Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Crimes Act 1961

Crimes affecting the administration of law and justice - Bribery and corruption

105: Corruption and bribery of official

You could also call this:

“It's against the law for officials to take bribes or for anyone to give bribes to officials.”

If you’re an official, it’s against the law to accept or try to get a bribe for yourself or someone else. This applies to anything you do or don’t do in your official job, whether you’re in New Zealand or somewhere else. If you do this, you could go to prison for up to 7 years.

It’s also against the law for anyone to give, offer, or agree to give a bribe to an official. This means you can’t try to influence an official to do or not do something in their job by offering them something in return. If you do this, you could also go to prison for up to 7 years.

Remember, a bribe is anything valuable given to try to make someone do something they shouldn’t in their official job. It’s important to always be honest and not try to unfairly influence officials.

This text is automatically generated. It might be out of date or be missing some parts. Find out more about how we do this.

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM328753.

Topics:
Crime and justice > Criminal law
Government and voting > Government departments
Previous

104: Corruption and bribery of law enforcement officer, or

“It's against the law for police officers to take bribes or for anyone to offer them bribes to influence their work.”

Next

105A: Corrupt use of official information, or

“Officials can get in big trouble for using secret work information to help themselves or others”

Part 6 Crimes affecting the administration of law and justice
Bribery and corruption

105Corruption and bribery of official

  1. Every official is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years who, whether within New Zealand or elsewhere, corruptly accepts or obtains, or agrees or offers to accept or attempts to obtain, any bribe for himself or herself or any other person in respect of any act done or omitted, or to be done or omitted, by him or her in his or her official capacity.

  2. Every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years who corruptly gives or offers or agrees to give any bribe to any person with intent to influence any official in respect of any act or omission by him or her in his or her official capacity.

Compare
  • Criminal Code (1954) s 102 (Canada)
Notes
  • Section 105(2): amended, on , by section 7 of the Crimes (Bribery of Foreign Public Officials) Amendment Act 2001 (2001 No 28).