedings

  1. No person may, without the leave of the Commissioner or the Family Court, publish a report of any proceedings under this Part.

  2. The Commissioner or the Family Court may grant leave under subsection (1) with or without conditions.

  3. Every person who contravenes subsection (1) commits an offence against this Act and is liable on conviction,—

  4. in the case of an individual, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months, or to a fine not exceeding $2,000:
    1. in the case of a body corporate, to a fine not exceeding $10,000.

      1. Nothing in this section applies to the publication of any report in any publication that—

      2. is of a bona fide professional or technical nature; and
        1. is intended for circulation among members of the legal profession, employees of the Crown, relationship counsellors, mediators, or social workers.

          1. Nothing in section 18(1) of the Tax Administration Act 1994 prevents the publication of a report of any proceedings under this Part—

          2. with the leave of the Commissioner or the Family Court; or
            1. in accordance with subsection (4).

              Notes
              • Section 96ZF: substituted, on , by section 6 of the Child Support Amendment Act 2008 (2008 No 75).
              • Section 96ZF(1): amended, on , by section 261 of the District Court Act 2016 (2016 No 49).
              • Section 96ZF(2): amended, on , by section 261 of the District Court Act 2016 (2016 No 49).
              • Section 96ZF(3): amended, on , by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).
              • Section 96ZF(5): amended, on , by section 326 of the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2018–19, Modernising Tax Administration, and Remedial Matters) Act 2019 (2019 No 5).
              • Section 96ZF(5)(a): amended, on , by section 261 of the District Court Act 2016 (2016 No 49).