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Health Act 1956

Infectious and notifiable diseases

72: Offences relating to obstructing medical officer of health or people assisting medical officer of health

You could also call this:

"Getting in trouble for stopping or hurting health workers or police from doing their job"

If you threaten or hurt a medical officer of health, you can get in trouble. You can also get in trouble if you stop them from doing their job under section 70 or 71. This includes people who are helping the medical officer of health.

If you threaten or hurt a constable who is acting under section 71A, you can get in trouble. You can get in trouble if you do something that a medical officer of health has forbidden under section 70 or 71. This applies to people who are helping the medical officer of health.

If you do not follow the directions of a medical officer of health under section 70 or 71, you can get in trouble. You can get in trouble if you keep doing something that you are not allowed to do under section 70 or 71. If you are found guilty, you could go to prison for up to 6 months, get a fine of up to $4,000, or both.

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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=DLM307213.

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71A: Power of constables to assist medical officer of health in relation to infectious diseases, or

"Police can help health officers stop infectious diseases from spreading"

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73: Medical officer of health may cause sanitary works to be undertaken, or

"Health officials can fix sanitary problems if you don't, and you have to pay for it"

Part 3Infectious and notifiable diseases

72Offences relating to obstructing medical officer of health or people assisting medical officer of health

  1. A person commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, a fine not exceeding $4,000, or both who in any way (directly or indirectly, by act or default)—

  2. threatens, assaults, or intentionally obstructs or hinders a medical officer of health or any person authorised by a medical officer of health in the exercise or performance of powers or functions under section 70 or 71; or
    1. threatens, assaults, or intentionally obstructs or hinders a constable acting under section 71A; or
      1. does anything forbidden by a medical officer of health or any person authorised by a medical officer of health under section 70 or 71; or
        1. fails or refuses to comply with, or delays complying with, a direction or requirement of a medical officer of health or any person authorised by a medical officer of health given in the exercise of powers or functions under section 70 or 71; or
          1. does, or delays ceasing to do, a thing prohibited or forbidden by a medical officer of health or any person authorised by a medical officer of health in the exercise of powers or functions under section 70 or 71.

            Notes
            • Section 72: replaced, on , by section 7 of the Health Amendment Act 2006 (2006 No 86).
            • Section 72: amended, on , by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).
            • Section 72(b): amended, on , pursuant to section 116(a)(ii) of the Policing Act 2008 (2008 No 72).