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Health Act 1956

Quarantine

112: Offences

You could also call this:

"Breaking quarantine rules is against the law"

If you are the master of a ship and you let someone who needs to be in quarantine leave the ship without permission from the medical officer of health or health protection officer, you commit an offence. You can be imprisoned for up to 3 months or fined up to $2,000, or both. This is decided by a District Court Judge.

If you are on a ship and you need to be in quarantine but you leave the ship without permission from the medical officer of health or health protection officer, you also commit an offence. You can be arrested and taken back to the ship or to a hospital or place of isolation, and you have to stay there until you are released from quarantine according to section 98.

If you arrive by aircraft and need to be in quarantine but you leave the aerodrome or the place where you are being held without permission from the medical officer of health, you commit an offence. You can be arrested and taken back to the aerodrome or place, or to a hospital or place of isolation, and you have to stay there until you are released from quarantine according to section 98.

If you do not follow the rules or directions of the medical officer of health or health protection officer, you commit an offence.

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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=DLM307740.

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111: Power to board any ship and inspect, or

"Health officers can inspect ships in ports to check for sickness and health risks."

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112AA: Sections 70 and 71 and this Part operate independently, or

"Some quarantine laws work on their own and don't affect each other."

Part 4Quarantine

112Offences

  1. The master of any ship who permits any person liable to quarantine to leave that ship without the authority of the medical officer of health or health protection officer commits an offence and is liable, on conviction before a District Court Judge, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or to a fine not exceeding $2,000, or to both.

  2. Every person on any ship who, being liable to quarantine, leaves the ship without the authority of the medical officer of health or health protection officer commits an offence and is liable on conviction before a District Court Judge to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or to a fine not exceeding $2,000 or to both. Every person who commits an offence against this subsection may be arrested without warrant by any constable, or by the medical officer of health or any person authorised by him in that behalf, and may be taken in custody to the ship or to any hospital or place of isolation, and may be detained until he is released from quarantine pursuant to section 98.

  3. Every person arriving by any aircraft who, being liable to quarantine, leaves the aerodrome, or that part of the aerodrome in which passengers are lawfully detained pending the granting of pratique, or any place where he is lawfully detained pending his release from quarantine, without the authority of the medical officer of health commits an offence and is liable, on conviction before a District Court Judge, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or to a fine not exceeding $2,000, or to both. Every person who commits an offence against this subsection may be arrested without warrant by any constable, or by the medical officer of health or any person authorised by him in that behalf, and may be taken in custody to that aerodrome or place or to any hospital or place of isolation, and may be detained there until he is released from quarantine pursuant to section 98.

  4. Every person commits an offence against this Act who contravenes or fails to comply in any respect with any provision of this Part or with any requirement or direction of the medical officer of health or health protection officer pursuant to any such provision.

Notes
  • Section 112(1): amended, on , by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).
  • Section 112(1): amended, on , pursuant to section 2(5) of the Health Amendment Act 1988 (1988 No 99).
  • Section 112(1): amended, on , by section 4(2) of the Health Amendment Act 1982 (1982 No 34).
  • Section 112(1): amended, on , pursuant to section 18(2) of the District Courts Amendment Act 1979 (1979 No 125).
  • Section 112(1): amended, on , by section 9 of the Health Amendment Act 1979 (1979 No 64).
  • Section 112(2): replaced, on , by section 4(2) of the Health Amendment Act 1982 (1982 No 34).
  • Section 112(2): amended, on , by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).
  • Section 112(2): amended, on , pursuant to section 2(5) of the Health Amendment Act 1988 (1988 No 99).
  • Section 112(3): amended, on , by section 413 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 (2011 No 81).
  • Section 112(3): amended, on , pursuant to section 18(2) of the District Courts Amendment Act 1979 (1979 No 125).
  • Section 112(3): amended, on , by section 9 of the Health Amendment Act 1979 (1979 No 64).
  • Section 112(4): replaced, on , by section 4(2) of the Health Amendment Act 1982 (1982 No 34).
  • Section 112(4): amended, on , pursuant to section 2(5) of the Health Amendment Act 1988 (1988 No 99).