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Crimes Act 1961

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

105A: Corrupt use of official information

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"Using official secrets for personal gain is against the law"

Illustration for Crimes Act 1961

If you are an official, you can go to prison for up to 7 years if you corruptly use or disclose information you got in your official job. This includes information about military tactics. You must not use this information to get an advantage or money for yourself or someone else. You can be punished whether you do this in New Zealand or somewhere else.

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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=DLM328755.

Topics:
Crime and justice > Criminal lawGovernment and voting > Government departments
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105: Corruption and bribery of official, or

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

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105B: Use or disclosure of personal information disclosed in breach of section 105A, or

"It's against the law to use secret information about people that someone else got illegally to make money or gain an advantage."

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

105ACorrupt use of official information

  1. Every official is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 7 years who, whether within New Zealand or elsewhere, corruptly uses or discloses any information (including information about military tactics, techniques, or procedures), acquired by him or her in his or her official capacity, to obtain, directly or indirectly, an advantage or a pecuniary gain for himself or herself or any other person.

Notes
  • Section 105A: inserted, on , by section 3(1) of the Crimes Amendment Act (No 2) 1982 (1982 No 157).
  • Section 105A: amended, on , by section 15 of the Crimes (Countering Foreign Interference) Amendment Act 2025 (2025 No 71).
  • Section 105A: amended, on , by section 2 of the Crimes Amendment Act 1993 (1993 No 33).